Schneider Electric F-Lab (Volta & Amplitude)
Grenoble, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France
+33 4 76 57 60 6028 rue Henri Tarze, Grenoble, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, 38050, France
Additional locations (1)
About
F-Lab is Schneider Electric's French testing and expertise centre in the Grenoble area, split across two platforms - F-Lab Volta at 28 rue Henri Tarze in Grenoble and F-Lab Amplitude at 31 rue Pierre Mendes France in Eybens - and connected to Schneider laboratories in the United States, China, Spain, India and Germany through the One Labs network. It occupies 14,000 m2, employs around 120 technicians, engineers and experts across five test poles, invests roughly one million euros a year in new test equipment and draws on 80 years of low- and medium-voltage systems experience. It is COFRAC-accredited to IEC/ISO 17025 under three separate numbers (1-0140, 1-6324 and 1-7287) and runs its own metrology laboratory. On the EMC side it operates two semi-anechoic chambers of 117 m3 and 486 m3 for emission and immunity work plus radiofrequency communication testing including 2.4 GHz protocols, but the reason to know about F-Lab is what surrounds the EMC chambers. Three power alternators (two of 600 MVA and one of 2,500 MVA) feed four tracks and six LV and HV test cells rated to AC 2,200 V / 300 kA for 1 s (700 kA peak) and DC 2,000 V / 200 kA for 1 s, supporting short-circuit breaking, short-time withstand current, electrical endurance and internal arc testing with X-ray observation. Climatic chambers run to 230 m3 for multi-stress testing, there is a 72 m3 acoustic chamber, vibration to 57 kN nominal sine force, dielectric HV testing, dimensional control, metallography and materials analysis. Third-party certification bodies including ASEFA, ASTA, LCIE, TUV Rheinland, DEKRA and OVE supervise testing on site under the IECEE OC scheme, and F-Lab is a founding member of the French high-power testing stations association ESEF for medium-voltage work. A Project Test Leader service manages certification programmes end-to-end with those bodies. Market focus is distinctive: military and merchant marine qualification with recognition from BV, RINA, DNV and Lloyd's and COFRAC accreditation for standards such as IACS E10 and Stanorg, EV charging station validation with E.V. Ready 1.461 and Z.E. Ready accreditations, and nuclear industry conformity testing including seismic qualification combining physical test and simulation.
Accreditations
| Accreditation |
|---|
| ISO/IEC 17025 |
| IECEE CB Scheme |
| EMC Directive 2014/30/EU |
Testing Services
| Test Type | Applicable Standards |
|---|---|
| Radiated Emissions | CISPR 11 / EN 55011, EN 55032, EN 61000-6-3, EN 61000-6-4, Semi-anechoic chambers of 117 m3 and 486 m3 |
| Conducted Emissions | CISPR 11 / EN 55011, EN 55032, EN 61000-6-3, EN 61000-6-4 |
| Radiated Immunity | IEC 61000-4-3, EN 61000-6-1, EN 61000-6-2, EN 61000-6-5 |
| Conducted Immunity | IEC 61000-4-6 |
| ESD | IEC 61000-4-2 |
| EFT/Burst | IEC 61000-4-4 |
| Surge Immunity | IEC 61000-4-5 |
| Harmonics & Flicker | EN IEC 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3 |
| Voltage Dips/Interrupts | IEC 61000-4-11 |
| Power Frequency Magnetic Field | IEC 61000-4-8 |
| Radio Equipment Testing | Radiofrequency communication testing, 2.4 GHz protocol testing |
| Pre-Compliance Testing | Design and development phase support, Test plan definition with expert team, Failure and incident analysis during testing, Project Test Leader (PTL) certification programme management |
| Environmental Testing | Cold, heat, damp heat, Cyclic and continuous salt spray, Artificial solar radiation, Thermal shock, Rapid temperature variation, Multi-stress climatic chambers up to 230 m3 |
| Mechanical Testing | Vibration to 57 kN nominal sine force, Shock testing, 72 m3 acoustic chamber, Seismic qualification (physical test plus simulation), Dimensional control and metallography, Materials analysis |
| Product Safety | Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, IEC, UL and ANSI standards, LV and MV dielectric and electrical testing, Short-circuit breaking and short-time withstand current, Internal arc testing, Electrical endurance, Temperature rise, overload tripping, thermal stability, IACS E10 and Stanorg (marine) |
Certifications / Marks
| Certification |
|---|
| CE |
| CB Certificate (IECEE OC scheme) |
| UL |
| CSA |
| ASEFA |
| ASTA |
| LCIE |
| TUV Rheinland |
| DEKRA |
| OVE |
| Bureau Veritas |
| RINA |
| DNV |
| Lloyd's Register |
| E.V. Ready 1.461 |
| Z.E. Ready |
| ESEF founding member |
Industries Served
| Industry |
|---|
| Energy & Power |
| Industrial Equipment |
| Information Technology |
| Nuclear |
| Automotive |
| Radio & Wireless |
Major Equipment
| Equipment |
|---|
| Semi-anechoic EMC chamber 117 m3 |
| Semi-anechoic EMC chamber 486 m3 |
| 3 power alternators (2 x 600 MVA, 1 x 2500 MVA) |
| 4 test tracks and 6 LV/HV test cells |
| AC 2200 V 300 kA / 1 s (700 kA peak) |
| DC 2000 V 200 kA / 1 s |
| Internal arc test facility with X-ray observation |
| Climatic chambers up to 230 m3 |
| Acoustic chamber 72 m3 |
| Vibration system 57 kN nominal sine force |
| High-voltage dielectric test facility |
| Metallography and dimensional control laboratory |
| Materials analysis laboratory |
| Seismic test and simulation capability |
| In-house metrology laboratory |
| 2.4 GHz RF communication test equipment |
