Electromagnetic Compatibility concerns with the unintentional generation, propagation, and reception of electromagnetic energy. EMC compliance testing ensures that damage in operational electronic equipment or unwanted effects like electromagnetic interference (EMI) are not present. The aim of EMC Testing is to ensure smooth operation of different equipment in a shared electromagnetic environment.
In the last post, we talked about pre-compliance testing. In this post, we will talk about compliance testing. Pre-Compliance is a cost-effective, low risk, and an informal method to ensure your product will pass the Compliance testing.
EMC Compliance Testing deals with 4 main tests:
- Emission: Emission issues involve the deliberate or accidental generation of electromagnetic energy.
- Susceptibility or Immunity: Susceptibility is the tendency of electrical equipment to break down or malfunction in the presence of unwanted emissions or RFI. Immunity is the ability of the equipment to function correctly in the presence of RFI.
- Coupling: Coupling is the mechanism by which emitted interference reaches the DUT. There are several types of coupling which have already been discussed in our post “Electromagnetic Interference”.
EMC Tests are regulated by various standards and one such example is CISPR. CISPR not only covers the equipment and methods for measuring interference, but also establishes limits and immunity requirements for electronic devices. Different organizations of different countries enforce these requirements. For example, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in America enforces these requirements for compliance testing and certification of electronics sold within the states. FCC requirements only relate to conducted and radiated emissions.
The difference between America and Europe is that in European EMC Certification, there are no immunity limits. In general, compliance with national or international standards are usually laid down by laws passed by individual nations, therefore it will vary from place to place.
The EMC Testing requires open-air test sites (OATS) that are specifically mentioned in most CISPR standards. OATS are highly useful for emission testing of large equipment. Radio Frequency testing of a physical prototype is mostly carried out indoors in an anechoic chamber. An anechoic chamber is a room designed to completely absorb the reflections of either electromagnetic waves or sound. It is isolated from external waves from entering its surroundings.
Compliance testing is a very formal, costly and time consuming process. So it is best to try to ensure that your device passes this compliance testing in the first go.
ITC India is an NABL accredited testing laboratory providing EMC EMI Testing Services along with many other testing services as per the client’s requirement. Contact b.vig@itcindia.org to get your TESTING QUOTE TODAY or visit our website page https://itcindia.org/emc-emi-testing/ to know more about EMC EMI Testing.
EMC Testing 