Below are the questions asked during the live event, along with their respective answers.
Q: Is multi-tone methodology accepted by EMC test standards?
A: Currently, it is out for FDIS in IEC 61000-4-3 with final votes expected this summer. While it is not specifically called out in many standards, such as ISO and automotive manufacturers, there is nothing that says you cannot, However, what you must remember is that failure mechanisms and procedures are defined for single tones. So, if a failure occurs during multi-tone testing, you must verify whether one of the individual tones caused the failure or if it was a result of the sum of the multi-tone profile. In other words, simply replay the grouping of multiple tones one tone at a time to verify failure.
Q: What is the overall frequency range of the Multi-Tone?
A: 10 kHz – 6 GHz
Q: Does AR offer demos of the Multi-Tone hardware?
A: Yes. We have provided numerous customers with demo hardware, from allowing customers to try out the equipment, self-contained demos using TEM cells as well as traveling to customer’s sites, installing the MT06002 into a customer’s test setup for demonstration and everything in between.
Q: If I needed a 50 Watt amplifier to perform a single tone test, will I need 100 Watts now? More?
A: At an individual frequency, yes, you will need roughly double the power for an additional tone. The reason for this phrasing is that antenna gain will obviously vary over its operational band, so power requirements for a given field strength will vary, but any given frequency, you would need roughly double the power.
Q: I assume your time savings of 85% is assuming no EUT failures. How does the time savings change if you have to go back to single tone since you have to find out first which one of the frequencies caused the failure?
A: Correct, time savings would differ if there are failures. It’s difficult to predict exactly how this would affect the overall time as it depends on the number of failures. Remember too that, if a failure does occur, you don’t need to retest the entire frequency band, just the group of tones where the failure occurred.
Q: Are there any standards that allow the multi-tone testing? If not, is that something being considered by the standards committees?
A: Currently, it is out for FDIS in IEC 61000-4-3 with final votes expected this summer. While it is not specifically called out in many standards, such as ISO and automotive manufacturers, there is nothing that says you cannot, However, what you must remember is that failure mechanisms and procedures are defined for single tones. So, if a failure occurs during multi-tone testing, you must verify whether one of the individual tones caused the failure or if it was a result of the sum of the multi-tone profile. In other words, simply replay the grouping of multiple tones one tone at a time to verify failure.
Q: How does the test time reduction compare to reverb chamber RI methods?
A: Admittedly, we have not run a side-by-side comparison of multi-tone versus reverb. Although with reverb testing as far as I know, it is intended more to be able to generate higher fields with less power, rather than being intended to make the test more expedient. With reverb, you’re still testing at individual frequencies whereas with multi-tone you’re testing with multiple frequencies. I think this is more of an apples and oranges comparison. Please reach out if I’m not understanding the question.
Q: Does emcware allow access to backend equations and formulas.
A: No, it does not.
Q: During your calibration, are you using a field probe? And if yes, how do you discriminate the measured field levels at each frequency?
A: Yes. So there are actually two calibrations being performed. First is your typical field calibration where you’re determining how much forward power is required to generate a given field level (using a field probe). The second calibration is to determine how many tones your amplifier can handle. This second test does not require a field probe.
Q: What delta (spacing) between frequencies is typically used?
A: The Multitone uses whatever frequency spacing is required by the applicable test standard.
Q: Has any OEM already started using this system for their internal testings?
A: Yes, however, we are not allowed to divulge which OEMs are using the product.
Q: Do you have a white paper that provides justification for using multiple tone method?
A: Yes, please get in touch with AR and we can provide.
Q: What’s the lowest delta between frequencies that the device can handle?
A: For any of the applicable EMC standards, the lowest spacing.
Q: When testing, for example two-tone, what spacing would be used between the two frequencies?
A: The Multitone uses whatever frequency spacing is required by the applicable test standard.
Q: Has AR shipped them to India to any lab yet?
A: The Multitone has been supplied to several OEMs, however, we are not allowed to divulge which OEMs are using the product.
Q: What’s the highest RF immunity field strength v/m can multitone provide?
A: That is really a limitation of the amplifier and antenna that are being used. Amplifiers are used externally to the Multitone, so any size amplifier could be used to generate the desired field.