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Elite Sends Leaders to the International IEEE EMC Symposium

Posted on June 21, 2022 by - EMC/EMI Testing

Elite Electronic Engineering has been active in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Society for over 40 years. Elite is a regular presence at the EMC Society’s annual symposium and has hosted dozens of meetings for the EMC Society’s Chicago chapter.

That tradition continues at the 2022 EMC-Signal Integrity and Power Integrity (SIPI) Symposium being held August 1-5 in Spokane, Washington. Symposium week is filled with presentations of peer-reviewed technical papers, demonstrations of EMC test and mitigation techniques, tutorial workshops, and an exhibition of wares from more than a hundred EMC-related companies. Elite will be represented by two of its own:  EMC Lab Manager Craig Fanning and Marketing Engineer Tom Braxton.

Craig is the current Vice-Chair of CISPR/D, the EMC standards committee devoted to electronics on vehicles and internal combustion powered devices. His involvement with standards extends to membership on other related groups: the EMC Society Chicago Chapter board; the International Standards Organization (ISO) TC22 on road-vehicle standards; the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) EMC Committee; and subcommittees within all these organizations.

Craig is presenting “ISO Update/Motivations” at the symposium’s Automotive EMC Standards and Instrumentation Update tutorial session. Attendees will learn how ISO develops standards and how industry trends combine with public needs, providing the impetus for new or revised standards. This work is a voluntary exercise, done by professionals like Craig who devote their time and expertise.

Tom is a Life Senior member of the IEEE EMC Society and has served two terms on its board of directors, as well as the current chair of Technical Committee 1 (TC1) on EMC Management. He is a long-time Program Chair and Vice-Chair of the EMC Society Chicago chapter and was the General Chair of the IEEE International EMC Symposium held in Chicago in 2005. Over the years he has presented papers on EMC topics to global and local audiences, and currently writes a monthly column for the IEEE EMC Society published in its magazine and on LinkedIn.

Tom will present “Performing Immunity Testing to Transient Signals” later that week at the Basic EMC Measurements tutorial. Tom has spoken at these sessions for 20 years, where attendees learn the variety of transient tests: electrostatic discharge (ESD); electrical fast transients (EFT); electrical surge and burst; and magnetic-field immunity. Across those tests, Tom emphasizes the importance of knowing a device’s failure criteria: if a transient occurs, is the device’s reaction a failure or a benign response? Engineers spend more time answering that question than on the test itself.

As part of the EMC and compliance industry, Elite has always had a commitment to standards, education, and professional development. Craig and Tom carry on that commitment as they speak to large audiences this year in Spokane. For more information, visit the symposium website to see the advance program and register to attend.

For information on how these standards and these tests can affect your product, contact the experts at Elite. Let Elite put its experience to work for you.

Inclination Testing for Marine Industry Equipment

Posted on May 25, 2022 by - Environmental Stress

Testing marine equipment involves simulating the harsh environment typical for recreational craft and onboard commercial ship applications.  Test lab equipment must replicate accelerated moisture and high humidity, temperature extremes, and corrosive atmospheres. High vibration and shocks are also tested to evaluate marine systems against the mechanical stresses from propulsion or other motor-driven ship systems.  

Another stress that is unique to the marine environment comes from the pitch and roll inertial attitude changes of the ship during rough seas and initial acceleration. These conditions are simulated using static and dynamic inclination testing. 

Static inclination testing evaluates the ability of equipment to perform when the vessel is off plane for extended periods such as when a vessel is listing to one side or another. Dynamic inclination testing evaluates equipment operation during pitch and roll from rough seas. 

Many types of marine equipment are tested for inclination. For example, ship controls are evaluated to confirm normal operations such that components remain seated, connectors stay mated, actuators hold position, and the cabinet doors remain closed. Motorized or moving systems are tested to evaluate how the angular momentum of a spinning motor or dynamic system changes with the angle of inclination. Storage batteries are tested to confirm they operate normally and without electrolyte leakage when angled to the extremes. 

Inclination tests are specified in the commercial marine industry equipment standards. These include: 

  • IEC 60092-504 
  • IACS E10 

Inclination requirements are also incorporated into type certification specifications from the major IACS classification societies. 

Elite has test equipment to perform inclination testing for marine applications.  Our Hydraulic Tilt Machine capabilities include:

  • Maximum Test Item Footprint:  48” x48”
  • Maximum Test Item Height:  72”
  • Tilt Angle:   +/- 22.5 degrees 
  • Rate: -22 deg to 0 deg to +22 deg in 10 sec
  • Customized angular profiles and rates

For more information on Elite’s marine industry testing or for others inclination test applications, contact our experts today. 

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Marine EMC Recreational Craft Requirements

Posted on May 24, 2022 by - EMC/EMI Testing

EMC Tests for Recreational Boats

Whether on land or sea, electromagnetic interference (EMI) is there. We know EMI affects electronic equipment, wireless devices, and land-based vehicles, but EMI also is present in the water. Boats operate in a unique environment and are affected by EMI as are systems in other environments. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a device’s ability to limit its electromagnetic (EM) emissions and to continue operating normally when faced with EMI. This two-part series will review EMC requirements for two broad categories of watercraft, recreational and commercial.

Recreational Craft EM Environment

A recreational boat’s EM environment is different from vessels in commercial use. Recreational vessels occupy small spaces, with on-board RF devices mounted near controls, wiring harnesses, and other wireless instruments. Radio equipment is typically of lower power than that used on commercial vessels, though they are of equal importance for safety and navigation.

EMC Considerations and Standards

EMC requirements for recreational craft in the US, Canada, and the European Union (EU) include standards for electronic modules, wireless transmitters, and for the entire boat. Requirements are not the same in all markets, so boat builders and marine equipment manufacturers need to identify the appropriate standards for equipment types and their markets. The focus here is on EMC requirements, but other marine regulations exist for watercraft: boat construction and certification, life-saving equipment, and fire extinguishers, and more. For guidance on marine safety regulations beyond EMC, manufacturers should consult with the US Coast Guard, Transport Canada, and the EU Recreational Craft Directive.

EMC Regulations for Whole Boats/Vessels

In the US, neither the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nor the Coast Guard have EMC requirements that apply to whole boats. But in Canada and the EU there are EM emissions standards for boats that have spark-ignition internal combustion (IC) engines as well as those that are electric powered. These requirements apply to boats having hull lengths up to 15 meters. 

The tests and limits follow international standard CISPR 12, which covers off-board receivers. Off-board receivers include residential TV and radio receivers, which are protected by CISPR 12 over the range of 30-1000MHz. In Canada, the radiated-emission requirement ICES-002 covers whole-boat emissions. It references Canadian standard CAN/CSA-C108.4-06, which tailors CISPR 12:2001 to apply limits only for broadband emissions. 

In the EU, EN 55012 is the harmonized standard for the CE Marking EMC Directive and is the radiated-emission requirement for boats with IC and electric engines. It references CISPR 12:2007 and includes both broadband and narrowband emissions limits. 

EMC Regulations for Electronic Subassemblies

Electronic subassemblies (ESAs) are the individual onboard components and controls providing propulsion, steering, and other functions. ESAs include: 

  • modules integrated by the boat builder when the boat was assembled;
  • devices added by resellers; 
  • aftermarket products added after the sale.      

ESAs may be digital electronics or wireless electronic modules. Digital ESAs and RF transmitters and receivers have requirements that differ. In the US, the FCC requirements for digital electronics are in 47CFR Part 15B, but the FCC has an exemption for unintentional radiators used exclusively on transportation vehicles, including boats, making those used exclusively on boats exempt from formal digital device testing (see 15.103(a)).

In Canada, ICES-003 carries digital-device requirements applying to products not installed at the factory. ICES-003 follows international standard CISPR 22 for Information Technology Equipment (ITE), which applies Class B (more restrictive) limits on radiated emissions. 

In the EU, the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) 2013/53/EU addresses recreational boat safety. The technical requirements are posted as harmonized standard in the Official Journal (OJ) for the RCD. For example, EN 25197 has requirements for electrical/electronic steering, shift, throttle, and dynamic position control systems that include EMC. Standards listed in the RCD OJ for a specific boat system should be applied first for the technical assessment. When a device-specific standard is not listed in the RCD OJ, then EN 60092-507:2015, the generic technical standard for boat electrical systems, applies. EN 60092-507 covers pleasure craft measuring 24-50 meters and has EMC requirements per IEC 60533 and IEC 60945, which cover recreational and commercial vessels.  

The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) is another trade organization providing guidance that supplements the regulatory standards.

Wireless Device EMC Regulations

As with all vessels, wireless devices on recreational craft must comply with applicable regulatory requirements, such as those from:

  • the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US;
  • the Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) in Canada;
  • the European Union (EU) Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and the EMC Directive.

In certain cases, marine safety agency regulations such as those of the US Coast Guard and the EU Marine Equipment Directive also apply. FCC Part 80 covers marine band radio equipment, while FCC Part 15 covers low-power transmitters, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, and Zigbee. Cellular transmitters integrated on boats need to comply with FCC Parts 22, 24, or 27. Any type of intentional transmitter used on a recreational craft, whether low-power or licensed, will need to be certified before it can be brought to market. 

The Canadian regulations for marine band radios and low-power transmitters are mostly aligned with those of the FCC. Marine band Canadian RSS standards (188/182/288/238) apply to VHF safety bands and radar. Low-power transmitters, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, or Zigbee, are covered by RSS-210 and RSS-247. Cellular transmitters integrated on boats will need to comply with Canadian telecom standards. Intentional transmitters need to be certified to Canadian transmitter regulations before being put into operation. 

In the EU, the RED is the requirement for transmitters and receivers, which also covers certain marine band systems.  Transmitters and receivers need to meet RED requirements for effective spectrum use, EMC, and electrical safety. Radio communication and navigation equipment in the EU falling under the scope of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention also must be type approved per the Marine Equipment Directive (MED).

Voluntary Compliance with Industry Recognized ABYC standards. 

For any compliance evaluation, there will be components and subsystems that are not explicitly defined. In those cases, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) provides guideline documents for manufacturers. ABYC is a marine-industry organization that establishes voluntary safety standards for recreational boats. ABYC publishes over 60 standards covering everything from boating-skill instruction to three-phase electrical power systems on watercraft.

Boat and propulsion builders have adopted ABYC standards to provide consistent certification of the electrical and mechanical systems present on recreational vessels.

ABYC specifications cover the wide range of components that have bearing on boat safety. ABYC S-31 addresses EMC for onboard electronic systems references the marine emissions limits in EN 60945 and IEC 60533 for equipment located near the helm as well as CISPR 11 for other locations. For most recreational marine electronics, it is recommended to comply with both EN 60945 and CISPR 11 (Class B) in order to completely address the EMC environment for all possible installations.

Conformity Assessment — Recreational Craft

A manufacturer’s self-declaration is the EMC conformity assessment process for recreational craft and pleasure boats. In Canada, a manufacturer declares compliance for boat level emissions testing per ICES-002, and for electronic subassemblies per ICES-003. Labels on compliant products need to carry the appropriate information. In Canada and the US, intentional transmitters must be certified and labeled accordingly. In the EU, the EMC conformity assessment process for an entire boat (EN 55012) and for electronic systems per the RCD or EMC Directives is also a manufacturer’s self-declaration. Radio transmitters are self-declared to be compliant, but a Notified Body may be required when a harmonized standard is not applied in full. 

