When engineers begin designing their products, electromagnetic compatibility is usually the furthest thing from their minds. EMC testing is often left until the very end of the design cycle because designers aren’t educated on EMC design (the process of planning and preparing for EMC testing) and techniques for mitigating electromagnetic interference—or they simply dread the subject.
Failure to pass compliance testing could pose serious risks. EMC testing ensures that your product does not interfere with other electrical or electronic equipment and vice versa. EMI can damage equipment and potentially have dire consequences. For instance, when automated cars were first introduced, the public feared that EMI could cause pace makers to malfunction within patients; but with EMI shielding, this issue was effectively mitigated. Therefore, EMC testing is essential for the wellbeing of consumers. Yet, nearly 50 percent of products fail EMC testing the first time around due to a lack of knowledge of EMC principles; the failure to incorporate EMC principles into the design cycle; the application of erroneous EMC regulations; unpredicted interactions between circuit elements; and the incorporation of non-compliant modules into the final product. Failing EMC testing is often costly for companies, as they must subsequently troubleshoot and engineer solutions, delay the product schedule, and sometimes start the design cycle from scratch. Yet, wasted time and money are only two consequences of failing EMC testing.
If products are non-compliant, they could cost your company its reputation. For example, both Apple and Samsung are now facing lawsuits after an experiment by the Chicago Tribune found that some of their phone models tested above the legal RF exposure limits. Whether the results were erroneous or accurate, these two companies’ reputations are on the line due to a claim that their products did not meet the FCC’s standards, which reveals the outrage customers feel when products do not meet the required standards and regulations.
EMC testing illuminates and mitigates EMI as well as ensures that products meet the standards set by certain countries. Only five to seven percent of products fail EMC testing the second time around, but if these products had undergone pre-compliance testing or engineers had incorporated EMC design into the products’ design cycles, products would have a greater chance of passing testing the first time.
Pre-compliance testing offers your company various benefits, including the early detection of errors, the reduction of testing costs, and the reduced risk of EMC testing failure. One way to incorporate EMC into your design is to remain updated on the standards and regulations set forth by the countries from which you seek approval. Our monthly newsletters delineate all amendments to global standards and regulations to make sure that you’re in the know.
Because designers aren’t always equipped to incorporate EMC design into a product’s design cycle, it is often best to seek a partner capable of complementing the designer’s skills. Rhein Tech Laboratories, Inc. is an excellent partner for product designers, as we provide EMC design from initial conception to final review.
At Rhein Tech Laboratories, Inc., we offer engineering services; design review; and full-compliance testing for EMC/EMI to meet the regulations of the FCC, Industry Canada, the European Union Directives, and the military and medical fields.
Request a quote from us, and then the design cycle will begin.
We offer free one- to two-hour conferences to review your design; discuss potential EMC design pitfalls; and update you on the latest rules, regulations, and standards. Our unique EMC design evaluation and mitigation approach eliminates the time and cost of mitigation and provides you a shorter time-to-market. Our goal is to help your company implement a design development cycle that includes EMC design reviews and analysis early in the development cycle, saving your company time and money. Contact us today for a free quote. Sources: https://www.com-power.com/top-benefits-pre-compliance-emc-testing.html, http://www.intertek.com/uploadedFiles/Intertek/Divisions/Commercial_and_Electrical/Media/PDF/EMC_Testing/Why-50-Percent-Fail-EMC-WP.pdf
EMI Testing,
EMC Testing,
FCC Testing,
CE Testing,
Military Testing,
IC Testing,
Shielding Effectiveness Testing,
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