One issue I see fairly often with unshielded consumer or commercial products is CPU resets during periods of immunity testing, such as during electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing. Untreated, this can lead to field failures and associated customer satisfaction issues. The remedy is usually quite simple and IC manufacturers even mention the solution, but it’s usually buried … [Read more...]
Energy Harvesting is Not Fiction Anymore
“About what we did dream today, are the ideas from tomorrow. The tomorrow ideas are the products from the days after tomorrow.” Our environment is changing and everything is becoming “electronified”. Our glasses, our hand gloves, shirts, shoes etc., can be connected already today with our smartphones and can send commands to the machinery surrounding us. We want this comfort, … [Read more...]
Narrowband Versus Broadband Harmonic Signals
Radiated and conducted emissions measurements are often comprised of both narrowband and broadband sources. So what differentiates “narrowband” and “broadband” signals? Narrowband Versus Broadband Signals The definition of whether a signal is narrowband or broadband as measured using a spectrum analyzer, depends entirely on the receiver bandwidth (resolution bandwidth, or … [Read more...]
Review of IEC 60601-1-2: 2014 (4th Edition)
Introduction IEC 60601-1-2:2014 Edition 4 was published February 2014 and replaces IEC 60601-1-2 Edition 3 published on 2007. It pertains to EMC for medical electrical equipment and medical electrical systems. The European version (EN60601-1-2:2015) is identical to its IEC counterpart with exception of references to the EN versions of the 61000-4-x series and the addition of … [Read more...]
Troubleshooting EFT
EFT Phenomenon Recently I tested a medical device for EFT susceptibility. The requirement is that the medical device must be immune to EFT bursts generated per IEC 61000-4-4. Per this standard EFT bursts are applied in four steps. For level 4, steps 1 and 2 are +/-2kV at 5kHz, and steps 3 and 4 are +/-2kV at 100kHz. For each step, these bursts are applied at 300ms interval for … [Read more...]
Assembling A Low Cost EMI Troubleshooting Kit – Part 2 (Immunity)
This article concludes the two-part series, Assembling Your Own EMI Troubleshooting Kit – Part 1, which included a listing of the major components of a complete EMI trouble shooting kit that can be easily transported where needed. Most of the probes and tools listed in Part 1 were useful for troubleshooting radiated emissions. In Part 2, we’ll discuss several other useful … [Read more...]
Radio Equipment Directive, 2014/53/EU
Editor’s Note: The Radio Equipment Directive (RED), 2014/53/EU, must be used for new products manufactured after June 13, 2016 and becomes mandatory for all products June 13, 2017. Abstract This article provides an update on changes occurring as a result of the new Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU which can be used from June of 2016. It looks at the changes in … [Read more...]
Gaps In Return Planes – Bad News for EMI
Currently, there is an ongoing discussion among SI and EMC engineers on the fine points of PC board design for best signal integrity and EMI performance. Among the topics it seems designing in gaps or slits in ground return planes always comes up. Gaps can also occur mistakenly due to the addition of some connectors or other object that creates gaps in the copper. In fact, … [Read more...]
T-Filters, Transmission Lines and EMC
Have you ever had a signal integrity issue that did not have its toll on EMC? If you did then you should consider yourself lucky to have avoided this nightmare. I. Situation: An I2S bus master clock driver is set to 12.288MHz and run at 3.3V. Drive strength is at 50-Ohms. Rise time is at 2ns. Fall time is at 2ns. The driver is located on the “master board” and the bus … [Read more...]
Interference Technology’s Top Ten Articles From 2005 to 2016
Each year, I like to capture the top “clicked on” articles. Knowing this will help me determine what topics readers feel are most engaging. The data will help me as technical editor round up articles for 2017 that will be equally compelling. Some of these topics include EMC basics, product design for compliance, EMC standards updates, medical EMC, vehicular EMC, and military … [Read more...]
