EMC knowledge for product development
Ten articles from measurement practice – written for development teams who want to get EMC under control early in a project. From the basic terms through preparing a measurement to standards and CE marking.
01 · Fundamentals
What is EMC – and which measurement do I need?
Two articles that clear up the terms and set the direction. If EMC is new to your project, start here.
What is EMC?
A definition in one sentence, the key terms with examples and how source, coupling and victim work together. The entry point when EMC is new to a project.
Read up on the EMC basicsEmissions or immunity?
Two directions, two measurement environments: what the device puts out and what it can withstand. Includes a mapping of typical observations to the right measurement.
See the difference and the right measurement
02 · Measurement and preparation
What do I need to prepare, and what does it cost?
What a pre-compliance measurement achieves, what you should bring and what the effort depends on.
What is pre-compliance testing?
The purpose and course of measurements during development, and how they differ from an accredited test.
Understand pre-compliance testingPreparing your device
Operating states, peripherals, power supply, accessibility and documentation – what should be settled before the measurement day.
Open the preparation checklistWhat does an EMC measurement cost?
Which factors drive the effort – from the size of the device through the operating states to the depth of troubleshooting. No flat rates.
See what drives the effort
03 · Test methods and troubleshooting
What do I do when a measurement stands out?
The disturbances themselves, the recurring patterns behind them and what to do after a measured value stands out.
- ESD, burst and surge explainedWhere the three transient disturbances come from in everyday life, how they differ in pulse shape, duration and repetition, and how we investigate them in the shielded chamber.Compare the three disturbances
- Common EMC problemsRecurring patterns from practice, with symptoms, possible causes and starting points – from the cable acting as an antenna to clock harmonics.See typical patterns and starting points
- What happens when a measurement stands out?The path from the measured value through locating the interference source and a single measure to a re-measurement under comparable conditions.Read how root cause analysis runs
04 · Standards and CE marking
Which standards apply, and how does CE work?
Which standards apply to a product and how CE marking works. Both for orientation, not as an interpretation of standards.
- EMC standards at a glanceThe three levels from basic standard through generic standard to product standard, sorted by product category – from multimedia through automotive to rail and aviation.See the hierarchy and product categories
- CE markingWhich EU directives apply to electronics, how conformity assessment works and what belongs in the technical documentation.Read how CE marking works
A question about your product?
If an article does not answer your question, we will work it out in conversation – and tell you which measurement helps.