Fundamentals

How does a manufacturer comply with its duty to warn, given the number of people in the U.S. who do not read English or any language? Does the law require multilingual labels or safety symbols, and when is it a good idea to include them?

The 2003 Columbia re-entry accident was caused by a piece of liberated external tank foam that struck and damaged the left leading edge during powered ascent. Computational and experimental electromagnetics were ultimately applied to foster the development of a new NASA Ascent Debris Radar (NDR) for the remaining 22 Shuttle missions. In the process, countless static and dynamic radar signature and EMI/EMC calculations and tests were completed to assure this safety-critical radar system was ready for the return to flight (RTF) missions.

This year, 2022, is a revision cycle year for ANSI Z535, and it marks the first time many of the standards have changed in over a decade. This month’s column explores the latest updates and what they mean for product safety.

Read an interview with Dr. Robinson for context on manuals, including the latest standards and best practices for incorporation with your product safety strategy.

For engineers new to the field of EMC, the road can look very steep indeed. But, with a plan (and some work!), you can grow from EMC novice to EMC expert.

This article presents the fundamentals and application of capacitors. What is a capacitor, and how do we select them? Techniques of selecting capacitors and things to consider when using capacitors are highlighted. Both practical examples and simulation are used to demonstrate the key points.

Heat flow analysis for semiconductor ESD situations can be approximated to one dimension, and then captured with a generalized Ohm’s Law using a complex impedance. Methods can include time-dependent electrothermal pulses and feedback due to self-heating, with solutions readily carried out on any desktop computer.

Explore the key components to keep in mind for your product safety strategy – from risk assessment to safety labels and manuals – and some of the ways that they all work together to improve safety and reduce risk.

The shielding performance of bayonet vs. threaded connectors is measured and some possibly surprising conclusions are drawn. Bayonet connectors – more useful than you might think.

This article describes three troubleshooting methodologies doctors use to diagnose (troubleshoot) medical problems. These same techniques have proven useful in my own EMC consulting practice.