Contact Elite for Help Navigating the Requirements

As the descriptions suggest, requirements for equipment on recreational craft and for whole boats call for interpretation and specific kinds of tests. Take advantage of Elite’s decades of experience as you pursue compliance for your marine equipment.  

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll cover the requirements and necessary tests for commercial vessels. Watch for the next installment and contact Elite with your questions to assure that your marine devices are compliant.

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Introduction to CISPR 11 EMC Testing

Posted on May 24, 2022 by - EMC/EMI Testing

Vessels on open water, whether on a small lake or the open sea, are equipped with electronics designed to keep them safe: communications gear, navigation tools, emergency beacons, and more. These devices need to meet regulatory requirements. The foundation electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards are CISPR 11 and CISPR 32. This month, we will provide an overview of CISPR 11 which has importance to marine electronic applications. Elite has extensive experience performing CISPR 11 testing. Contact our experts for questions regarding what you need to know for your product.

What is CISPR?

The International Special Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR: Comité International Spécial des Perturbations Radioélectriques) dates to 1933 when a conference of international groups met in Paris to find a way to deal with radio interference. They agreed that uniform measurement methods were needed to measure radiofrequency (RF) emissions. Doing that would make international trade easier and improve radio operations.

In 1950, CISPR was formally made into a special committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). In the years that followed, a series of working groups (WGs) were formed to address specific types of emissions and measurement techniques. 

A family of standards emerged from that work, among them CISPR 11 and CISPR 32. Much of current technology falls under these standards. Next month’s blog will show the application of CISPR 11 and CISPR 32 to marine equipment. This blog’s focus is the set of emission requirements in CISPR 11.

CISPR 11 EMC Compliance

CISPR 11, Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Equipment – Radio-Frequency Disturbance Characteristics – Limits and Methods of Measurement, first published in 1975, is the basic emission standard incorporated into EN 55011, the European Norm used in the European Union (EU). Limits apply to both radiated and conducted emissions. Subsequent editions have been published incorporating updates on limits and measurement techniques.

The title applies to a broad swath of electronic equipment and covers devices that operate in the equally broad frequency range of 9 kHz to 400 GHz. Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) RF applications are defined in the ITU Radio Regulations as those “designed to generate and use locally radio frequency energy for industrial, scientific, medical, domestic or similar purposes, excluding applications in the field of telecommunications.” The standard covers emission requirements in the frequency range of 9 kHz to 18 GHz.

CISPR 11 divides equipment into two broad groups:

  • Group 1 equipment contains all equipment that is not classified as Group 2 equipment. Examples are medical electrical equipment, machine tools, and scientific equipment
  • Group 2 equipment contains all ISM RF equipment in which RF energy in the frequency range 9 kHz to 400 GHz is intentionally generated and used or only used locally, in the form of EM radiation, inductive and/or capacitive coupling, for the treatment of material, for inspection/analysis purposes, or for transfer of EM energy. Examples are microwave ovens, inductive charging equipment, and electric welding equipment.

Within those groups, CISPR 11 identifies two equipment classes:

  • Class A is defined as “equipment suitable for use in all locations other than those allocated in residential environments and those directly connected to a low voltage power supply network which supplies buildings used for domestic purposes.” In other words, industrial and heavy commercial equipment.
  • Class B equipment is “suitable for use in locations in residential environments and in establishments directly connected to a low voltage power supply network which supplies buildings used for domestic purposes.” These are the devices typically used in a home or in light commercial applications.
  • Different emission limits apply to the two classes, with Class B being more restrictive than Class A. 
  • Conducted emission limits are specified for the two equipment groups for AC mains power ports and DC power ports. As an example, the AC-port conducted limits for Group 1 equipment are shown for both Class A and Class B. Note the significantly lower emission limit under Class B.

Conducted emission limits for Group 1, Class A equipment measured on a test site

(a.c. mains power port)

Conducted emission limits for Group 1, Class B equipment measured on a test site

(a.c. mains power port)

Similarly, radiated emission limits are specified as well, with different limits depending on the measurement distance and the type of test chamber used.

Electromagnetic radiation disturbance limits for Class A Group 1 equipment measured on a test site

Electromagnetic radiation disturbance limits for Class B Group 1 equipment measured on a test site

CISPR 11 provides specifications for the test equipment to be used for measurement:

  • ambient noise levels; 
  • measurement instruments (receiver and/or spectrum analyzer);
  • artificial mains network to provide a fixed terminal impedance for mains AC power-port conducted-emission measurements;
  • artificial DC network for fixed-impedance termination at DC power ports;
  • voltage probes, antennas, and test chamber specifications.

The equipment under test (EUT) configuration is also defined, with diagrams showing typical setups for different form factors: tabletop, floor-standing, multiple interconnecting boxes, etc. The test plan needs to clearly describe the setup. Clause 6 covers the EUT configuration and Clause 7 addresses the EUT’s interconnecting cables.

CISPR 11 at Sea

CISPR 11 plays a significant role in Marine EMC regulations, but there are others: 

  • EN 60945
  • IEC 60533
  • ABYC-S31
  • Various marine classification societies’ standards that include emission requirements

The ABYC-S31 standard includes reference to the CISPR 11 Class B limits for marine installations other than at the helm.

In next month’s blogs, we’ll discuss CISPR 32 and how CISPR 11 compares and relates to other marine requirements. Marine vessels fall under multiple jurisdictions. The type of vessel, its application, and its intended use all have bearing on applicable regulations.

Elite has been performing CISPR 11 tests since the standard’s introduction and can answer questions regarding what you need to know for your product. Contact the experts at Elite and find out how to test your marine electronics quickly and accurately.

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10 Steps to Successful Auto EMC Testing: Part 3

Posted on April 25, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Automotive Testing Steps 7-10

It’s all good. You began with Steps 1 – 2 and moved through Steps 3 – 6. You defined your product’s market, drafted a test plan, built and tested prototypes, and did it while in touch with the manufacturer. Now you’re in the home stretch and ready to do final validation testing. Welcome to Steps 7-10 of Elite’s Ten Steps to Successful Automotive Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing.

To paraphrase the philosopher and baseball great Yogi Berra, if you don’t know where you’re going you might not get there. Let’s set up the final tests because after going through the first six steps, you know where you’re going.

7. Schedule Well in Advance

At Elite, quick access to lab service is always the goal. But depending on workload, there could be a schedule backlog of multiple weeks. Be sure to contact Elite well in advance of the date the product will be ready for testing.

When you talk to the Elite team, give them your product’s requirements. They have the expertise to identify the appropriate standards and test methods and then outline the conformity assessment process.

Once a proposal is generated, Elite will schedule all services based on the required time and available lab resources. An early communication channel with Elite’s lab scheduler is the best path to the desired start and completion dates. A purchase order is usually not required to hold a scheduled test date, but one will be required to start testing.

Some regulatory tests for European Union vehicles and their sub-assemblies require an “E-marking” approval through a European Notified Body (NB). These are processed directly between the NB and the equipment manufacturer. Elite can provide contacts for NB services while working with the NB to coordinate test scheduling.

8. Prepare for Validation Testing

Ahead of the scheduled testing date, a functional system needs to be delivered to the test lab. Be sure to add time to make sure the wiring harnesses, support equipment, and other ancillary hardware are ready to begin the test. The lab will need the following items at a minimum:

  • A properly approved test plan for validation by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
  • Device(s) to be tested 
  • Wiring harnesses
  • Load box and support equipment to properly simulate the systems that interface with the test item
  • Laptop computer with a controller area network (CAN) bus simulator
  • Monitoring equipment
  • Instructions for operating the equipment

Some support equipment can be provided by Elite, but clients should identify their needs early so the necessary resources are ready when your tests begin. Pre-arranged equipment available through Elite includes:

  • Fiber Optic Transceivers
  • Laptop PCs, Oscilloscopes, Audio Analyzers
  • Communication Simulator (CMW500)
  • Mechanical fixturing, tooling, and test automation

9. Be Available When Testing Begins

Elite business hours are typically 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan to arrive shortly before 8:00 a.m. on the first scheduled test day. If special shifts or extended hours will be necessary, contact Elite at the earliest phase of the test project.

Elite clients are always welcome to be present for testing and are encouraged to attend the initial setup and first few test operations. Equipment can be shipped with setup and operating instructions, and Elite can provide remote video conferencing capabilities to save time and expenses associated with traveling to our lab.

Elite’s engineers then configure the unit for testing and run tests while monitoring the device’s performance. If the client is not present during the test, a technical support contact who can be quickly reached needs to be identified to resolve any issues. Spare test samples, if available, are also recommended.

10. Respond Quickly to Project Delays

Project delays in advance of the test starting date sometimes happen. If they do, clients need to notify Elite so the reserved lab time can be reallocated, and new start date can be set.

When problems occur during testing, Elite’s engineers work closely with the client to resolve them. This includes test-item setup complications, non-compliances, or Elite equipment faults. For cases where clients are not present during testing, the client contact needs to be available by phone or video conference for troubleshooting. In those cases, email and mobile phone contact information are needed.

Contact Elite today! Our Experts, Your Timing, Best Value

Automotive EMC testing can be a challenging process, but with the support of Elite engineers, you can rest assured that you’re working with the most knowledgeable, best equipped, and best value service provider in the industry. Contact us to get your project started on the right path.

Let us know how we can help you succeed with your product development.

Why Trust Elite?

  • 60+ years of EMC testing experience
  • 20+ automotive EMC test engineers and iNARTE organizational certification
  • 15+ years of continuous laboratory recognition from Ford, GM, and Stellantis (formerly FCA)
  • Only independent test laboratory fully recognized for all Ford, GM, Stellantis, Mazda, and Hyundai-Kia EMC test methods

Call Elite at 630-495-9770 with your questions.

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Elite Employee Spotlight: John Gondek

Posted on April 22, 2022 by - Environmental Stress

Among Elite’s talented engineering staff, a common thread is an interest in learning and professional growth. Working with broad varieties of devices from all corners of technology builds a desire to learn more. John Gondek moved in recent months from Elite’s Environmental Stress Testing team to Sales and Applications, where he collaborates directly with customers, answering their questions and recommending tests appropriate to their product.

John’s experience with Elite is deep, having been on staff for nearly 20 years. His background in computer and electronic technology prepared him for his years performing nearly every flavor of Environmental Stress Test called out by the industry.

And his recent work in battery testing has been valuable to Elite customers. With the sudden growth in electric-vehicle (EV) design, customers regularly call to inquire about regulatory testing of battery packs, charging systems, voltage regulation systems, and the other associated components.

“Seeing the advances in battery technology in the past few years has been interesting,” John said. “Especially noticing how devices are designed and manufactured in a way to make them more robust to face severe environments and running tests that verify it.”

John talked about challenges he has dealt with in battery tests. “Safety has always been a concern. We have to rely on our experience along with the customer’s insight on potential safety hazards.”

Part of that involves setting up the tests. “Fixturing batteries for Vibration and Shock Testing has been a challenge,” John said, “because the battery packs are unique shapes and often have soft exterior encasements. There’s a delicate balance between securing the pack for the vibe test without crushing the pack itself.”

The recent increase in battery testing has brought on newer designs that require creativity. “Attaching leads to battery packs that don’t have a designed-in connection point is another challenge,” John said, adding, “We have to work with the customer to find ways to monitor the battery, like any other test.”

John’s recent move into Elite’s Sales and Applications team has proven valuable to Elite, as John leverages his environmental-testing experience into guidance for customers planning a test strategy. Because of his experience, he can describe to the customer just what their test will involve, the success criteria, and how much time it will take.

