Predicting Aerospace/Avionics Performance Against Electromagnetic Effects (E3) and EMC Requirements

The susceptibility of aircraft systems to Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) is a growing concern in the aviation industry, for several reasons. One contributing factor is that the environment of High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) is becoming more severe as the number of RF transmitters increases and usage of spectrum broadens. Another is that the density of electrical and electronic equipment in aircraft is growing, due to electrification, automation of flight controls and demands for higher data capacity in infotainment and communication systems. Finally, this is further compounded by the trend towards lightweight composite materials in airframes, which provide less shielding than metal and consequently greater susceptibility to E3. This is of particular concern for lightning strikes, where intense fields can cause localized heating and damage, but also diffuse through the airframe skin and couple to internal cabling and systems.

Given these growing concerns, digital design and simulation of aircraft electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance is increasingly important and beneficial, both in the early stages of design and throughout the lifecycle, for example when integrating new electronics systems. This eSeminar will discuss the use of multi-scale electromagnetic simulation for virtual EMC assessment.

Presenter

David Johns oversees the SIMULIA electromagnetics team in North America. He holds a PhD in electrical engineering, specializing in electromagnetic simulation. Dr. Johns has extensive experience in applying electromagnetic simulation to a wide range of industry applications, especially for aerospace electromagnetic environmental effects and compatibility (EMC).