Don MacArthur

You’re an expert at EMC testing but, when it comes to installing, tearing down, and moving an EMC chamber, you may not have a clear understanding of all of the non-engineering tasks that go along with such an important event.

There has to be a better way of specifying EMI filter performance – one that shows a filter’s effectiveness in real-life situations. It turns out there is a better alternative test method that fulfills this need. This method is the insertion loss test method for non-50Ω systems, located in Annex C of the second edition of EN 55017 (a.k.a. CISPR 17).

The safety performance specifications of RF absorbers are just as important as the other attributes of RF absorber performance.

If you’re performing commercial radiated and conducted emissions measurements strictly by the book, you will want to utilize a measurement receiver or spectrum analyzer that fully complies with CISPR 16-1-1.

If you’re an electrical engineer and consider proper EMC shielding a mechanical only issue, please reconsider your position and keep reading. Proper EMC shielding is both an electrical and mechanical design issue. Thoughtful coordination between the two disciplines is key to successful EMC shielding implementation on most product development projects.

Are you just getting into software simulation and feeling a little overwhelmed with all the new jargon? This brief article will explain some of the most common terms used in the very exciting world of EMC/Signal Integrity simulation software, all in one location.

Ever tried to measure low-level signals in the presence of noise? Or wanted to capture a measurement isolated from ground, like that of an ungrounded hand-held digital multi-meter, but also needed to capture finer details of the signal, like those captured with an oscilloscope?

Without much effort and expense, it is possible to perform pre-compliance testing in a manner that saves considerable time and money without commercial or financial risks associated with purchasing a full-compliance test facility.

What is an antenna Balun? The term balun is a portmanteau (a blending of two words) of balanced/unbalanced – BAL-UN.

A more thorough “in-between calibration cycle” check of the ESD simulator’s output waveform is something every EMC engineer and technician should consider.