In his new role as Senior Environmental Engineer in Applications and Sales, John’s expertise is especially valuable when he answers a client’s questions. As he describes it, “Clients might say, ‘I don’t know what I don’t know.’” That’s when the client is glad to speak to someone who’s been there, like John.

Join Elite’s monthly newsletter for the latest on standards, test procedures, fascinating facts, profiles of Elite engineers, and more. Fill out the form below to become part of our global community!

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Testing EV Charging Systems

Posted on March 29, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Testing what’s under the hood

A whole vehicle – car, truck, tractor, whatever – can be EMC tested. As described in Elite’s previous blog on whole-vehicle EMC testing, electric vehicles (EVs) can be tested for radiofrequency (RF) emissions and immunity in a drive-in test chamber. Requirements set by the manufacturers and those set by regulatory bodies are used to determine if an assembled vehicle meets the specs for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

But vehicles are complex machines full of widely varying systems and components, and each of those is complex. Systems for battery and charging control, motor-drive, and driver interface, among others, are often provided by subcontractors to the vehicle’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Each of those systems has its own requirements they need to meet.

On-Board Charging Systems

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has defined standards that include EMC. It’s clear that minimizing interference among the vehicle’s electronics is needed to assure safe operation. But also important are RF emissions and immunity outside the vehicle. The electronics inside produce effects on the outside.

Running EMC tests on internal systems outside the vehicle requires fixtures and support that simulate operating conditions. The onboard charger is an AC-to-DC converter in the vehicle that connects with an external cable to an AC mains outlet. There are two charging levels used by on-board chargers:

Level 1 — The standard 120-volt AC mains outlet used in North America. Level 1 does not require a special installation but charges more slowly.

Level 2 — The 240-volt mains outlet, is typically found in dedicated charging stations and as separate installations in residential buildings. Level 2 charges faster, due to the higher voltage and typically higher current capacity.

The high-speed switching inside the AC-to-DC converter generates significant electromagnetic interference (EMI), owing to the high currents required. More current means more energy, which translates into the challenge of more EMI.

The Applicable Standards

Vehicle OEMs usually have very specific EMC requirements of their own that are based on industry practices. The broad vehicle EMC requirements are set up in Regulation 10 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE Reg 10), which defines vehicle EMC requirements. Part of that covers on-board charging systems, and Regulation 10 refers to two standards for direction on testing:

• IEC 61000-6-1, “Generic standards – Immunity standard for residential, commercial and light-industrial environments”

• IEC 61000-6-3, “Generic standards – Emission standard for equipment in residential environments”

Immunity

IEC 61000-6-1 specifies that the equipment under test (EUT) “continue to operate as intended during and after the test,” which simply means there are no system failures when the EUT is subjected to the specified RF field. Test procedures for each configuration of the charging system are referred to standards relating to specific phenomena:

  • Electrostatic Discharge (ESD): IEC 61000-4-2
  • RF fields: IEC 61000-4-3
  • Electrical fast transients: IEC 61000-4-4
  • Surge: IEC 61000-4-5
  • Conducted Disturbances: IEC 61000-4-6
  • Magnetic fields: IEC 61000-4-8
  • And more

These are fundamental standards spelling out the steps to be followed for each of these immunity aspects. The test severity levels that specify voltage levels and failure-criteria specifics are set by the manufacturer. Those details are given in the test plan agreed upon between the manufacturer and the test lab.

As the list above suggests, immunity covers more than just radio noise. Effects of surges, ESD, and transients all must be taken into consideration. The increasing complexity of vehicle control systems makes careful testing, not an option, but an imperative.  

Emissions

IEC 61000-6-3 specifies that RF emissions (both radiated and conducted) from the EUT must be limited to acceptable levels. As with the immunity requirement, applicable basic standards are referenced:

  • CISPR 16-1 for test site and equipment
  • CISPR 16-2 for test methods

For testing in a semi-anechoic chamber, IEC 61000-6-3 sets these radiated emission limits:

Frequency RangeLimit @10m
30-230 MHz30 dB(µV/m) quasi-peak
230-1000 MHz37 dB(µV/m) quasi-peak
Frequency RangeLimit @3m
1000-3000 MHz70 dB(µV/m) peak,50 dB(µV/m) avg
3000-6000 MHz74 dB(µV/m) peak,54 dB(µV/m) avg

The standard allows measurements to be done at 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, or 30 m.  Adjustments in the limits for different antenna distances are made based on the CISPR measurement standards. Development testing of prototype devices are done to identify emission sources. Final verification and compliance testing is done to confirm that the assembled system is within the emission limits set in the standard.

Final Product Requirements

EMC testing is fundamental to all electronic devices and is especially so in EV systems. The higher energy levels in EV charging systems increase the risk of disruptive RF interference, which can have a direct effect on vehicle safety. These devices and the systems they comprise need to demonstrate both minimal RF emissions and immunity to external interference threats.

The goal in both cases is to minimize risk to an electric vehicle’s highly integrated electronics, as well as to other nearby electronic devices.

EMC testing is part of a suite of tests EV manufacturers and their suppliers need to be aware of. Contact the experts at Elite to determine which tests apply to your device, system, or vehicle. The future is now for EVs, and Elite is there to offer the testing support you need.

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10 Steps to Successful Auto EMC Testing: Part 2

Posted on March 29, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Last Month, we started our engine with the first two steps.

Continue the journey with Steps 3 thru 6

Benjamin Franklin wrote, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Elite Electronic Engineering’s Ten Steps to Successful Automotive EMC Testing shows how to prepare to run an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) automotive EMC test. Automotive tests can appear daunting, but preparation improves the chance of success. 

Step 1 and Step 2 were highlighted in last month’s Elite blog, talking about defining your target market and developing a test plan. Those steps are fundamental and need to be considered at the beginning of a product’s development.

In this entry, Steps 3 through 6 are described, taking you through the development’s progress from specification-setting and on through design and prototype evaluation. These steps may seem obvious at first glance but sometimes are overlooked when obstacles come up.

Next month’s Elite blog will cover steps seven through ten, all about preparing your project to fully prepare. Ben Franklin would be proud.

Step 3: Specify Function & Expected Performance

With a test plan in place, you have the project’s outline that considers the product’s operating modes and user configurations. The test outline is influenced by whether it’s a safety-critical or a convenience item.

In an immunity test, a convenience item may be allowed to respond if it returns to normal operation after the tested threat is removed. The test levels for a convenience item are usually less severe since they do not affect the vehicle’s safe operation.

In contrast, a safety-critical item in an immunity test is typically subjected to levels higher than those applied to a convenience item. Those devices need to function normally without upset when subjected to a tested threat.

Step 4: Design for Compatibility

The object of EMC and electrical testing is to confirm proper operation in the presence of interference, whether from itself or other nearby devices. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) takes different forms that cause responses in different ways.

An OEM’s corporate EMC requirements are the benchmarks for testing and performance. Regulatory requirements that are government imposed, such as CISPR 12, are key for aftermarket devices. Those rules stipulate emissions limits to protect communications and to assure safe operation of vulnerable electronics. An example is CISPR 25, which sets requirements protecting on-board receivers.

For electric vehicles, CISPR 22 may apply for emissions through the AC mains connection. The subassemblies involved in safe operation are also tested for electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity, radiated transients, and conducted bursts.

Step 5: Confirm Design with Development Testing

Tests performed during development typically cover only a subset of emissions and immunity. Those are often enough to give confidence in the product design. Elite’s experts can recommend the applicability of specific tests.

The same EMC test lab should be used for both development and validation testing where possible. Running the same tests in the same lab assures product familiarity and may save travel costs for the later validation tests. Since the lab will use the same test methods for both sets of tests, surprises are minimized in the validation tests.

Development tests done at the supplier’s in-house lab needs to correlate the with the lab doing the validation tests. Elite’s experts can help identify those correlations.

Step 6: Communicate with the End User

Murphy’s law is hard to avoid. When issues occur during the test, they should be shared with the vehicle OEM. Often the OEM will work with the supplier to mitigate the issue, or they may choose to accept results based on analysis, test conditions, or other circumstances.

The OEM’s interest is in valid data that gives the most accurate picture of the vehicle’s compliance and safety. The OEM often has EMC experts on staff who can work toward a solution.

Project success is more likely if the OEM customer is involved during the design process, including the planning and execution of the EMC tests. There is no substitute for open communication between the supplier and the OEM. A successful program is much more likely if everyone is informed and involved.

Contact Elite for more information and to schedule your product’s Automotive EMC testing.

Coming up in Part 3 next month: Steps 7 through Step 10 – Planning and running a successful validation test.

Learn more in Step 1 through Step 2 from Elite’s e-book, “10 Steps to Successful Auto EMC Testing”

Craig Fanning Explains CISPR 12/25 Radiated Emissions Testing

Posted on March 28, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

It’s no secret that every generation of motor vehicles is more reliant on electronics for safe and economical operation. Collision avoidance and automatic parallel parking are examples of the high-tech heights our cars have reached.  Electric vehicles (EVs) raise the technological bar even higher with highly integrated electronics governing every system from transmissions to touch screens.

As electronics become more complex, the need to assure their reliability becomes more critical. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is in the first rank of concerns for vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) along with mechanical stability, moisture resistance, heat tolerance, and the other parameters that have bearing on a vehicle’s safe operation.

OEMs have had automotive EMC standards in place for many years. They share the same objectives as those issued by CISPR, the European standards body, and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The radiofrequency (RF) phenomena haven’t changed, but the vehicles have, and that means more scrutiny on EMC testing.

Elite’s Craig Fanning is one of the industry leaders in automotive EMC. He serves as vice-chair and working-group convener for CISPR/D, focusing on vehicle electronics. Craig leads Elite’s automotive-testing effort and shares some background on that work. 

The Standards

CISPR, ISO, and SAE are the organizations that draft and maintain international automotive EMC standards. SAE’s focus is on North American applications. Standards bodies tend to follow each other’s work and share information, and SAE standards have in some cases been incorporated into international standards. When the global standard is published, the equivalent SAE standard is withdrawn and becomes a reference that documents any differences from the newer global standard.

Beyond that, the vehicle OEMs have their own requirements they apply to themselves and to their suppliers. Because North American OEMs sell their products around the world, international standards are a substantial part of their internal requirements. Elite is recognized by domestic and international OEMs to perform tests to their specific company requirements, in addition to the broader CISPR, ISO, and SAE standards.

CISPR 12 as it Applies to Components

There are two broad categories of automotive EMC standards: those applying to the whole vehicle, and those applying to components within the vehicle. ISO, for example, publishes ISO 11451-xx for whole vehicles, and ISO 11452-xx and ISO 7637-xx for components (“xx” are the sub-documents specific to a category and test type).

CISPR 12 spells out vehicle-level radiated emissions. CISPR 25 focuses on component-level emissions and system immunity. A basic distinction is that CISPR 12 is intended to protect devices outside the vehicle off-board receivers from harmful RF emissions, while CISPR 25 is used to protect receivers and devices mounted on the vehicle on-board receivers.

Craig has written about this and offered an example to illustrate the difference: “A chainsaw with an internal combustion engine (but with no on-board receivers) would need to meet the requirements of CISPR 12, but CISPR 25 would not apply to this chainsaw since it does not utilize any on-board receivers.”

CISPR 12 radiated emission tests can be done at a 3m or 10m distance, which works neatly with the typical size of a semi-anechoic chamber. Elite’s experience in all forms of automotive EMC testing and a variety of test chambers is well-equipped to perform the mandated tests.

