Element Provides EN 50121 Railway EMC Testing Across Components, Systems, and Infrastructure

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Element, a provider of testing, inspection, and certification services to support product quality, safety, and compliance across industries, provides EN 50121 railway electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing services to support compliance with emission and immunity requirements for railway systems, components, and infrastructure.

EN 50121 defines electromagnetic compatibility requirements for railway systems, covering emission limits and immunity standards for various components. The standards provide a framework for managing EMC for railways, including limits for electromagnetic emissions to the external environment and requirements for equipment operating within railway systems. Element’s testing services support compliance, interference prevention, and performance validation in railway environments.

The company’s railway EMC testing portfolio addresses both emissions and immunity requirements across the EN 50121 series. Testing verifies that products do not generate excessive electromagnetic interference and maintain performance when exposed to electromagnetic disturbances. Capabilities cover railway-specific EMC challenges with protocols for different component types.

Element combines EMC testing with radio coexistence testing in a single program. This includes wireless device testing across railway environments, radiofrequency testing at component and system levels, wireless coexistence testing, and certification to RED for CE marking, FCC, ISED, and MIC requirements to support global market access.

The company tests a wide range of railway components and systems. These include rolling stock apparatus, complete trains and vehicles, and electronic components for rolling stock; signaling apparatus and telecommunications equipment; fixed power supply installations and power supply apparatus; and railway infrastructure, including infrastructure components and trackside systems. Testing and certification services are provided to ensure systems meet EN 50121 EMC requirements.

Testing approaches include laboratory-based testing in specialized facilities, on-site and trackside testing, and live environment testing with in-situ surveys. Services also include EMC management plan development for traceability and risk mitigation, digital engineering modeling and simulation, and railway EMC qualification test plan authoring aligned with EN 50121 requirements.

Element provides advisory services covering EMC compliance, safety, and environmental requirements throughout the product development cycle. This includes interpreting standards, developing EMC management plans, creating qualification test plans, and supporting testing at manufacturer sites or in operational environments for large products and infrastructure.

Facilities include large-scale EMC test chambers designed to accommodate complete locomotives, advanced emissions measurement systems, electromagnetic field generators, environmental simulation facilities, and wireless testing and radiofrequency systems. These facilities are used to simulate full electromagnetic conditions encountered in railway operations.

Testing services are supported by global laboratories, providing access to EMC testing capabilities worldwide. These laboratories are equipped to handle full-scale railway testing and simulate electromagnetic conditions across different operating environments.

Element conducts testing for multiple railway standards, including EN 50121-3-2 for rolling stock apparatus, EN 50121-4 for signaling and telecommunications apparatus, EN 50121-5 for fixed power supply installations, EN 50121-3-1 for emissions testing of rolling stock, trains, and complete vehicles, EN 50121-2 for system-level emissions to the external environment, and EN 50155 for EMC and environmental testing of rolling stock and electronic equipment.

The company supports testing flexibility for large components through facilities capable of handling full locomotives, on-site and trackside verification when laboratory testing is not practical, and integrated EMC and wireless testing programs. Certification services are provided to meet requirements across multiple international railway standards.

Click here to learn more about these services.