Electromagnetic interference (EMI) has known to disturb the functioning of PCBs, devices, and so on, and hence needs to be controlled. There have been various efforts made as well as solutions developed to mitigate EMI in electrical and electronic devices. However, since electromagnetic radiation is imminent, devices and printed circuit boards are designed to be electromagnetically compatible, which means they can function normally in the presence of EMI. Manufacturers of PCBs and electronic products need to comply with certain testing standards to get certify their devices and boards as EMC enabled. This post discusses how manufacturers can navigate through the compliance landscape and achieve EMC certificate.
How to Achieve EMC Certification for Your Board or Device?
EMC certification by recognized bodies is mandatory in some countries, while the standards may vary. Here are some pointers regarding EMC certification.
- Across the US, the Federal Communication Commission’s FCC Part 15 rules are applicable for EMC regulations. The organization regulates EMI emission limits for almost all devices from small handheld ones to industrial equipment
- There are other recognized bodies such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Standards Organization (ISO) which regulate standards for EMI emissions from devices
- If you are a manufacturer of electrical, electronic, or electromechanical products, PCBs, and more, you can partner with a reliable compliance testing service provider or an EMC testing laboratory. They test your products and help you get the certification.
- There are different standards of testing and EMC measurement based on the device type or segment. For instance, IEC 60601-1-2 is a recognized for EMC-enabled medical devices. Similarly, CISPR 25:2016 Ed. 4 Annex I is an international standard for testing and measurement of EMC in automotive devices and digital components.
- While getting your product tested from a recognized compliance testing lab will help get you an EMC certification, your in-house design, manufacturing, and testing processes matter the most. .
- Also, shielding EMI should be a part of the design stage, so that it can be implemented easily when manufacturing boards or devices. This makes your device or board flawless and prepares it for EMC testing.
- To control board level EMI, using PCB EMI shields is extremely effective, and you can be sure that there is no EMI coming from PCB components even they operate at a high frequency.
- Ensure the shields you use for boards are flexible and lightweight so that fit onto the PCB well. You can get customized EMI shields to rightly fit your PCB dimensions. This fitment will ensure EMI suppression at board level.
- Once the board-level EMI is shielded, you need to ensure there is no EMI coming from external sources around the device. All of this will prevent issues popping up in lab testing, and you can get your EMC-enabled product in the market.
- Getting an EMC-enabled device into the market improves your brand credibility and opens sales opportunities across the globe.
Achieving immunity against EMI is crucial. While devices are designed to be EMC compatible, EMI suppression or filtration should also be one of the measures taken. Using EMI shields is a great way to prevent unwanted signals and subsequent damage to the board or device. However, it is essential that the shields are lightweight, fit the board perfectly, and suppress EMI. XGR Technologies offers SnapShot® EMI shields made from a thin polyetherimide film on the interior and conductive tin on the exterior surfaces. These are flexible and lightweight shields that help reduce electromagnetic inference. If you need further information on these EMI shields, you can contact the XGR Technologies team via phone or email.