CISPR 25 for Whole-Vehicle and Component Tests

CISPR 25 is intended to protect the vehicle’s onboard receivers and is written in two parts. One applies to full-vehicle tests, employing antennas mounted on the vehicle to detect emissions from the vehicle’s own systems.  The intent is to measure how much noise finds its way into the radio from its antenna. Vehicles are unique is size, shape, and type of service.  Craig recommends starting with Elite’s blog series, “Prepare for Vehicle EMC Testing in 10 Steps,”, or for more detail Elite’s e-book, “10 Steps to Successful Automotive EMC Testing,” can be downloaded for reference.

The second part applies to conducted and radiated emission from the components within the vehicle. Those components typically are a manageable size and can be tested in a 3m chamber.  Elite has a number of chambers that are well-suited to those measurements, and Elite works with customers to match the product with the appropriate test environment.

CISPR 25 ranges from 150 kHz to 5.95 GHz, a range that can be a challenge in absorber-lined test chambers. The standard gives guidance on test-chamber sizing and layout. Because each product and its applications are different, Craig encourages those needing a test to contact Elite to determine which chamber and what configuration is applicable to a specific product. A test plan can then be developed to assure meaningful results.

Strategies for a Successful Test

For any specific test or application, different portions of these standards will apply. If your automotive product needs EMC tests and verification to CISPR, ISO, SAE, or OEM requirements, contact Elite. Craig and Elite’s team of experts can work with you to find the right standard, the right test facility, and help you devise a test plan that assures a trusted result.

Contact Elite’s automotive-testing group for the information you need.

Read more in Craig Fanning’s previous article with InCompliance magazine.

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EMC Testing of Electric Vehicles

Posted on February 23, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Electric vehicles (EVs) are not the future – they are now.  Awareness of EVs is at an all-time high and you may already own one, like Elite’s Robert Bugielski.  EVs are not simply cars and trucks with batteries replacing the engine.  They’re complex systems that have to meet users’ expectations as well as the requirements for safety and reliability required of their petroleum-powered predecessors.

An EV consists of multiple systems: the battery pack; the charging system; the motor (or motors); and the auxiliary systems assuring safety and comfort.  Each system has its own design and component parts that need testing for design verification and regulatory compliance.

The individual systems need several kinds of tests.  Among those are the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests to confirm that radiofrequency (RF) emissions are not excessive and that their operation is not disrupted by ambient RF fields and transients.

Whole-vehicle tests are performed to measure RF emissions across a wide range of frequencies. The standards referenced for acceptable levels and test procedures are typically provided by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The OEMs have corporate standards specifying acceptable emission limits and test procedures in different configurations and conditions. 

Elite’s deep Automotive EMC Testing experience is apparent in the variety of vehicles and subassemblies that have passed through the lab. 

From forklifts to fire trucks, Elite knows automotive EMC.  The growth of the EV industry brings the need for comprehensive EMC-testing capability into sharp relief. It’s important to note that though individual subsystems may be shown to meet an emission or immunity requirement, their inclusion in the finished vehicle does not guarantee that the whole vehicle will meet the requirement.

Manufacturers that produce component systems need to meet the OEM’s basic specifications, which include RF emissions and immunity. The vehicle components are often supplied to the OEM by different manufacturers, but ultimately the whole vehicle needs to meet its applicable requirements.

Elite is uniquely equipped to perform whole-vehicle EMC testing, having long experience verifying cars, trucks, buses, and agricultural machines in its 70-foot semi-anechoic chamber. Major vehicle manufacturers have recognized Elite as their trusted compliance-testing facility.

Elite has two such chambers: Room 22, a 21.3m x 10.67m x 5.49m semi-anechoic chamber spacious enough to accommodate everything from small forklifts to transit buses.  The other is Room 23 for small vehicles, measuring 9.45m x 7m x 5.5m.

Automotive technology keeps improving and complexity keeps increasing. The systems and subsystems in a vehicle have to operate as a unit so that function, safety, and efficiency can all reach their peak. Whole-vehicle testing allows an OEM to confirm that interoperating parts of a vehicle work in harmony to keep the finished vehicle in regulatory compliance.

The future of automotive technology really is now. Contact the experts at Elite Electronic Engineering to keep your vehicle and its market moving forward.

Interesting in learning about the basics of Electric Vehicles? Check out Elite’s Introduction to Electric Vehicles blog.

Join Elite’s monthly newsletter for the latest on standards, test procedures, fascinating facts, profiles of Elite engineers, and more. Fill out the form below to become part of our global community!

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Prepare for Vehicle EMC Testing at Elite in 10 Steps: Part 1

Posted on February 23, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Start your Engine with the First Two Steps

Vehicles come in different shapes. Cars and trucks, of course, but also forklifts, buses, tractors, fire engines, and more. They all can move, hence the “auto” before “motive,” and they require complex and potentially dangerous internal devices to do that. 

Automotive electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests can be challenging. Do devices and subsystems stand alone or connect to another device during a test? And how should they be connected? Should the full vehicle be tested?  How is it equipped?  Which standards apply?

Safety and functional standards are in place to assure that vehicles operate correctly and with minimal risk to the public. Testing is required to verify compliance with those standards. Elite Electronic Engineering is recognized among test labs for its depth of experience and capability.

With the support of Elite’s engineers, you can rest assured that you’re working with the most knowledgeable, the best equipped, and the best value service provider in the industry. Elite has identified ten steps to prepare for an automotive EMC test, and this begins the series with the first two.  Stay tuned to the next issues of Elite’s blog for the complete list, and contact Elite to get your project moving on the right path.

Step 1: Where to Begin — Define Your Target Market

The first step is defining your target markets. Is your device sold to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or is it an aftermarket product? Will it be used in North America, Europe, or Asia? Will it fit on only one vehicle, or on multiple platforms? Is there wireless connectivity?

OEMs usually specify their EMC and electrical requirements for electronic subassemblies. Often the specification will identify the applicable regulatory requirements for the targeted markets. The OEM’s testing standards may also incorporate regulatory requirements.

The intended country’s regulations become the focus If the product is a subassembly. The manufacturer can meet some requirements by testing to harmonized standards and self-declaring compliance, but other regulations require third-party testing and certification. Elite can give you step-by-step guidance for OEM validation and regulatory compliance.

Step 2: Develop an EMC Test Plan

A test plan is essential to a successful EMC test. Most vehicle OEMs require the supplier to complete a test plan approved by the OEM’s assigned EMC engineer.

Some OEMs require test-plan approval, and delays in providing it can delay the start of the test and its completion. The test report can be invalidated if the OEM has not agreed to the test plan. Elite recommends that test plans be forwarded to its experts for review to confirm the necessary signatures and lab identification.

Sample Test Plan Template

A test plan is not required in some cases, but Elite highly recommends having one. A test plan builds confidence between the supplier and the OEM and is important to include in a technical compliance file.  It demonstrates a manufacturer’s due diligence in assessing regulatory compliance.

A generic test plan can be developed that draws recommendations from the applicable standards. Talk with Elite’s experts to craft your test plan.

Baseball legend Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” It was true for baseball and it’s especially true for compliance testing. A comprehensive Test Plan is your route to success.

Contact us to keep moving in the right direction.  Steps 3 thru 6 are coming up next month.

Thermal Shock Testing and Elite’s New Liquid-to-Liquid Capability

Posted on March 23, 2026 by - Environmental Stress

Originally published January 25th, 2022

What Is Thermal Shock?

Early on a subzero winter morning, you prepare to leave for work. The car in the garage starts easily, quickly warming and settling into idle speed. As it pulls out of the garage the engine and its array of attachments are hit with a violent temperature change. Metal, resin, rubber, and vinyl all react in different ways, but your expectation is that the car will keep running and get you to work. 

That is thermal shock. Motor vehicles have always dealt with that, as have aircraft, heavy equipment, and the whole array of manufactured products. Thermal shock strikes mechanical and electrical components alike, affecting not only their immediate function but also their long-term reliability as fatigue stresses accumulate over time and lead to solder joint fractures, delamination, and other product failures.

Thermal shock testing is designed to evaluate how products respond to these rapid temperature transitions and ensure they can withstand real-world environmental conditions.

Thermal Shock Testing Standards

There are well-established standards that define how to perform a thermal shock test, including MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-202, and MIL-STD-750 Method 1056. Elite Electronic Engineering is among the industry’s leading experts in performing Climatic Tests to meet the manufacturer’s qualification, validation, and reliability test requirements.

Thermal Shock Testing V.S. Thermal Cycle Testing

The difference between thermal shock testing and thermal cycling testing is generally defined by the temperature change rate and the type of chamber used. A temperature change rate greater than 15C/minute is typically considered thermal shock whereas thermal cycling is generally at a slower rate. In addition, most thermal shock testing chambers have two or more separate chambers (or separate liquid baths). Each is maintained at a fixed temperature extreme, and the test item is mechanically transported back and forth between the two zones. Thermal cycling chambers are single climatic environments where circulated air is heated and cooled all within one homogeneous space. 

Types of Thermal Shock Testing Chambers

The medium for thermal shock testing can be air, nitrogen, other inert gases, or a liquid.

Air-to-Air Thermal Shock Testing

Air-to-air thermal shock testing chambers are most common since they are easily configurable, less costly to operate, and reliable for long-duration testing. 

In an air-to-air thermal shock testing chamber, the equipment under test is rapidly transferred between two independently controlled temperature zones — one hot and one cold. This mechanical transfer creates the rapid temperature change required for true thermal shock testing.

Liquid-to-Liquid Thermal Shock Testing

Liquid-to-liquid (L2L) thermal shock testing chambers, as the name implies, bathe the equipment under test (EUT) in liquid at a specified temperature. Once the EUT temperature reaches equilibrium with one liquid the sample dwells for the specified duration, then is moved into a second liquid at a different temperature. The process continues for the number of cycles identified in the test requirements. 

The key technical advantage of L2L thermal shock is that the fluid medium has much higher thermal conductivity compared to air.  This means the EUT part temperature changes significantly faster which in turn enables thermal shock cycling to be completed much faster compared to testing when in an air-to-air chamber. Liquid-to-liquid thermal shock testing also provides worst-case thermal expansion stress for products and can be an effective screening tool to identify latent defects, similar to a HALT test.

Elite’s L2L thermal shock testing chamber has successfully tested many parts, in particular following the MIL-STD-750 Method 1056.  

Elite’s Liquid-to-Liquid (L2L) thermal shock system capabilities include:

  • Low-temperature range = -65C to 0C
  • High-temperature range = +70C to +200C
  • EUT basket size = 150w X 150h X 200d (mm)

Work With Thermal Shock Testing Experts

Contact the thermal shock testing experts at Elite to find out what thermal shock test type and temperature levels your product needs. With thermal shock testing data in hand, you can have confidence that your customers won’t see your product fail or fizzle out when the temperature suddenly changes.

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Climatic Testing Services

Introduction to Electric Vehicles

Posted on January 25, 2022 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Elite’s Robert Bugielski wears many hats. One of those is serving as the local authority on electric vehicles (EVs). He has the hands-on and plug-in experience of owning a Tesla Model S. In this first entry of Elite’s EV series, Robert shares the background he’s learned.

