EMC Test House Directory logo

Sailors have their own unique vocabulary. For instance, they say “heads” instead of toilets, “fore and aft” for front and back, “port” and “starboard” for left and right, and “halyards” or “sheets” instead of lines or ropes. There are many more examples, which can be confusing for non-mariners.
Similarly, experienced EMC engineers use specialized terms like LISNs, CDNs, FARs, OATS, BCI, and ESD, which can be perplexing for electrical and electronic engineers.
This page is designed to clarify these terms and make the concepts easier to understand.

To pose a question simply put your name and email address, plus your question in an email to findatesthouse@gmail.com

The questions are split into three topics. These are 1) General Questions, 2) Test Facilities and Techniques and 3) Test Instrumentation


General Questions

What is Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)?

ANSWER
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) refers to the ability of electronic and electrical systems, devices, and equipment to operate efficiently and without interference in their intended electromagnetic environment……..LINK TO FULL ANSWER


What is EMP?

ANSWER
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a burst of electromagnetic radiation that can disrupt, damage, or destroy electronic equipment and systems. It can occur naturally, such as from lightning or a solar storm, or it can be generated intentionally as a weapon, known as a High-Altitude EMP (HEMP) or nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) when produced by a nuclear explosion……LINK TO FULL ANSWER..


What is a European Directive?

ANSWER
A European Directive is a legal act issued by the European Union (EU) that sets out specific objectives that all EU member states must achieve through their national laws. Directives are one of the primary instruments used by the EU to harmonize laws and regulations across its member states…….LINK TO FULL ANSWER..


What is a European Harmonised Standard?

ANSWER
A harmonised standard is a European standard developed by a recognised European Standards Organisation: CEN, CENELEC, or ETSI. It is created following a request from the European Commission to one of these organisations.
Manufacturers, other economic operators, or conformity assessment bodies can use harmonised standards to demonstrate that products, services, or processes comply with relevant EU legislation.


What is a Medical Device

ANSWER
The term “Medical Devices” encompasses a wide array of products used in healthcare for diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of diseases and injuries. Under the European Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), which is Regulation (EU) 2017/745, a medical device is defined with specific criteria and encompasses several categories based on their intended use and risk classification…….LINK TO FULL ANSWER


What is a Notified Body?

ANSWER
A notified body is an organization nominated by a government of one of the Member States of Europe and recognized by the European Commission. A notified body is nominated based on specific requirements, such as knowledge, experience, independence and resources to carry out the compliance audits. 
The primary role of a Notified Body is to carry out conformity audit services under the conditions set out in the New Approachguidelines in support of CE Mark certification. This normally means that manufacturers are assessed for compliance with essential requirements in each directive. A conformity audit may consist of inspection, quality assurance, type examination or design examination, or a combination thereof. BSI is a notified body for many European directives.

Republished from BSI Netherlands


What is Product Compliance?

ANSWER
Product compliance refers to the adherence of a product to regulatory standards, laws, and requirements set forth by governmental agencies or industry bodies. These regulations can cover various aspects of a product’s design, manufacturing, labeling, packaging, distribution, and disposal……LINK TO FULL ANSWER..


What is ESD?

ANSWER
( Electrostatic Discharge )


What is EFT?

ANSWER
( Electrical Fast Transient ) 


What are Voltage Dips and Surges?

ANSWER


What are Voltage Transients?

ANSWER


What is Power-line flicker?

ANSWER


What is HIRF?

ANSWER
High Intensity Radiated Fields


What is HEMP?

ANSWER
High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulses


What is IEMI?

ANSWER
Intentional Electromagnetic Interferences


To pose a question simply put your name and email address, plus your question in an email to findatesthouse@gmail.com

Test Facilities & Techniques

What is BCI?

ANSWER
Bulk Current Injection


What is a FAR ?

ANSWER
Fully Anechoic room


What is a GTEM Cell?

ANSWER
Gigahertz Transverse Electromagnetic cell


What is an OATS?

ANSWER
Open Area Test Site


What is a Reverberation Chamber?

ANSWER


What is a SAC ?

ANSWER
Semi-Anechoic chamber


What is a screened room?

ANSWER


What is a TEM Cell

ANSWER
Transverse Electromagnetic cell


What is Shielding Effectiveness

ANSWER


To pose a question simply put your name and email address, plus your question in an email to findatesthouse@gmail.com

Test Instrumentation

What is an Absorbing Clamp?

ANSWER


What is Antenna Factor?

ANSWER
The ratio of the received field strength and the voltages measured at the receiving antenna terminals.

Republished by kind permission of NEMKO


What is an Artificial Mains Network (AMN)?

ANSWER
Used to supply the mains electrical voltage (either AC or DC) and current to the equipment under test (EUT). The AMN also establishes a measurement point for conducted emissions when stabilizing the impedance, inductance, and capacitance of the power supplied to the EUT

Republished by kind permission of NEMKO


What is a CDN?

ANSWER
Coupling Decoupling Network


What is a Two-Line V-Network ?

ANSWER


What is a LISN?

ANSWER
Line impedance stabilization network


To pose a question simply put your name and email address, plus your question in an email to findatesthouse@gmail.com