Why is EMC important at an early stage of designing PCB (printed circuit board)?

Introduction

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Build it right the first time." Well, it's even more important when it comes to your PCB boards. EMC compliance is a big deal that can affect your final product's performance, as well as its liability. Here's why this is such an important topic for designers at every stage of their design process:

In the world of electronic design, the mantra "Build it right the first time" holds significant weight, especially when it comes to Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). Ensuring electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in PCB design isn't just a technical requirement; it's a vital aspect that influences your product's performance, reliability, and market compliance. This article dives into the essence of EMC in PCB design, highlighting its critical role for engineers and designers across various stages of product development.

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) is a pivotal consideration for engineers designing PCBs. It's about ensuring electronic devices operate efficiently in electromagnetic environments without causing or getting affected by disturbances. This is crucial across various industries, including telecommunications, medical devices, computing, and consumer electronics.

What is electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)?

EMC is the study of how electronic and electrical equipment affects the electromagnetic environment.

EMC is the study of how electronic and electrical equipment affects the electromagnetic environment. An electromagnetic environment (EME) is defined as all sources of electromagnetic radiation in a given location. This includes man-made devices such as cell phones, radio waves from nearby transmitters and even natural phenomena like lightning strikes.

EMC issues may be caused by external sources or internal sources. External sources include high-voltage power lines; high-power transmitters such as broadcast antennas; ignition systems in motor vehicles; lightning strikes; electrostatic discharge from people walking on dry carpeting or wearing synthetic clothing (such as polyester). Internal sources include semiconductor manufacturing processes that generate high levels of static electricity during fabrication or assembly, static discharge between components due to insufficiently grounded electrical wiring during assembly or shipment for retail sale; arcing between conductors when hot solder joints cool too slowly after soldering operations have completed.

The main goal of EMC testing is to ensure that your product won't interfere with other electronics or cause any damage if it's used in harsh conditions. If you're developing a product that uses electricity, it's important to understand how your design will affect its surrounding environment before mass manufacturing begins!

What causes EMC interference?

• Electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation is the most common cause of EMC interference. Radiation is a form of energy that travels through space in the form of electromagnetic waves, which are produced by moving electric charges. The most common types are radio and microwave radiation, but you may be surprised to learn that visible light and infrared (IR) light are also part of this category.

• Electromagnetic coupling

If two circuits that should be electrically isolated from each other happen to be connected by an antenna or cable, then they can couple together through inductive or capacitive coupling. . This can happen if there is direct physical contact between them—for example when one circuit board touches another—or if there's a piece of metal used as an antenna on one circuit board that makes contact with another circuit board indirectly through the air (for example, if there's a metal standoff connecting two boards together).

The electromagnetic field around the wires of a cable can couple into another circuit board. This can happen when the radiated magnetic field is coupled to the circuit board. 

Here are some of the many reasons why it's important to build your boards right the first time.

As a design engineer, you're going to be in a hurry to finish multiple tasks at your hand but you don't have time for mistakes. And there are many reasons why it's important for you to design your PCB right the first time:

• Reduce the cost of redesigning and manufacturing--A mistake can cost thousands of dollars in rework fees, so it pays off big time if you can avoid these costs by getting things right at the beginning.

• Reduce the risk of product failure--No one wants their product recalled because something didn't work right! If there are any problems with your design or fabrication process, they should be caught before they go into production so that issues don't arise later on down the line when they would be much harder (and more costly) to fix than if found earlier on in development stages when changes can still easily be made without affecting production schedules too much.

• Avoid penalties for non-compliance--Designers need to follow regulations regarding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) when designing PCBs because failing EMC testing could lead not only do fines but also to loss of customer trust which could cause irreparable damage even if those penalties eventually get waived.

• Avoid loss of customer trust --Customers won't buy products from companies whose designs fail testing; instead, these customers will go elsewhere where their needs are met better than what companies offering substandard products could provide.

  

It's important to understand that EMC is an issue for any electronic system, with or without PCBs. For example, you may be using a power supply that you bought from Amazon and it has no EMC marking. Or you might have an Arduino that doesn't have an EMC shield (shields are basically just big stickers for your circuit board). However, this does not mean that the Arduino won't work!

When we talk about EMC in relation to PCBs and electronics, we're referring specifically to emissions outside of our product. A general rule of thumb is: if your device is emitting radio waves at high frequencies or its parts are conducting electricity at high frequencies—or if it's exposed to electricity flowing through wires or cables connected directly to the product itself—it needs some sort of protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources.

The burden of liability falls on the designer, not on the manufacturer, who might not be able to fix an issue in the design later on.

The burden of liability falls on the designer, not on the manufacturer, who might not be able to fix an issue in the design later on.

If you're a designer and you want to avoid being held responsible for problems with your PCB board's electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), then it's important that you understand how EMC works.

An non-EMC-compliant product can result in high repair costs and loss of customers' trust.

When it comes to designing for EMC, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important is that an non-EMC-compliant product can result in high repair costs and loss of customers' trust. Designers are responsible for the EMC of their products, so they should understand what needs to be done early on in order to avoid costly changes later on down the line.

Arriving at a correct solution early on will save you money later on.

The cost of fixing an EMC issue is much greater than the cost of designing it right in the first place. The following are examples:

• The cost of losing customers' trust and reputation, including loss of revenue and market share

• Regulatory fines and penalties for non-compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, FCC)

How can EMC issues be reduced?

• Reduce EMC issues by designing PCBs with EMC in mind.

• Use a shielding technique.

• Use a grounding technique

• Use a filtering technique

• Use a bypassing technique

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When designing PCB circuit boards, designers must plan for EMC issues.

For example:

• EMC can cause problems in the design process.

• EMC can cause problems in the manufacturing process.

• EMC can cause problems with the operation of a circuit board if not considered correctly during design.
  

It's not just about making sure your device will pass certain tests--it's also about saving yourself time and money in the future, by avoiding costly mistakes before manufacturing begins.

Conclusion

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) emerges as a fundamental pillar in PCB design. It's essential not only to comply with regulatory standards but also to safeguard your product's functionality and market reputation. Understanding the diverse sources of EMC interference and implementing effective mitigation strategies is crucial. Moreover, aligning your designs with industry standards ensures global market accessibility.

For further inquiries or assistance in PCB design and EMC compliance, our expert team is ready to provide guidance and solutions. Feel free to reach out for specialized support in navigating these complex yet critical aspects of electronic design.

Click here to book a demo with Mitai EMC advisor.