
The course introduction presents a general methodology for all applications, starts with definitions and concepts, and reinforces terminology through repeated study with reference materials and external links.
Define accessible and live parts and explain product classifications from class 0 to class 3, with a focus on supply cords and conductors, including earth and neutral.
Discuss safety concepts for Class I products, including basic insulation and earth connection, and explain how insulation failure can leave metal accessible paths live and unprotected.
Class ii products rely on double or reinforced insulation, offering intrinsic safety with no protective earthing. Secondary insulation shields users within a plastic case, independent of installation conditions.
Identify electrical safety labels and symbols for class 0 through class 3 products, understand earth protection, and review product classifications as you prepare for the next section quiz.
The lecture defines electric strength as the electric field a material can withstand without breakdown, expressed as voltage per distance, and covers leakage currents, insulation, and temperature and humidity effects.
Explain touch current, passing through human body, and earth leakage current through insulation to protective earth conductor, and how leakage is measured between supply poles and accessible metal parts.
Explore how production certification determines safety limits across classes, with lower values for medical devices, review leakage and touch current, and preview liquids and clearance distance calculations.
Define four pollution degree categories, from category 1 sealed equipment to exclude dust and moisture, through categories 2–4 with pollution becoming conductive from condensation or deposits in outdoor settings.
Identify insulation categories and distinguish basic insulation from thicker insulation and supplemental information. Learn how these concepts form a general rule for electrical safety and compliance.
Determine altitude-based clearance factors by assigning the product's attitude to categories such as up to 2000 meters, 2000-3000 meters, 3000-4000 meters, and 4000-5000 meters.
Explore the four overvoltage categories, from commercial category to category 3 industrial installations, and examine clearance, pollution degrees, and associated protection devices, insulation, meters, and primary protection equipment.
Learn the clearance distance calculation procedure, using pollution degree values 1–4 and overvoltage categories, and explore basic supplementary insulation options and voltage category ranges, with quality control considerations in manufacturing.
Profile the application by selecting a 220 v Europe voltage, primary circuit considerations, and insulation category with pollution degree three, referencing 60335 and 60335-14 for kitchen appliances.
Apply the three-step calculation procedure using tables 15 and 16 to determine impulse voltage, clearance, and insulation requirements from the rated input voltage, incorporating Schwann and attitude factor.
Evaluate supplementary insulation and the minimum clearance required by table 16 for class 2 products with double insulation, and implement the appropriate clearance to meet safety standards.
Refer to table 16 for the next higher input voltage reference and apply a 3 millimeter clearance to reinforce insulation.
Identify the most relevant standard before design, as standards update and requirements may change; examine the clearance distance calculation procedure and reinforced insulation example for electrical design safety and compliance.
Identify parameters influencing creepage and clearance in design: primary or secondary insulation, pollution degree, insulation category (basic, supplementary, reinforced), dielectric strength, and overvoltage category, with focus on quality control.
Learn how the comparative tracking index (CTI) classifies electrical insulation materials into four categories, affecting leakage paths and breakdown risk, with CTI-based material grouping and example from PCB manufacturers.
What students say about this course:
"This course is very informative. As electrical engineer, I am honestly getting valuable information through this program. COURSE WAS EXCELLENT BOTH IN PRESENTATION AND PACKAGE", Ivwionoku
"Great info on standards, where to get them and how to implement them practically in CAD!", Alvaro
"Great details on safety aspects of products with clear methodologies of design using informative examples. Thank you so much!", Pramit
Last Update:
******** October 10th, 2016 - Added a section on how to set and check clearance and creepage in a PCB Design CAD Software. Section name "PCB CAD/CAM SOFTWARE - CLEARANCE AND CREEPAGE"
******** Published in May 1, 2016 ********
Course Description
Being a capable electronics designer does not make you a good one.
Being an expert in Arduino, Raspberry, firmware, embedded software and microcontrollers, hardware, PCB design, digital and analog design, is only a part of what designers need to know.
A beautiful and functional product can be appealing, but if basic safety rules are not taken into account even before starting the actual design activities, a poor design can endanger people and cause its designer big troubles.
This course focuses on design safety with respect to electrical/electronics application, including PCB design. It covers the most important aspects that designers need to know, and it teaches a general methodology to develop electronics and electrical applications (including PCB) in compliance with safety principles and international standards.
+++++ Have a look at the course curriculum +++++
At the end of the course:
so basically you will be able to design a functional, safe and ready for the market electrical application.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE LESSONS AVAILABLE FOR FREE IN THE COURSE CURRICULUM !!!
We will introduce the basic concepts and techniques of electrical, electronics and PCB design for safety, teaching you the path to a project compliant with product safety legislation.
We will cover both basic electrical definitions like the product classification and more advance concepts like creepage calculation and critical electronics components.
Throughout the course you will find practical examples on how to use these techniques on electrical and electronics household appliances design (e.g. food mixers and electric toasters), and also how to set some parameters in a CAD/CAM Software for PCB design.
We will take as a reference the most important and recognised international safety standards, like IEC 60335 series, IEC 60529, and the like.
The last section will be dedicated to describe the whole design process, from the design specifications to final verification and validation, with a practical example on an electric toaster design.
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The course is made essentially of video lessons, but reference to guidelines and datasheets are provided, when considered useful.
You will also find several tests. We strongly recommend to take the tests before proceeding to check the concept you have learned.
If you really want to understand the safety related part of an electrical/electronics and PCB design and complete your technical culture with this important cornerstone, this course is a must.
HAPPY LEARNING!!!