Overview:
Elephant Discussion #1 – Poor EMC Measurement Consistency
No one is surprised when a round robin test shows multiple EMC testhouse measurements taken under supposedly identical test conditions are up to 10dB apart. By its nature, the ISO17025 laboratory accreditation standard covers a very broad church of test situations. However, the EMC industry is a distinct, identifiable niche. The various compliance groups providing the audit-service should be able to work together to improve inter-EMC laboratory measurement accuracy.

Can the EMC industry work with ISO17025 laboratory accreditation teams to improve measurement consistency?

Elephant Discussion #2 – Underperforming EMC Chambers

When calibrating a test field to 6GHz for commercial RF immunity testing, to obtain a compliant test field many test houses are finding they are forced to point the antenna at one corner of the room. All standard 3 meter semi-anechoic test chambers are cuboids with flat walls, ceiling and floor. The four walls and the ceiling are clad in RF absorber. The ‘hot’ wall (the one behind the calibration plane) performs the same as the other three walls.

Is a flat absorber lined ‘hot’ wall truly the only possibility?

Elephant Discussion #3 – Automotive Tests that Put the Car Audio System Performance First

Until fairly recently it seemed the RF immunity tests conducted inside the car cabin space were purely to ensure good sound system performance.

What is the future of RF immunity tests that actually check for electronic sub assembly compatibility inside the cabin space of a car?

Panelists:

Patrick G. André
Patrick G. André received his physics degree in 1982 from Seattle University, with post graduate work in Electrical Engineering and Physics. He has worked in the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) field over 30 years. He is a NARTE Certified Engineer in both EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) and ESD (Electrostatic Discharge). He has worked in the military and aerospace environment for his entire career, and worked with commercial electronics since 1995. Projects worked on vary from semiconductors, satellite equipment, industrial test equipment (for Agilent) and cellular installations, to writing the procedures and reports, and performing or supervising EME testing of many panels for the flight deck of the 787 and other aircraft. He has successfully worked with, and given input to, all branches of the military and NASA, as well as several of their subcontractors. He has a strong ability in the test, measurement, and troubleshooting of EMC. He is president of André Consulting, Incorporated.

Patrick has published numerous articles for a variety of magazines, his latest appearing in In Compliance 2014 Annual Reference Guide. He is the coauthor of EMI Troubleshooting Cookbook for Product Designers.

Fin O’Connor
Fin O’Connor has provided consulting, engineering, training and testing support to the Alion laboratory and customers for more than 35 years. O’Connor has performed EMC testing using specifications that include: MIL-STD-461A, B, C, D,E, F, 462, RTCA/DO-160B, C, and D, commercial aircraft, SAE J1113, EMP, SAMA, FCC, FDA, ESD, EN-61000-4 series, and RADHAZ.  He has consulted for General Electric, Bell and Howell, Rohlm, Texas Instruments, Leland, American Airlines, Honeywell, EDO, AT&T, Dowty, Loral, Lockheed-Martin, National Institutes of Health, Dupont, Ortho Diagnostics, Bendix, Ford New-Holland, Aydin Corp, Porsche of North America, the U.S. Navy, AEG, ACETEL, Biddle Corp. and Niagara Mohawk Nuclear Power Plant.  He is an active member of the Government/Industry MIL-STD-461 Working Group which produces the most recent version of MIL-STD-461. O’Connor has more than 20 years experience in developing and presenting EMC training courses for both Government and the private industry. He has given courses for NATO on EMC in Italy, Greece and the Netherlands.

Fin O’Connor has provided consulting, engineering, training and testing support to the Alion laboratory and customers for more than 35 years.
O’Connor has performed EMC testing using specifications that include: MIL-STD-461A, B, C, D,E, F, 462, RTCA/DO-160B, C, and D, commercial aircraft, SAE J1113, EMP, SAMA, FCC, FDA, ESD, EN-61000-4 series, and RADHAZ.
He has consulted for General Electric, Bell and Howell, Rohlm, Texas Instruments, Leland, American Airlines, Honeywell, EDO, AT&T, Dowty, Loral, Lockheed-Martin, National Institutes of Health, Dupont, Ortho Diagnostics, Bendix, Ford New-Holland, Aydin Corp, Porsche of North America, the U.S. Navy, AEG, ACETEL, Biddle Corp. and Niagara Mohawk Nuclear Power Plant.
He is an active member of the Government/Industry MIL-STD-461 Working Group which produces the most recent version of MIL-STD-461. O’Connor has more than 20 years experience in developing and presenting EMC training courses for both Government and the private industry. He has given courses for NATO on EMC in Italy, Greece and the Netherlands.

Steve Koster
Steve Koster is a Vice President at Washington Laboratories where he has dealt with EMC and Radio requirements for the last 21 years. Steve has tested or directly supervised thousands of projects over the years for FCC, MIL-STD, CE Mark, DO160 and REG Guide 1.180 and EPRI 102323. Steve has presented at the EMC symposium numerous times discussing test setups for FCC testing.

Adiseshu Nyshadham
Dr. Nyshadham brings thirty years of experience in R&D, commercial and military electronics systems engineering with teaching, analysis, design, modeling, test and regulatory approval expertise to the table. He has significant specialization in antennas, EMI/EMC/EME/ESD, Biomedical, and custom Test Automation, Turnkey Test Facility Projects (Antenna Test Range, Semi and Fully Anechoic Chambers).

He launched a highly successful consulting organization to provide end-to-end system and training services in the area of EMI/EMC/ESD antenna, shielding, power, protection, distribution, grounding, and automation. He has been responsible for development of designer diagnostic Electromagnetic tools for effective and efficient product developments. As a Technical Lead, he also completed a turnkey project of creating novel and efficient EMC test facilities.

Amongst his various other distinctions, in 1992, Dr. Nyshadham won the Indian Independence Day Award for Innovative Inventions for his work on missile seeking system in W-BAND. He has also been lead and co-author of 26 technical reports, journal publications and symposia.