Automobile Evolution

At the end of the last century, automobiles finally outnumbered horses and buggies. We’re now in the next century and the next big switch is coming: EVs will outnumber internal combustion engines. I know it’s hard to believe, but as a Tesla Model S owner, I can confidently tell you it’s going to happen. I often talk with family, friends, colleagues, (and even strangers) about my car when they see it. As an introduction to EVs, I’ll share some of those questions and answers.

What’s with the abbreviations?

If you’ve researched new vehicles, gone car shopping, or read automotive articles, you’ve experienced the overwhelming use of acronyms. It used to be simple: unleaded gas or diesel. Times have changed to include ICE, Hybrid, PHEV, and EV/BEV:

ICE – Internal Combustion Engine;

Hybrid – Small battery system charged by an ICE, typically no or little electric range;

PHEV – Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, battery system charged by an ICE. Often a bigger battery that provides a longer electric-only range;

BEV or EV – Battery Electric Vehicle/Electric Vehicle: all-electric, all the time.

How much electricity do you use and how much do you save?

One of the changes you make when going from ICE to EV is in the way you think of energy sources and distance. In ICE vehicles we look at miles per gallon (MPG), in EVs we look at watt-hours per mile (Wh/mi). My model S averages 310Wh/mi, the equivalent of 3.23 miles per kWh. Currently our utility cost at my house is 7.1 cents per kWh. I use 10.5 kWh of electricity going to work and back home, or 75 cents per day. If instead I drove my wife’s Toyota Rav4, averaging 22 MPG, I would need 1.5 gallons of gas. Gasoline in Chicago suburbs currently costs $3.50/gallon, so it would cost $5.25 per day.

Truth be told, I rarely use a supercharger, and I know exactly how much because Tesla provides a supercharging record in your Tesla account. In two years, I’ve charged only 245 miles at a supercharger out of 18,578 miles I’ve driven. That means a mere 1.3% of my charging was at a supercharger and 98.7% of my charging was done at home with the stage-two charger in my garage.

Tesla’s Supercharger Network

When traveling long distance or out of state, how do I know I won’t run out of charge or not find a charging station?

In my experience, it’s as simple as putting the destination into the navigation app and letting the car do the rest. All I need to do is enter my parent’s Florida address into the navigation app. The car calculates the route, at what charging stations we’ll need to stop, and how much time is needed at each charging station. From Aurora, IL to Poinciana, FL my model S says it will take 24hrs to go 1,222 miles. There will be eleven charging stops varying from 10 minutes to 70 minutes, for a total charging time of five hours and forty-five minutes. Sure, if I made this trip once a month, the charging time would bother me. But if I’m driving this distance once a year, eleven hours of round-trip charging wouldn’t bother me, especially if I save a few hundred dollars using electricity instead of gas.

What happens if you get stuck in a snowstorm?

Recently there was a traffic jam in Virginia that trapped motorists on a highway for a day. I’ve seen some ill-informed comments about EVs, asking what would happen in that situation. Tesla vehicles have a “camp” mode that shuts everything off in the car except the HVAC system. This feature uses between 0.5-2kWh of power per hour depending on external and internal temperature. My model S has a 90kWh battery pack; assuming I was stuck with 60kWh left in my battery, in the worst case I could run camp mode for 25 hours and still have 30 miles of driving range. If conditions are not that extreme and my car only uses 1kWh of power per hour, the battery would last 50 hours. A big difference is that ICE vehicles don’t always leave the house in the morning with a full tank. My EV is plugged-in every night with a stage-two charger, and I always leave in the morning with 72kWh charge (80%) as recommend by Tesla for improved battery life.

What do you like most about driving a Tesla?

This is the question most often asked and the hardest to answer, because it’s hard to say which difference I enjoy most. The autopilot is a breath of fresh air, especially when driving in Chicago’s stop-and-go traffic. Minimal maintenance is another benefit; my owner’s manual has two entries for maintenance: HEPA air filter changed every three years and brake fluid flushing every four years — that’s it. No oil changes, no transmission/transfer case flushes, no timing belts, no spark plugs, no alternators, cylinders, pistons, hoses, etc. It’s also nice to warm up my car up in winter with the garage closed and no worry about exhaust fumes.

But if I were forced to pick one thing, it would be the ease of plugging it in at night and having a charge every morning. No more leaving in the morning allowing time for a gas-station stop, no standing in -10F Chicago windchills swiping my credit card and pressing “no” to all the questions just so I can pump gas, no standing in poorly plowed gas-station pump lanes, and finally, no more checking gas prices.

Coming up: safety and compliance testing of electric vehicles

EV testing is a fundamental part of their development and necessary to meet their required standards.   Here at Elite the electric vehicle market is a key part of our business and is an area that we have significant expertise and capability.  

Robert’s insight provides the first entry in a series of EV blogs and technical articles that will highlight the important work we do to support manufacturers as they develop components, systems, and whole vehicles. 

Watch for those and Contact Elite with your questions about EV testing and requirements.

A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 5

Posted on January 25, 2022 by - Electronics, EMC/EMI Testing

Transients Take Many Shapes – Test Them All!

In the conclusion of Elite’s transient testing series, Tom Klouda and Tom Braxton review the family of magnetic-field and damped-wave immunity tests. Read more from our transient series in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

All transients have a common trait: they’re just passing through.  An electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a quick spark that passes in microseconds; an electrical fast transient (EFT) happens in rapid-fire bursts; and voltage surges wash over a device like a sudden wave hitting a boat.

Elite Electronic Engineering’s Tom Klouda has been running and observing these immunity tests for many years and explains that ESD, EFT, and surges are fast, high-energy events.  However, there are other transients that aren’t as dramatic but also pose threats to electronic devices. Among those are impulse magnetic fields, damped oscillatory magnetic fields, ring waves in low-voltage cables, and damped oscillatory waves.

The electrical threats are real and there are standards dealing with them all. Elite can help you navigate your way through the transient underbrush and run the immunity tests verifying your product’s ability to shrug them off.  This is why they’re called immunity tests: how immune is your product to a real-world disturbance?  Here’s a summary of the family of other transient standards and their tests.

Tom goes on to explain how these immunity tests apply and what conditions they’re designed to meet.

Impulse Magnetic Fields Immunity Tests

IEC 61000-4-9 spells out test and measurement techniques for impulse magnetic field immunity.  Those fields are used in the manufacture of permanent magnets, therapeutic medical services, and other specialized applications.  Like any other electrical event, effects of those impulses can find their way into unrelated equipment.  The immunity tests Elite performs under IEC 61000-4-9 measures how well a product continues to function.

The image below shows a typical setup. A combination wave generator (CWG) generates the currents specified in the standard, which are applied to a magnetic-field antenna coil that surrounds the equipment under test (EUT). Depending on the EUT’s shape and size, the test might be repeated with the coil in different positions surrounding the EUT.  The magnetic impulses are applied while the EUT is monitored for normal operation.

The images below show the waveform and a typical test setup as defined in the standard. Tests are specified at multiple current levels and for different size induction coils.

Impulse magnetic field immunity test setup in Elite’s laboratory

Magnetic pulses can originate from a variety of sources, including nearby lightning strikes, power plants, and high-voltage substations.  The test plan drawn up in concert with the regulatory test engineer will specify the EUT configuration and the specifics of the test application.

Damped Oscillatory Magnetic Fields Immunity Tests

Transient events take many forms, and magnetic fields are no exception.  Another version is the damped oscillatory magnetic field which also is a byproduct of power stations and high voltage switching. IEC 61000-4-10 is the standard spelling out test that determines a product’s oscillatory magnetic field immunity.

The figures below show the waveshape and configuration of the oscillatory pulse specified by IEC 61000-4-10.  The current level and repetition rate of the waveform will be specified in the test plan.  Those choices depend on the EUT’s intended application and the environment where it’s to be installed.  The EUT is monitored for any response during the test, following the failure criteria described in the test plan.

Ring Waves Immunity Tests

Yet another flavor of immunity verification for oscillating transients is the ring wave test, described in IEC 61000-4-12.  Ring waves are non-repetitive, like the single ring of a bell, hence the name.  Peak levels vary from 250 to 4000 volts and have a repetition rate between 1-60 per minute.

The figures below show the waveform specified in IEC 61000-4-12.  Note its difference from that of the damped oscillatory wave: it represents the ringing of a single transient event.  The image on the right is a schematic drawing of a simple coupling/decoupling network (CDN) that allows the ring wave generator to apply the wave to the EUT’s power lines.

Damped Oscillatory Waves Immunity Tests

In addition to the damped oscillatory field tests described in IEC 61000-4-10, there are damped oscillatory waves propagating along cables.  IEC 61000-4-18 defines the test for those.  Oscillatory waves are related to the oscillatory fields that result, but the path from interference source to victim is conducted, rather than radiated.  For that reason, it requires a different test.

Both slow-damped (100 kHz, 1 MHz) and fast-damped (3 MHz, 10 MHz, 30 MHz) waves are described in the standard, at levels for both common mode and differential mode injection through the CDN.  Again, the test plan crafted by the development and test engineers will identify what levels, rates, and modes are appropriate for the EUT’s application.

The images below show the waveform and coupling example as defined in the standard.

Elite’s Tom Klouda and Tom Braxton reviewing the oscillatory field immunity setup

Transients, transients, everywhere

A product intended for use in a harsh environment, like near a power-distribution or generating station, should be tested for the full range of transient immunity.  The same immunity tests are applicable for devices used in places surrounded by sudden electrical events like lightning strikes or power switching.  Which ones apply to your product?  Contact the experts at Elite, and they can help you determine what combination of these immunity tests best fit your application requirements.

Elite’s expertise, timeliness, and trusted results have set a high bar for 65 years.  When you have questions on these or any other of the array of tests your product needs, contact Elite for the answers.

Learn more in A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

President’s Post: Virtual Test Witnessing

Posted on December 16, 2021 by - Other

COVID continued to be a challenge in 2021 and limited access to our lab. Travel, while allowed, can be a trying experience and we have innovated to deliver alternatives that keep our customers and employees safe and on track. We enjoy hosting our customers in our lab, but virtual experiences have proven to be a safe alternative.

We live in a virtual age – students take online classes, and doctors perform internet-linked examinations.  Elite has adapted as well, helping customers with Virtual Test Witnessing. Normally customers prefer to be in the lab to set up equipment, provide support, and/or witness the test being performed. Using virtual test witnessing, we can test products without our customers actually in the laboratory. One customer had a third-party witness who could not travel, so Elite brought them into the lab through multiple high-resolution video links. Another customer set up their own secure video link for continuous remote monitoring. Elite directed and monitored the tests, saving the customer time and expense while maintaining their schedule. Having the means to witness remotely sets Elite’s team above our customers’ expectations.

From the entire Elite family to yours – wishing you a healthy, safe, and prosperous 2022.

Ray Klouda, P.E.

President, Elite Electronic Engineering, Inc.

A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 4

Posted on December 16, 2021 by - Electronics, EMC/EMI Testing

A Sudden Spark Made My Screen Go Dark

Electrostatic Discharges (ESD) are everywhere. We feel them when we reach for a doorknob, a car-door handle, or pull off a sweater. Your electronic products feel them too, and often not in a good way. False displays, logic upsets, or even component damage can result.  In Part 4 of Elite’s transient testing series, Tom Klouda and Tom Braxton show how an ESD test is done and why you need to know more about it. Read more from our transient series in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 5.

It’s a brisk morning in January and you slide off your coat, settle in the chair next to the equipment bench, and rub your hands together to get the chill off your fingers.  Rolling over to the bench, you reach for the power switch on the laptop and – zap! Your arm jerks back and the screen has gone blue. Reboot and hope for the best.

You could change a few details in this story, but we’ve all had this experience.  It doesn’t have to be a cold day in January – it could be any time of year in any office or lab.  Electrostatic discharge (ESD) has raised its head and bit your finger. ESD also bit the laptop, but the machine doesn’t have an arm to jerk back in response.  The laptop was knocked down after taking a punch and is getting back on its feet. You hope to see that no data was corrupted when it comes up again.

Digital devices are especially vulnerable to ESD upsets. The actions described above can build up a charge of 20kV or more between the finger and the surface. The current level is extremely low, but a jolt that size can throw off a device’s internal clock and, in the worst case, damage semiconductor devices.

IEC 61000-4-2, the basic standard for ESD immunity testing, spells out voltage severity levels, test environments, and test procedures.  Those specs aim for test repeatability while simulating a condition that is inherently not repeatable.  The table below shows the voltage severity levels for two different discharge types, contact and air.

Contact discharge (sometimes called “current injection”) is performed when the tip of the ESD test instrument is touching the test-point surface before the discharge is applied.  This simulates the case when there is direct contact between the EUT and the discharge source, as shown by Elite test engineer Brelon Weathersby in the figure to the right:

Elite’s Brelon Weathersby testing the ESD contact-discharge instrument

Air discharge is, as the name implies, a discharge passing from the instrument tip through the air to the test point. The illustration below shows the path of an air discharge.

A third discharge type is indirect, where discharges are applied to a nearby coupling plane.  This simulates the condition where the zap occurs in the vicinity of the EUT, creating a momentary RF field that can be induced into the EUT.  The illustration below shows the positions of the horizontal coupling plane (HCP) and the vertical coupling plane (VCP). Discharges are applied at the edges of the coupling planes while the EUT is monitored.

ESD behavior is statistical.  The equipment under test (EUT) can be zapped in the same place at the same level under the same conditions, and fail every time, half the time, or 1% of the time.  That’s why the standard calls for a minimum of ten discharges at each voltage level, negative and positive.  If a device is tested a 2kV, 4kV, and 8kV, at both polarities, that would mean 60 discharges at that test point.  If the EUT has ten specified test points, there would be 600 discharges applied.  It’s easy to see how that number could grow for a more complex EUT.

Any device going through an ESD test needs a test plan showing the EUT’s configuration and test point locations. Test points are chosen based on how likely they will be zapped in actual use.  For example, anywhere hands are going to touch, such as control panels and cable connectors, are obvious test points.  Conductive surfaces get contact discharges, and non-conductive surfaces (plastic enclosures, painted surfaces, etc.) get air discharges.  If an air discharge can’t be generated because the surface is heavily insulated, the non-discharge is noted along with other results.

Maintaining a record of the results is critically important.  The test plan will have defined failure criteria stating what is acceptable and not acceptable.  If the EUT responds in any way (blinking lights, interruptions, etc.), those are noted for the voltage level and polarity.  After many discharges a, pattern might become apparent, and that is useful information for those responsible for the product.

The final report emerging from an ESD test may contain a pass-or-fail determination, but it might be a set of data noting only the responses to the various discharges.  Those results are inconclusive and require engineering judgments to be made by the EUT’s responsible engineer.  An example of an inconclusive result is a toy that had flickering lights during the ESD test – was that a failure?  Maybe not, since it’s not a safety hazard or a loss of function.  On the other hand, it could be a hazard for critical displays like fluid levels if ESD causes erratic flashes.  These are the types of judgments that are made to determine whether an EUT’s response is actually a failure.

As with any transient phenomenon, the first order of business is understanding the EUT’s failure criteria. The upfront work to craft a test plan will take some time, but it will save both time and uncertainty when the results are known.  A thorough ESD test could have predicted the blue-screen reset seen after you slid into your chair and rolled near the bench. Better to know that might happen before your customer is charged to 20kV and finds out the hard way.

Contact Elite for more information on planning and executing your ESD immunity test.  You’ll be glad you did.

Learn more in A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 5.

Join Elite’s monthly newsletter for the latest on standards, test procedures, fascinating facts, profiles of Elite engineers, and more. Fill out the form below to become part of our global community!

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Elite Extends Toys and Talent for the Holidays

Posted on December 15, 2021 by - Other

Elite Electronic Engineering has a long history of commitment, not just to the industry it’s been part of for 67 years, but also to the local and global community. 

Several years ago, Elaine Russo, Elite’s finance manager, learned of the Marine Toys for Tots program that collects toys for children in need. Toys for Tots is a foundation with roots dating to 1947 whose mission is to make the holiday season brighter for children. Driven by her passion for giving to others, Elaine led the charge at Elite to set up a toy donation site at Elite’s Downers Grove lab.

Over the past month, hundreds of new toys for all ages have been collected and brought to the site by Elite’s employees, its customers, its contractors, and the public. 

Adding to its long history of community engagement, Elite teamed up with Home Pride Services of Lisle, Illinois to raise funds for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV). Home Pride is one of Elite’s contractors and a long-time partner in benevolent work. The MSHV is a support agency for those who have served in the military.

Over $1000 in clothing and necessary supplies were purchased and donated by Elite, its employees, and partners. Elite also collected a large box of warm-weather clothing and other miscellaneous supplies for veterans in need. 

Elite’s Senior EMC Technician and Army veteran Craig Bowes also support the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans and other veteran causes by donating the proceeds from his beekeeping and craft winemaking hobbies to local vets. Craig’s skill as a vintner is evident in the Cabernet Sauvignon, Amarone, Spiced Merlot, Chardonnet, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc that he produced for the fundraiser.  And as an added benefit, the fresh honey and artisanal wine have been keenly enjoyed by Elite’s employees!

Elite’s Kathy Barri adds to the benevolent work by making stylish Covid-necessary facemasks for staff, visitors, friends, and family. Kathy has volunteered her time to make over 2000 masks, which she has used to raise over $2800 for colon cancer research and in the name of Elite’s late Dan Crowder. 

The Elite family appreciates the heartfelt work of Elaine, Kathy, and Craig for their generous gifts of time, passion, and hard work. We also appreciate our employees, customers, and our partners for their generous donations to these and many other great causes.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to all.

As we approach the closing weeks of 2021, Elite wishes everyone a happy holiday and good health in the new year.

Employee Spotlight: Craig Bowes

Posted on December 15, 2021 by - Other

Craig and his wife rehearsing for retirement

This month, we celebrate our Senior EMC Test Technician Craig Bowes as he moves on to retirement at the end of the year. When he is not in the lab working with customers and training new engineers, Craig is busy as a bee with his myriad hobbies and donating his honey and wine for charitable causes. Now he will have more time to spend with his wife and his passions for beekeeping, bow-hunting, hog-riding, pepper-mixing, and winemaking. Craig has been an incredible and invaluable member of Elite team for 17 years and we wish him all the best on his next adventure.

We previously highlighted Craig back in 2015 and we asked Craig to reflect on his career at Elite and share what he has learned in and out of the lab.

How did you get into EMC/testing?

When I graduated from DeVry I did a short internship, but I was looking for something permanent. My brother Frank Bowes was working at Elite and talked to Craig Fanning to see if there were any openings in the programming or testing positions. I interviewed with Mr. Klouda and Craig Fanning and found that the programing aspect was already set but they did need someone in the testing aspect, so they hired me and back to school I went to learn electronics. 

What are the most rewarding aspects of working at Elite? Any particular highlights?

I love that most of the customers I work with come in with different products, so each test is unique in either the product and/or the specification that they are testing to. I find it rewarding to experience the satisfaction of a customer passing their test, who at first, had many concerns of the compliance of their product. I also feel proud to see coworkers that I had trained, grow, and develop their skill level and become confident test engineers. The highlights are the fellowship and comradery of working at a family-owned business.

Do you have any advice for younger engineers learning EMC testing?

Take lots of notes, there are many different specifications all with their own unique requirements, and test setups.

What is your proudest moment in life so far?

I have two proud moments of my life; one is going back to school at age 42 and graduating 4 years later with a degree and second is watching my wife develop her archery skills and going from shooting wildly to making me sweat that she will score higher than me.

What do you love about keeping bees? How did you get started?

A good friend of mine and his wife got started keeping bees and were very excited about it and wanted me to do it too, it took three years for them to talk me into it and I have enjoyed it right from the beginning. I enjoy beekeeping because Honeybees are very interesting and unpredictable and will keep you learning about them and their behavior every day. When harvest time comes, I like to process each super separately to get as many different flavors of honey as I can (each super will generally have its own unique flavor), other beekeepers laugh at me and tell me I have too much time on my hands, but I love seeing the reactions of people when they taste the different flavors. 

Honey Tip: Do not throw away the honey that has crystallized! Crystallization is a good thing; it shows you that you have a jar of very good raw unpasteurized honey (the best honey for you). To de-crystallize your honey simply put it in a pan of water and warm it up like you would a baby bottle (do not boil the water and do not use the microwave).

Craig waiting at the bees’ carryout window

Any tips for aspiring apiary enthusiasts?

If you are going to get into beekeeping, make sure you take a beekeeping class with the park district or from the beekeeping association, and most of all get to know a beekeeper. Ask them to be your mentor because you will have millions of questions as you go.

How many times have you been stung?

Over the course of my beekeeping, I think I’ve been stung about 100 times. A couple of memorable times were once during  harvest I was stung three times in the butt as I walked away with their honey (my wife laughs about that one), and another time I tried to work with them on a mild Jan day without my bee suit on thinking it would be too cold for them to come out and bother me but I was wrong and was stung 5 times in the back of my neck.

Quick Team Member Facts

Year Started at Elite: 2004

Areas of Expertise: Automotive EMC test procedures, Whole Vehicle test procedures, and CISPR 25 Chamber Validation test procedures

Education: DeVry University B.S.C.I.S; Waubonsee Community College Certificate in Electronics

Industry Certifications: Certificate in Business Administration and Lean Operations from the University of Illinois at Chicago

Unique Skills and Hobbies: Beekeeping, Bow Hunting, Archery 3D shoots, Harley Davidson Motorcycles, Creating a Hot Pepper Mix, Winemaking 

Craig’s vintage assortment

Personal Motto: Hug a beekeeper and eat more honey (Beekeepers’ motto).

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Elite Super-Sizes its Vibe!

Posted on November 24, 2021 by - Environmental Stress

Responding to customers’ growing needs, Elite has invested in a BIG way with new Vibration and Shock Testing equipment. Elite has added an IMV K125/EM20HAM 28,000 pound-force electro-dynamic (E-D) vibration table, making it the eighth in our already impressive lineup of shakers. 

This new machine supports Elite’s clients in several important ways. First, the size of this system allows the testing of very large products and heavier payloads. The IMV shaker is ideally suited for testing electric and hybrid vehicle batteries and their drivetrain components. It meets the needs of large systems requiring qualification tests for the Military and Aerospace industries. Rail locomotive transformers and traction motors, as well as heavy-duty subassemblies used on trucks, construction, and agricultural machinery, can all be tested on the IMV K125.  

The K125 also has the means to test more samples per single test run. With its 5-foot x 5-foot slip table and head expander, validation projects are completed in less time and at a lower cost. Elite’s vibe experts work with clients to optimize the sample quantity with fixture design so that our fixtures, your parts, and the specification requirements all come together for one-stop convenience and time savings.     

