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of Dublin, that has been designing,
manufacturing and supplying low-
vision aids for over 20 years. Its product
line includes handheld, portable and
desktop magnifiers serving the needs
of people with visual impairments.
These help with close proximity tasks
such as reading, writing and similar
activities although devices with
integrated cameras can also help with
distance vision challenges, for viewing
live events or simply watching TV. More
recently ASH has applied its technology
to industrial applications with digital
imaging solutions for product inspection
in quality assurance and failure
analysis. These include both handheld
and desktop digital microscopes, with
90% of its production being exported
through distributors to global markets,
including the USA.
As many of ASH’s products, especially
the desktop units, either require or can
be used with external power supplies
it is clear the company needs to offer
Level VI compliant adapters if it is to
continue serving the US market. And
it probably makes sense to bundle the
same compliant adapter regardless
of where the product is shipping to
minimize stock-keeping issues and the
risk of a non-compliant kit ending up in
the wrong place.
However it wasn’t until early-September
this year (2015) that ASH became
requirements and are comfortable we
have a solution with CUI. We still have
EMC testing to conduct and ASH also
needs to complete self-certification for
safety, load testing and regulation but
none of these requirements should be
an issue. Then we will be in a good
position to seamlessly transition to
Level VI compliant kits without any
disruption to supply.”
Conclusion
There are various “takeaways” from
this story. First is the concern that
the message about the upcoming
legislation relating to changes to
the energy efficiency regulations for
external power supplies isn’t reaching
the systems companies who are
buying in adapters to accompany their
equipment. Secondly it’s evident that
some manufacturers of such power
supplies seem to have a rather laid-back
attitude towards the timeline dictated
by the new standards. But on the plus
side CUI at least has been championing
the cause for some while now, having
begun introducing Level VI compliant
adapters since late 2014. So, the final
message is, “Don’t be complacent, act
now and don’t be caught out by the
new rules.”
Figure 1. ASH Technologies’ Inspex 1080p
inspection system uses an external power
supply
aware of the impending Level VI
regulations. As ASH’s Design Engineer,
Brian Heffernan, explained, “It was
only when a CUI sales representative
paid us a visit that we first heard about
Level VI. The immediate concern this
raised was what we needed to do to
ensure continuity of supply to our
customers, knowing that aside from
how long it might take us to qualify
new adapters our normal procurement
lead-time is 12 weeks.”
What was also of concern to ASH
was subsequently learning that
its incumbent suppliers were both
aware of Level VI yet seemingly had
neglected to inform ASH about the
changing legislation and how it might
affect them. Indeed those suppliers
showed no sense of urgency in terms of
developing compliant adapters - their
respective sales people both assuming
they would have product in time.
Needless to say, ASH has not been
so complacent. It has worked closely
with CUI to identify suitable Level VI
compliant replacements for the 50 W
desktop and 18 W multi-blade wall plug
adapters that it ships with its digital
microscope products. ASH currently
has samples of these new units being
tested in its laboratories. As its R&D
director, Martin Cahill, told us, “We
have satisfied ourselves that these
units meet all our normal performance
Figure 2. CUI’s Level VI compliant 50 W
Desktop and 18 W Multi-blade Wall Plug
Adapters