GROUNDED: EMC/EMI & PCB Design Nuggets

Imagine your electronic product is undergoing EMC testing to meet FCC and CE certification requirements, but it’s consistently failing radiated emissions tests.

The project launch, originally scheduled for next month, has now been delayed indefinitely until you identify and resolve the issue, allowing the device to pass certification.

This delay is straining the project budget, and stakeholders are growing increasingly frustrated with the setbacks.

During the testing process, the EMC test engineer investigates and rules out common mode currents as the source of the problem.

After further analysis, he concludes that the excessive radiated emissions are most likely due to differential mode currents.

Now, you need to decide on the best course of action to address this issue.

Which of these options would you choose to reduce the radiated emissions caused by differential mode currents?

A) Increase the power supply voltage to stabilize the circuit.

B) Decrease the current passing through the loop.

C) Enlarge the area enclosed by the loop to distribute the emissions.

D) Reduce the area enclosed by the current loops, cables and layout.

E) Limit the frequency or harmonic content of the currents in the loop.

F) Add more shielding to the enclosure without changing the circuit design.

Comment below!

P.S. Not sure which option is best? Check out my new EMI Control guide on Radiated Emissions: