What is the process of CE certification for commercial desktop ice cream cabinets?

If a commercial desktop ice cream cabinet wants to enter the European market, it needs to pass the CE certification to meet the safety, health and environmental protection standards of the European Union. The following are the detailed processes and key points of its CE certification, which will help you understand the certification steps systematically.

Ⅰ. Clarify the EU directives and standards applicable to the certification

The following is an interpretation of the applicable and reference instruction standards：

1. Applicable instructions

Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC): Regarding the mechanical safety of ice cream cabinets, such as protection of moving parts and structural stability.

Low Voltage Directive (LVD, 2014/35/EU): Applicable to electrical components with rated voltages of 50 - 1000V AC or 75 - 1500V DC, such as compressors and control circuits.

Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC, 2014/30/EU): Ensures that devices do not interfere with other electronic devices during operation and also have the ability to resist interference.

F-gas Regulation (EU 517/2014): If refrigerants such as R290 are used, they must comply with the EU's restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions to ensure the environmental friendliness and safety of the refrigerants.

RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU): Restricts the use of hazardous substances such as lead and mercury in equipment.

2. Reference standards

Mechanical safety: EN 12100 "Safety of machinery - Basic concepts, general principles for design".

Electrical safety: EN 60335-1 "Safety of household and similar electrical appliances - Part 1: General requirements", EN 60335-2-24 "Safety requirements for refrigerating appliances".

EMC: EN 55014-1 "Electromagnetic compatibility - Requirements for household appliances, electric tools and similar apparatus - Part 1: Emission", EN 55014-2 "Immunity requirements".

Refrigeration system: EN 378 "Refrigeration systems and heat pumps - Safety and environmental requirements".

Ⅲ. Prepare Technical Files

Technical documents should cover the entire process information of product design, manufacturing, testing, etc., and usually include:
Product Instruction Manual: including operation guide, safety warning, and maintenance instructions (in official EU languages such as English or German).
Circuit diagrams and electrical schematic diagrams: showing power supply connections, control logic, and protective devices (such as overload protectors).


Bill of parts: including the models, manufacturers, and certification certificates of key components (such as compressors, thermostats, refrigerant types), e.g., the CE certification of the compressor.

Risk Assessment Report: Analyze potential risks (such as electric shock, mechanical injury, refrigerant leakage) during the use of equipment, and explain preventive measures.

Material Certification: Such as the flame retardant rating of the shell material (complies with EN 60695), and the safety certification of food-contact components (such as EU EC 1935/2004).

Test Report: The subsequent test results of safety, EMC, and refrigeration performance issued by the laboratory.

Design drawings: including the overall structure, refrigeration system flow chart, and electrical wiring diagram.

III. Select a Notified Body and submit the application

Filter institutions:

EU notified bodies (such as TÜV, SGS, Intertek, etc.) must possess the certification qualifications for relevant directives (the institution number and authorized scope can be queried through the official EU website).

Note: If the product involves a refrigeration system, it is necessary to confirm whether the institution has the audit qualification of the F-gas regulations.

Submit application materials:

Application form (template provided by the institution).

First draft of the technical document (an overview can be submitted first, and the details can be filled in before the formal test).

Product photos (showing appearance, nameplate, safety signs, refrigerant charging port, etc.).

IV. Sample Testing

1. Test content

Mechanical safety:

Degree of protection of enclosures (IP rating, such as IPX1 splash-proof).

Protection of moving parts (such as strength testing of fan guards).
Stability test (no tipping over at inclined angles).

Electrical safety:

Pressure test (insulation resistance, ground continuity).

Overload protection (compressor overheat protection function).

Abnormal condition testing (such as operational stability under power supply voltage fluctuations).

EMC Testing:

Electromagnetic radiation (such as radio frequency interference generated by a switching power supply).

Anti-electromagnetic interference (such as electrostatic discharge, radio frequency field induced immunity).

Refrigeration system:

Refrigerant leak detection (sealing test).

Refrigeration efficiency and temperature control accuracy (such as maintaining the temperature inside the cabinet below - 18°C).

If flammable refrigerants such as R290 are used, additional tests on explosion-proof design (such as the sealing of the compressor compartment and the explosion-proof rating of electrical components) are required.

2. Test cycle

Usually it is 4 - 8 weeks. If the sample is unqualified, it needs to be rectified and retested, and the cycle will be extended accordingly.

V. Factory Audit (Some instructions need to)

Applicable scenarios: If the certification involves safety-critical components (such as pressure vessels, electrical safety components), the notified body may require a factory audit.

Check key points:

Quality management system (such as compliance with ISO 9001).

Control of key processes (such as welding of electrical components, charging process of the refrigeration system).


Finished product inspection process (such as records of withstand voltage testing and leakage detection).


Note: Some institutions may accept the internal quality control documents provided by enterprises and waive on-site audits.

VI. Authentication Review and Certificate Issuance

Document review: The notified body assesses whether the technical documentation complies with the requirements of the directive and whether the test report is complete.

Rectification and supplementation: If there are any missing documents (such as incomplete risk assessment), materials shall be supplemented as required.

Certificate issuance: After passing the review, you will obtain a CE certificate (usually valid for 5 years, and the certificate needs to be renewed according to the standard update).

VII. Affixing the CE Marking and Market Access

CE marking requirements:

The logo should be clear and durable, with a size of not less than 5mm, and affixed to the product nameplate or a prominent position.

If the product has sub - components (such as the cabinet and the independent refrigeration unit), the CE mark shall be affixed separately.

Technical document archiving:

Enterprises should keep technical documents for at least 10 years in case of spot checks by EU market regulatory authorities.


Subsequent supervision:

The announcement agency may conduct random inspections of products on the market regularly to ensure continuous compliance with standards.

VIII. Special Precautions (for Ice Cream Cabinets)

Refrigerant compliance:

If using R290 (propane), it is necessary to confirm that its GWP value (Global Warming Potential) complies with the F-gas regulations (GWP ≤ 2500), and the system charge does not exceed the regulatory limit (e.g., for small refrigeration equipment, it is usually ≤ 150g).

The type of refrigerant, charging quantity and leakage handling measures shall be indicated in the product manual.

Food contact safety:

Components such as the shelves and inner walls inside the cabinet that come into contact with food shall comply with the EU food contact material standards (such as EC 1935/2004), and a material safety test report shall be provided.

Energy consumption label:

If entering the EU market, it may be necessary to comply with energy efficiency labeling requirements (such as the ERP Directive), and mark information such as energy consumption grade and annual power consumption.

Summary: Certification cycle and cost

Cycle: The overall process takes about 2 - 6 months (depending on the testing progress and rectification speed)。

Cost: The fees vary depending on the product complexity, testing items and institutions, usually ranging from 5000 to 20000 euros (including testing fees, review fees and certification fees).

Special notice: Enterprises should communicate with the notification body in advance to clarify the technical requirements and avoid certification delays caused by design flaws. If specific standard documents or recommendations for institutions are needed, targeted support can be further provided.