Room D111 – Vibration Table

The final important consideration is that larger-product testing often requires vibration profiles starting at lower frequencies and demands high displacements. Elite’s new E-D shaker can achieve 4-inch peak-to-peak displacement and can support any sine, random, or complex profile down to 1Hz.  In addition, this new system provides excellent control of vibration parameters, assuring accurate vibe-test results with minimal effect from a table or fixture resonances.

Elite’s Dynamics team has all the tools now to test large equipment for vibration and shock. Bring your product team together with our vibration/shock experts and together we can get your products tested and to market better and faster. Contact Elite for a visit and see our new IMV K125 system today!

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A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 3

Posted on November 24, 2021 by - Electronics, EMC/EMI Testing

When lightning strikes, it can cause damaging electrical surges near and far. Are your electronic devices protected from surges on power and signal cables? Elite’s Tom Klouda and Tom Braxton are back with the third installment on transient events and their testing techniques. Read more in Part 1,  Part 2, Part 4, and Part 5.

Dark clouds move slowly as the sky changes from blue to purple. Rain begins to fall, and you hear distant thunder rumbling… Crack! Ka-boom! A flash of light and sudden thunder explodes with enough force that you can feel it.

Lightning strikes millions of times around the world and whenever it happens it takes us by surprise. But we share that surprise with our devices. A lightning strike is typically 300 million volts carrying a current between 10,000 and 200,000 amps, and all that energy has to go somewhere. Most of it goes into the ground and startles earthworms, but some is induced into power and signal cables.

If only one-tenth of one percent of that voltage finds its way into local wiring, that’s a 300,000-volt surge being spread around. It’s extremely brief and will quickly diminish, but it’s going to find its way into devices plugged into their power source. While not as dramatic, voltage surges are also produced from major power-system switching and short circuits.

Not to worry though – there’s a test for that. Elite’s Tom Klouda explains how it’s done.

IEC 61000-4-5 Surge Immunity Testing

The IEC 61000-4-5 standard spells out straightforward test procedures for surge immunity. The equipment under test (EUT) is connected via its power cables to a coupling-decoupling network (CDN), which is connected to a combination wave generator that creates the test-surge waveform, shown in the images below. The generator output waveform is defined for both voltage and current.

IEC 61000-4-5 voltage waveform (left)             IEC 61000-4-5 current waveform (right)

The levels applied during the test are chosen based on the severity levels appropriate for the EUT. The selection of test levels is shown in the table below.

Because electrical connectivity can be varied (single-phase AC, three-phase AC, DC power source), the form of the CDN is varied as well. The image below shows the connectivity of the CDN is shown in its simplest form. The combination wave generator is capacitively connected to the power lines going to the EUT and the decoupling network prevents the surges from going back into the power source.

Tests are done in configurations of line-to-ground and line-to-line, and in multiple combinations when three-phase power is involved.

The EUT is monitored during the test, with any response noted along with the test levels and operating conditions of the EUT.

Tests are also performed on interconnecting signal lines if the EUT has signal paths that could be affected by induced power surges. IEC 61000-4-5 specifies the CDN connectivity for both shielded and unshielded cables. As an example, the image below shows the configuration for shielded interconnecting cables.

The real value in this test, as for all immunity tests, is in the test plan. The test plan gives the EUT’s description as tested (model, version, connectivity, supporting hardware, etc.) and defines its failure criteria: what should the EUT be doing during the test and what should it not be doing? Any responses in the EUT are noted so that a determination can be made whether the response was acceptable or if it was an actual failure.

At Elite, we’ve tested hundreds of products for surge immunity. We draw on that experience for pre-test advice, compliments of our Regulatory EMC Team Leader, Rick King, NCE, shown in the photo in Elite’s surge-test lab.  

Rick reminds clients to confirm the suitability of their transient voltage suppressors (TVS) and to keep in mind that TVS ratings should be chosen based on not only the maximum applied surge levels, (i.e., +/-2kV), but also considering that lower amplitudes of 500V and 1000V are generally required to be tested. Excessive surge energy can enter the EUT if the TVS does not clamp at the lower levels.  

Rick also cautions that the lab’s surge coupling networks contain inductors which may create problems for switched-mode and pulse-width modulated (PWM) power supplies. The problem manifests itself as the test item’s inability to power-up during the surge test. Check Annex I of IEC 61000-4-5 for an explanation of this issue or contact Rick King at Elite for more insight.

Lightning and unexpected switching events are going to happen. You can rest assured that with Elite’s deep experience in surge-immunity testing you’ll know how your product is going to behave. Your customers will be much happier when your product continues to work even after those lightning flashes make them flinch.

Contact Elite with your questions on product testing and confirm your compliance before lightning strikes.

Learn more in A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, and Part 5.

Join Elite’s monthly newsletter for the latest on standards, test procedures, fascinating facts, profiles of Elite engineers, and more. Fill out the form below to become part of our global community!

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The Shock Response Spectrum (SRS)

Posted on November 23, 2021 by - Environmental Stress

While we feature a complete blog series on electrical transients, the technical team at Elite is also continuing our companion series on mechanical shock transients. Follow along as we discuss the basics of the Mechanical Shock environment and see how testing is performed. Read Part 1 here.

Engineers use the Shock Response Spectrum (SRS) to understand the dynamic response of systems to mechanical shock impulses. Its applications include engineering and validating electronics mounted on vehicles, evaluating the severity of pyrotechnic shock in stage-separating rockets, and earthquake evaluation of building structures, to name just a few.  

SRS is an analytical calculation of a field-recorded waveform showing mechanical shock acceleration versus time. The output of the SRS calculation is the maximum response acceleration (in Gs) for a single-degree-of-freedom spring mass that is resonant at a particular frequency. 

In the illustration (right) a shock pulse excites a spring mass that is resonant at 20Hz. The maximum acceleration response for the spring mass is then plotted for 20Hz and repeated for an entire range of spring masses generally spaced apart fractionally per octave and each having a unique resonant frequency.

The maximum acceleration for each resonant frequency spring mass is plotted to make a continuous curve. The analogy is that of a range of individual tuning forks resonant at discrete frequencies mounted to a common base. The base is struck by the shock pulse, which sets each fork into resonance to the extent that the shock pulse contains frequencies that excite some or all the forks. J. Jang provides an excellent illustration of the SRS concept in 60 seconds.

Using SRS information, design engineers can determine the maximum acceleration at specific frequencies for their product’s shock environment. Based on their findings, PCBs can be stiffened to increase natural resonances of the board and shift away from high-G conditions; shock isolators can be applied to dampen modal velocities, or components can be moved to sections of a PCB that experience less displacement.  

Once an SRS pulse is characterized, it can be re-applied to a product to evaluate the product’s response. 

How to Apply SRS Pulses in the Lab

SRS shock can be performed using several different types of test equipment. A common method is to accelerate a mass to strike a tuned resonant beam or resonant plate where the Equipment Under Test (EUT) is fixtured. The impact mass transfers its kinetic energy to the plate, fixture, and the EUT. The shock pulse includes the energy of the initial impact as well as all harmonics that puts the surface into resonance.    

Other SRS test systems use pneumatic or hydraulic-driven impactors that are accelerated to a resonant surface. Pyro-technic shock test methods such as MIL-STD-810H Method 517 in some cases use (as the name implies) explosive pyrotechnic charges that create the SRS input wavefront. 

Electro-Dynamic (E-D) vibration systems are also capable of generating SRS shock pulses. They provide the best solution for quickly and repeatably producing SRS tests with results captured as shown in the image on the right. However, E-D vibration systems generally are limited in their ability to test heavy EUTs or run tests that include high-frequency shock energy.   

Elite offers SRS testing primarily using our E-D shakers, so all inquiries are reviewed in advance by our technical experts to confirm capabilities against the application requirements. We also rely on our high-G pneumatic shock machines to produce classical shock pulses that approximate SRS requirements.

Want to learn more about SRS and Mechanical Shock Testing?  Contact Elite for a review of your application and see how to apply SRS to design and validate your products in their mechanical shock environment.

Learn more in Part 1 of our Mechanical Shock Testing series.

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Shock Transients of the Mechanical Type

Posted on October 27, 2021 by - Environmental Stress

Elite’s Nick D. preparing for a Mechanical Shock test

While we feature a complete blog series on electrical transients, the technical team at Elite is also starting this month a new companion series on mechanical shock transients. Follow along as we discuss the basics of the Mechanical Shock environment and see how testing is performed. We’ll also point out how “shockingly” analogous the electrical and mechanical transient characteristics are!

Mechanical Shock Testing Basics

Manufacturers want robust products that satisfy customer needs and meet lifetime and warranty objectives, as well as they satisfy requirements for validation and qualification. Mechanical shock survival is key to meeting those goals.

The concept of mechanical shock is intuitively simple: its drop, bang, bump, slam, and crash. From a physics perspective, it’s a rapid transfer of kinetic energy to a mechanical system that can create a variety of product problems.

Shock is an over-stress failure as opposed to a fatigue phenomenon such as vibration stress. Depending on the shock-pulse characteristics and the product’s mechanical resonances, the equipment responses may result in the deformation of structural members, deflection of printed circuit boards, or fractures at microprocessor die-bond wires. Shock transients can cause momentary discontinuities at electrical connectors or chatter at the contact of mechanical relays. High-frequency shock pulses can affect the performance of piezoelectric crystals used for electrical timing and digital clocking circuits.

There are a variety of options for manufacturers to evaluate their products against the shock environments they operate in. They can test the finished product in the end environment, test components and subsystems using field data, use classical shock pulses, or used specification-defined equipment.

Shock Test Approaches 

1. Test In the Actual Shock Environment

Products can be instrumented with accelerometers, strain gauges, or other sensors, and then be exposed to the actual shock environment. Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) routinely test-drive vehicles through potholes and road bumps, or into impact barriers. Cell phone manufacturers drop products at different heights on concrete or wood surfaces to evaluate handling toughness. Shipbuilders intentionally detonate controlled underwater explosives and evaluate how the shock wave interacts with mission-critical systems on board.

This in-situ shock approach is the most realistic test because it evaluates the complete system performance in an environment closest to the actual application. However, at this phase of product development testing requires near-production prototypes or the finished product itself. If the product does not survive in the shock environment, then design changes late in development are costly and delay product delivery dates.

2. Record Field Data and Apply Shock Pulse in the Lab Characterized as the Shock Response Spectrum (SRS)

The shock environment can be measured using accelerometers mounted at the end-use points for the product. The actual field data can be post-processed, replicated, and applied to sub-system components. With field data, testing of small parts, components, and subsystems can occur early in the development process. Field-recorded shock pulses are often a complex waveform of acceleration versus time. The challenge is that not all waveforms can be easily recreated or not produced repeatably. In addition, because of the random nature of how shock interacts with mechanical systems, no two measured shock pulses will be identical, which raises the question as to which field shock pulse should be applied.

As an alternative, shock-field data can be used to create a more repeatable and controlled shock input by creating a Shock Response Spectrum (SRS). This approach creates an impact input to the test item that has the frequency character and amplitude of the measured field-shock environment. Although the time waveform input of the SRS pulse may not look identical to the field waveform, the response of a single-degree-of-freedom system to the SRS pulse is the same as it were the complex field waveform.

3. Apply Simple Classical Shock Pulses

The most effective shock test pulse is one that replicates the actual environment where the product will be used. However, many manufacturers don’t have field shock data or the ability to measure the end use application. In addition, conducting shock testing using the SRS shock pulse approach requires specialized equipment and the process does not lend itself to quick and efficient shock testing.

