EU-Type Examination (Module B)
EU-Type Examination is the conformity assessment stage where an independent notified body examines whether your ATEX equipment design actually meets the essential health and safety requirements. For most Category 1 and 2 equipment, this examination is mandatory—you cannot bring the product to market without it.
How the Process Works
The manufacturer submits an application to a notified body of their choice, anywhere in the EU. The application package includes comprehensive technical documentation covering the equipment's design, manufacturing process, and intended operation, along with representative specimens for physical testing. The EC ATEX Guidelines (§178-188) describe what notified bodies expect to see.
The notified body then reviews everything systematically: they examine the documentation to verify the design meets the directive's essential health and safety requirements, physically test the specimens, and identify which aspects of the design rely on harmonised standards versus alternative solutions. This examination can take weeks or months depending on the equipment's complexity and the protection type involved.
The Three Approaches
The directive allows three variants of type examination:
- Production type: Testing a specimen that represents actual production units
- Design type: Examining technical documentation and design calculations without physical specimens
- Combination type: Both documentation review and physical specimen testing
Most ATEX equipment uses the combination approach. Explosion protection claims genuinely need physical verification—you can't just review drawings and trust that a flameproof enclosure will actually contain an explosion. The notified body needs to see it tested.
What Gets Examined
The examination covers every aspect relevant to explosion safety. For electrical equipment, this includes the protection concept itself (flamepath dimensions, intrinsic safety parameters, enclosure integrity), materials and construction, temperature classification, environmental resistance, and marking. The notified body checks that the design meets the relevant harmonised standard, or—if no standard is used—that equivalent safety is demonstrated through other means.
Physical tests vary by protection type. Flameproof enclosures undergo overpressure and flame transmission tests. Intrinsically safe circuits are tested for spark ignition. Increased safety equipment is tested for temperature rise and dielectric strength. The specific tests are defined in the relevant EN/IEC 60079 part standard.
The EU-Type Examination Certificate
When the design passes all examinations and tests, the notified body issues an EU-Type Examination Certificate. This certificate identifies the manufacturer, describes the examined type in detail, lists the standards applied, states any conditions for validity, and records the notified body's conclusions. The certificate number becomes part of the ATEX marking and the EU Declaration of Conformity.
Importantly, the certificate covers the design only—it doesn't approve actual production. You still need production-phase assessment (Module D or F for Category 1, or supervised testing for Category 2) before you can sell products. The certificate says "this design is safe"; production assessment says "your actual products match this safe design."
Maintaining the Certificate
Type examination isn't a one-time event. If you modify the approved design in any way that could affect explosion safety—a different enclosure material, changed internal wiring, a new cable entry—you must inform the notified body. They'll assess whether the changes require additional testing, a supplement to the existing certificate, or an entirely new certificate.
The notified body also periodically reviews certificates it has issued. They can withdraw a certificate if products no longer comply or if the manufacturer fails to meet their obligations. Manufacturers must keep all technical documentation available for at least ten years after the last product is placed on the market—authorities can request it at any time.
Choosing a Notified Body
You can apply to any notified body authorised for Module B under the ATEX directive—there's no requirement to use one in your own country. When choosing, consider their specific expertise in your protection type, their track record and reputation, practical factors like language and communication, and turnaround times. The NANDO database on the European Commission's website lists all authorised notified bodies and their scope.