Are you launching a new electrical product in the market? Do you want to export products to an OEM in other countries?
Whether you are planning to sell a product in Australia or in other parts of the world, you need to ensure that your product complies with the EMC standards in that particular geographical location.
The laws of physics dictate that every device through which electrical current passes is going to produce an electromagnetic field.
The low-power devices typically do not have any kind of problem as the power isn’t enough to generate high enough electromagnetic interference that can cause problems for other devices.
However, for certain devices (either for home use or for use in other critical fields such as in the military or medical field), any kind of interference can lead to huge problems.
Various regulatory bodies across the world have come up with EMC standards or compatibility standards for all the products that generate any kind of electromagnetic field.
All the products need to comply with the respective standards before they are allowed to be sold in that market. In the case of Australia, these standards are set up by a body known as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Different Types of EMC Services
Electromagnetic compatibility focuses on 2 things: emissions and immunity.
The EMC emissions testing is designed to measure the amount of electromagnetic emission by a product. The emission should be within the range outlined in the standards.
It ensures that the product does not produce enough electromagnetic interference to be able to cause problems for other devices. The immunity tests are designed to check whether a product will be able to function properly in the presence of electromagnetic interference.
Physical shields are often used to make electronic equipment compatible with EMC standards. These physical shields are made from materials capable of reflecting or absorbing energy.
However, these physical enclosures or shields need to have certain openings to ensure real-world functionality and that is what leads to the electromagnetic phenomena being capable of interfering with other devices that are nearby.
EMC Emissions Testing
When it comes to EMC emissions testing, the tests are focused on measuring the amount of magnetic radiation emitted by the product being tested. There are 2 categories of emissions namely radiated emission and conducted emission.
The radiated emission is a measurement of the electromagnetic energy generated by a product and is measured in volts per metre. The conducted emissions are referred to as the interference caused by a network when the product is being used.
EMC Immunity Testing
The immunity tests are focused on checking the suitability of a device to be able to operate when exposed to electromagnetic interference within a particular range. The immunity tests are further categorised into continuous phenomena and transient phenomena.
As the name suggests, the continuous phenomena measure the susceptibility or immunity of a product when it is subjected to electromagnetic interference for a continuous period of time. The transient tests are focused on testing the susceptibility of a device when it is subjected to short bursts of energy.
How Is EMC Testing Performed?
Before EMC testing is done, the most important thing one needs to know is the standards that apply to their product. Keep in mind that there are different standards for different kinds of product families and this is why, as a manufacturer, you cannot afford to miss an EMC standard.
It is recommended to get in touch with an accredited EMC test lab such as Compliance Engineering to learn more about the standards that apply to your product.
It is recommended to perform pre-compliance testing to ensure that your product passes the EMC test. A variety of methods are used to test various aspects of EMC.
The basic tests that are performed on all kinds of devices for assessing its EMC include radiated immunity, conducted immunity, radiated emissions and conducted emissions.
Overall, all the products that are capable of producing electromagnetic interference need to adhere to EMC standards as per the guidelines given by ACMA.
As a product manufacturer, you need to get in touch with an accredited EMC test lab to test your product and to get the required accreditation in order to be legally able to sell your product in various markets.
Get in touch with Compliance Engineering to learn more about our EMC services and the standards that will apply to your product.
Please call us today at Compliance Engineering on + 61 3 9763 3079 or leave an enquiry.