Santa Rosa, California, March 2023 – Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a growing concern in medical technology and regulatory standards continue to implement measures to prevent disruption in wireless communication between medical applications, which can have severe consequences for the patient. SCHURTER works diligently to stay abreast of equipment trends and their … [Read more...]
The Truth of the Matter: Surges Harm ATS and Inverters
Dion Neri, Chief Engineer MCG Surge Protection, Inc. Contrary to the popular perception that only a high-energy lightning strike can damage equipment, the truth of the matter proves otherwise. How does non-lightning damage occur? Every day surges enter a facility via the AC power lines as a result of grid switching and other sources. These surges will … [Read more...]
Fundamentals of EMC Design: Our Products Are Trying To Help Us
INTRODUCTION We often design electronic products only to find that when we test them for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), their emissions and/or immunity are not as good as we need them to be. Usually, at this time, we feel as if we are fighting against the laws of physics to contain the conducted and radiated emissions, or to reduce susceptibility. But in fact the laws of … [Read more...]
Avionics Testing Evolution
Nicholas Wright, EMC Partner AG, Laufen, Switzerland Many disturbance sources can affect the correct functioning and therefore the safety of an aircraft. The latest commercial airliner designs include many technological changes that have necessitated a review of avionic system test requirements. The trend today is to move toward structures made from Carbon Fiber Reinforced … [Read more...]
Protecting Security Systems in a Healthcare Facility from Lightning Induced Transients
A healthcare facility is a multifunctional building or campus that provides health care to citizens and when designated, also provides protection to the population in times of crisis. This includes common functions associated with patient care (e.g. operating rooms, emergency rooms, recovery rooms, etc), but also areas for educational centers, exercise facilities, food service, … [Read more...]
Simple Method for Predicting a Cable Shielding Factor, Based on Transfer Impedance
For a shielded cable, an approximate relationship valid from few kHz up to the first cable resonance can be derived from its Transfer Impedance (Zt) allowing to predict the cable shielding factor. This Cable Shielding factor, as a figure of merit, is often preferred by engineers dealing with product specifications and early design. Being not necessarily EMC specialists, they … [Read more...]
Eliminating the Need for Exclusions Zones in Nuclear Power Stations
Utilities operating nuclear power plants have been dealing with electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems for over two decades. Many early problems that affected the operation of instrumentation and control (I&C) equipment in plants stemmed from the use of wireless transmission devices (WTDs) (e.g., radio walkie-talkies, cellular phones, etc) inside the plant in the … [Read more...]
Shortcomings of Simple EMC Filters
Oversimplification of EMC filter selection to reduce size and cost can often be a false economy as anticipated performance may not be achieved. INTRODUCTION EMC design principles are best considered at the equipment design stage, where good mechanical design including component layout and cable routing can help reduce EMC problems at source. Even with good EMC practice, it is … [Read more...]
CISPR 32: New International Standard on Electromagnetic Emissions from Multimedia Equipment
In late 2011, The International Standards Commission's (IEC's) Special Committee on Electromagnetic Interference (CISPR) passed a Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) which had been under development for a number of years. The FDIS was actually developed by CISPR's Subcommittee I - Electromagnetic Compatibility of Information Technology Equipment, Multimedia Equipment … [Read more...]
Christmas Music in the Chamber
How a sprinkler system brought radio noise to a chamber and the techniques used to find and remove it. Candace Suriano and John Suriano Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA Anechoic and semianechoic or ALSE (Absorber Lined Shielded Enclosure) chambers are supposed to prevent radio signals and other radiated noise in the environment from being detected inside the chamber. A chamber … [Read more...]
