Expert Insights

Lightning currents flowing through an aircraft can couple into wiring in multiple ways, from magnetic‑field induction to capacitive coupling across seams, apertures, and composite structures. Part 2 explores how airframe materials, openings, and cable shielding affect the waveforms and levels imposed on onboard systems.

Choosing the right antenna can make or break your compliance testing results. This practical guide walks engineers through the essentials—frequency range, polarization, gain, and directivity—while decoding which antenna types deliver the most accurate, reliable measurements in real‑world EMC and RF test environments.

Decades of global collaboration have shaped today’s automotive EMC standards. From CISPR 25 and ISO 11452 to UNECE R10, this piece reveals how harmonization, travel, technical debate, and human connection have created the consistent, repeatable EMC frameworks the industry depends on.

Global market expansion demands rigorous compliance with diverse, fast‑changing international standards. From CE marking and FCC rules to RoHS, REACH, and regional EMC requirements, organizations must strategically align design, testing, and documentation to ensure seamless market access and reduce regulatory risk.

Lightning poses a constant threat to modern aircraft, striking airframes far more often than most people realize. This overview explores early research, lightning‑strike behavior, current waveforms, attachment zones, and the structural factors that influence induced currents inside today’s increasingly complex aircraft.

Electrostatic discharge remains one of the most unpredictable threats in electronics design. This article uncovers how ESD simulators expose hidden vulnerabilities, reveals the most common compliance‑testing failures, and shares practical, engineering‑focused strategies to build products that can survive real‑world shocks and stay reliably in the field.

Explore how PCB via and trace geometry influence the real‑world effectiveness of decoupling capacitors. This first article in the series defines six board variants, capacitor placement strategies, and PCB topologies, setting the stage for upcoming RF emission results based on CISPR 25 testing.

This column explores two air‑discharge‑based methods for testing small form factor products under the Charged Device Model. It examines limitations of traditional FICDM testers, presents wafer‑level and bare‑die testing approaches, and introduces contact‑first CDM techniques designed to improve reliability for fine‑pitch and low‑voltage devices.

Creepage distance isn't insulation—it's the surface distance between conductors on solid insulation. Understanding how contamination causes micro-arcs, why CTI matters, and when Paschen's law applies is critical for electrical safety and proper insulation design.

Compliance isn't a final checkpoint—it's a design foundation. Integrating regulatory standards early prevents costly redesigns, accelerates certification, and ensures market approval. Discover practical strategies for building compliance into product development from day one.