Q&A – EMC Testing Requirements for Integrated Circuits (ICs) and Components

Below are the questions asked during the live event, along with their respective answers.

Q: Are all new devices tested by the IC manufacturer and certified?
A: Yes, most of the IC manufacturers are testing their products to IEC62132 (again, it depends on the applications).

Q: What is the best way to shield a flat panel display window? What about higher frequency solutions?
A: There are many types flat shielding gaskets and mechanisms to protect the flat panel displays. You can choose the appropriate effective shielding for the higher frequency to protect the displays in an electromagnetic environment.

Q: How do I select a proper Honeycomb core(hole) size and thickness to minimize radiation interference in an EUT?
A: When selecting honeycomb, three critical performance variables should be evaluated: material composition, airflow and attenuation.
Material Composition Standard offerings are aluminum, brass, stainless steel and steel.
Attenuation Identifying the EMI shielding requirements for the vent assembly is paramount when beginning a vent design. In general, smaller cell size and larger honeycomb thickness results in improved shielding data. Plating can greatly improve shielding performance and is a more common avenue for performance improvement than deviating from standard aluminum honeycomb construction due to cost considerations.
Gasketing Typically, EMI gasketing is necessary to ensure proper electrical grounding between the vent assembly and the interfacing assembly. Gasketing options vary from knit-mesh, berylliumcopper fingerstock to conductive elastomers. Each provides varying degrees of performance across different frequency levels.Airflow & Attenuation Airflow and attenuation are inversely proportional. Infinitely large honeycomb cells result in infinitely small attenuation (and vice versa). Once airflow is determined, attenuation and other requirements can be evaluated. Standard cell sizes for honeycomb are 1/16″, 1/8″ and 1/4″, with 1/8″ being most common.

Q: EMC and EMI test could be made into the Anechoic chamber? is it recommended?
A: Yes, most of the electronic product manufacturers test their products in an anechoic or semi-anechoic chamber for EMI and EMC measurements

Q: Would have been nice to see some MIL-STD applications.
A: Sure, thanks for your suggestion. We will plan to host a MIL-STD applications webinar in the near future.