EMI Pre-Compliance Testing and Troubleshooting with Tektronix EMCVu

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and the related electromagnetic interference (EMI) seems to be one of those necessary evils that must be overcome prior to marketing commercial or consumer electronic products, as well as military and aerospace equipment. Unfortunately, few universities and colleges teach this important information, with the result that products are rarely designed to meet EMC/EMI requirements. EMC or EMI compliance is often left to the end of a project with all the associated schedule delays and unplanned cost.

The purpose of this application note is to help product designers or EMC engineers learn enough basics of EMC and EMI so that the usual design failures are addressed early when costs and design is minimized. Achieving EMC/EMI is easy once these basics are understood. This application note will also focus on measuring and mitigating radiated and conducted emissions using Tektronix EMCVu EMI software.