As a result, manufacturers turn to simple classical shock pulses that take the form of half-sine, saw-tooth, or trapezoidal acceleration versus time waveforms. Classical shock pulses are relatively easy to produce, can be generated on a wide range of equipment, and the pulses can be generated repeatably with tightly controlled waveform specifications. For this reason, classical shock pulses are the most applied shock test.

4. Specialty Shock Tests

Certain shock tests are specified not in terms of the field waveform characteristics, SRS, or by a classical pulse shape, rather they are defined by a particular test apparatus. An example is the Navy test using a High-Impact Shock Machine for light, medium, or heavy-weight equipment as described in MIL-STD-901. The details of the machine are outlined in the MIL-STD and the applied pulse amplitude is selected from the shipboard location and delivered by the machine by raising the impact hammer to a specified height.

Similarly, many drop, bounce, or handling tests are not characterized by the acceleration parameters, instead are defined by the drop height, impacting surface, and test-item orientation. These types of tests are run on the device itself or on the packaging.

So out of these four approaches to shock testing, which one is best for your product? The world is full of transient events, whether mechanical or electrical. In our next blog, we will describe in more detail the SRS and Classical Shock Pulses. Continue to Part 2.

Contact us today to start planning your Mechanical Shock testing.

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A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 2

Posted on October 26, 2021 by - Electronics, EMC/EMI Testing

Electrical Fast Transients (EFTs) – What they are and how they are tested

Large equipment is switched on and off all the time, and when that happens the power line sputters with bursts of pulses.  These are electrical fast transients (EFTs) that can upset an electronic device. Elite’s Tom Klouda and Tom Braxton are back with the second installment on transient events and their testing techniques. Read Part 1 and Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5. 

The IT manager at Hypothetical Tech’s branch location is talking with his colleague at the home office:

“We settled into that new office park.  It’s the space next to the campus HVAC plant.  Lots of room, and we’re in business!  Well, except Tuesday — four terminals crashed and we had to reboot.  Then on Friday it happened again, and we checked for lost data.  While we were down the folks in the HVAC plant came by to visit while they waited for their system to start up.  Nice guys.”

Does any of this sound familiar?  It’s what can happen when digital systems are hit with an electrical fast transient (EFT).  That HVAC plant next door had large blowers with hefty startup currents.  When the switch closes and the motor commutators start connecting, voltage spikes flash through the building’s wires.

High-current motors are a common EFT source, as are the switch contacts themselves.  The sudden voltage change is like striking a bell – a series of bursts, each of which linger until the energy has run out. 

What do bursts look like?

Think of an old-school desk telephone with a mechanical bell.  The bell rings in repeating bursts and generates an acoustic waveform like that shown below. 

In an EFT event, the current from the sudden surge splatters through the conductors’ natural resonance and sends bursts flowing into devices connected to the common power wiring.  EFT bursts are electrical, not acoustic, but the pattern is similar. The EFT voltage bursts resemble the acoustic bursts of the ringing bell. 

What is EFT?

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) characterizes EFT bursts in standard 61000-4-4.  Like most standards, the electrical specifications are tightly defined.

The staccato bursts of voltage in the field are like snowflakes: they are never quite the same twice.  But they do have common characteristics that are standardized to allow repeatable testing.  Each individual pulse has a waveform defined in IEC 61000-4-4, shown in the image below:

A series of these pulses are sent into the power line at a designated repetition rate, forming a burst of a specified duration, which is then repeated at 300ms intervals and resemble the telephone-bell acoustic pulses shown above:

The voltage levels and repetition rates of the bursts are set based on the severity level appropriate for the equipment under test (EUT) and are run for a minimum of one minute.

As with any immunity test, a test plan is needed to assure the product is receiving a realistic approximation of what happens in its intended environment.  The test plan would include a description of the product, its configuration during the test (connecting equipment, cabling, active software, etc.), and the criteria for failure conditions. 

The test plan and the description of failure criteria are important.  During the application of the bursts, the EUT is monitored for correct operation.  If the EUT reacts to the bursts, is it a failure or a benign response?  For example, flickering display lamps may not count as a failure for some consumer products but may be critical for medical equipment.  Whatever could be regarded as a failure needs to be described in the test plan.

Not all responses can be known ahead of time, so someone familiar with the EUT should be present during the test to watch for anything unusual.  Any response should be documented for later analysis.  It’s obviously important for the EUT’s designer to know how the product responds to these kinds of transients.

Applying the burst to the equipment under test (EUT)

The burst defined in IEC 61000-4-4 is applied to the EUT through its external cables.  The EUT’s vulnerability is tested by connecting the burst generator to the power cables through a coupling-decoupling network (CDN). 

The image below shows a schematic view how it’s done inside the CDN.   The right-hand side of the image represents the coupling section injecting the burst directly into the power lines.  The left-hand side is the decoupling section preventing the burst from propagating into the external power grid.  The photo shows the CDN application in Elite’s laboratory.

Drawing showing EFT generator connectivity inside CDN.
Photo showing EFT test using a CDN in Elite’s lab.

The next image shows how the burst is applied to signal cables in a tabletop configuration.  The cables are laid inside a coupling clamp that capacitively applies the burst.  The photograph shows a typical configuration.

Drawing showing EFT test with coupling clamp.
Photo showing coupling clamp during an EFT test in the lab.

These tests are best done in a laboratory, but if that’s not practical the test can be done in situ (on site in its installed condition). The IEC 61000-4-4 standard shows alternative test configurations that can be applied.

The EUT is monitored for normal operation for the duration of the test and any responses are recorded.  The failure criteria defined in the test plan determines if the responses are failures.  If not, the EUT has passed.

If your product is to carry the CE Mark so that it is eligible for sale in the European Union, IEC 61000-4-4 is among the suite of standards it needs to meet.  Be aware of how your devices respond to an EFT burst. Then if your customers install your equipment near some heavy machinery, you’ll have fewer things to worry about.

Contact us today to get more information and schedule your product’s transient tests to achieve CE Mark compliance, along with the range of FCC, ISED, and others your product needs.  When your customers hear the big motors start up next to their site, they won’t spend time recovering lost data and you won’t spend time trying to find out why. 

Learn more in A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 1 and Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.

Elite Employee Spotlight: Kate Fanning

Posted on October 25, 2021 by - Environmental Stress

Title:  ENV Test Engineer 

Year Started at Elite: 2020

Areas of Expertise/Interest:

Battery Testing

Environmental Stress and Mechanical Testing

Education:

Lake Forest College – BA in Physics and Psychology

Colorado State University – ME in Mechanical Engineering (Current)

Any unique hobbies, talents, skills, experiences, etc.:

  • Playing hockey
  • Painting/drawing
  • DIY projects
  • Baking
  • Sewing

Experiences:

I had the opportunity to travel to Europe on a Selects Hockey team and compete against players from all over!

How did you get into EMC/testing?

Actually, my dad and brother! The experimentation aspect has always been an interest of mine, and they both helped to push me in the direction of testing at Elite!

Anything that customers/colleagues would find surprising about you?:

I have been playing hockey since I was 4 years old (over 19 years now!) and am currently playing with a women’s team trying to go pro!

Proudest moment in life so far:

Probably graduating college in the middle of a pandemic.

What would you consider to be your passion outside of work? How did you get started in it? Any advice for anyone looking to try this activity?

My passion outside of work would definitely be hockey. I started with it when I was always at the rink watching my brother play, so eventually I wanted to try it and I have loved it ever since.

My advice for anyone trying to get into it would be to keep practicing, always try to improve, and always make sure you are having fun with it. Sometimes you can get caught up with the technical details, but don’t forget why you are doing it.

Most rewarding/favorite aspect of working at Elite:

My favorite aspect of working at Elite would be that I am constantly learning. Whether it be from customers or my colleagues, I always leave with more knowledge than what I came with.

If you had a personal motto, what would it be?

Do what you love, and never forget why you do it.

If you could be paid in something other than money, what would you choose?

Ice time or hockey equipment. Desserts are always good too!

A Seasonal Series on Transient Testing: Part 1

Posted on September 28, 2021 by - Electronics, EMC/EMI Testing

The weeks and months pass quickly this time of year.  The days are transient things, popping on the calendar and vanishing before we notice. 

This is the first of our new series with Elite’s Tom Klouda and Tom Braxton. Stay tuned for more transient talk in future blogs. Read Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.

Transient events are everywhere, including the space around your product.  Can your device tolerate a voltage surge?  An electrical fast transient?  An electrostatic discharge?  A magnetic impulse?  The only way to find out is to test it, and your product will need to navigate that test.  You’ll need an experienced guide to get you there.  The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) provides the standards, and Elite Electronic Engineering is the guide you need to lead you through.

What are transients and where do they come from?

A transient is a short-duration pulse brought about by stored energy or a disruption in current flow.  Anyone who has experienced electrostatic discharge (ESD) when pulling off a sweater during low humidity then reached for a metal doorknob has dealt with transients.  The ESD between the metal surface and the finger is a stored-energy phenomenon. 

Voltage surges on power lines are examples of a transient brought on by current-flow disruption. When an electrical contact is interrupted by opening or closing, voltage arcs and mechanical bouncing of the contacts create random pulses.  There will be uncontrolled transients that depend on several factors: the contact type, the voltage and current levels, whether current is AC or DC, and the conductors’ geometry.  Devices in line or adjacent to the source of those transients are all vulnerable to disruption or damage.  The figure below gives a simple illustration of a switch contact being closed and the arcs that would bring about transient pulses.

Illustration showing contact closure and generation of transient pulses

These transients can cause digital logic upsets that appear as process interruptions or corrupted data.  Some transients can cause actual damage, like that shown in the picture below.  Logic upsets are more common and can range from a simple annoyance to a critical malfunction and can be minimized with error-correcting software.  Component damage is clearly a larger concern as it results in a costly repair or replacement.

Example of transient surge damage

Transients can be radiated or conducted, or sometimes both.  For example, energizing a high-current device will almost certainly generate a series of electrical fast transients (EFT) on the power circuit, which will propagate to other devices drawing energy through power cables in that building.  In addition, that event will create a momentary radiated field that can be induced into other conductors or directly into nearby devices. 

Though transients are uncontrolled when they occur, repeatable test procedures are in place that offer confidence in your product’s ability to operate normally when transients happen.

How are products tested for transient immunity?

There are different types of transients and different types of products.   The IEC standards and guidelines establish product categories and test procedures for a wide range of transient phenomena.  For example, IEC 61000-4-2 addresses ESD immunity, laying out test procedures and severity-level choices that can be chosen depending on the product type and its intended environment.  The figure below shows a typical application of the test.

Example of an ESD test being performed on a product and the range of voltage levels given in IEC 61000-4-2

Similarly, voltage surges are covered in IEC 61000-4-5, which spells out test procedures that are effective in predicting a product’s ability to withstand lightning surges and other sudden voltage spikes.  Voltage levels are chosen based on the product’s category and intended environment.

Voltage waveform applied in an IEC 61000-4-5 surge test, and the specified voltage levels

Your product will be subjected to a variety of transient events: power surges and ESD, as shown above, but also noise bursts, voltage dips, and magnetic pulses, among others, all identified in the IEC 61000-4 series of standards.

Your product’s application and intended environment will determine which tests to apply and at what levels.  The experts at Elite Electronic Engineering can explain the tests and guide you through the necessary steps toward verification. 

Be sure to follow the Elite Insider Newsletter in the coming months.  Those newsletters will review in detail the transient types, the standards that define and characterize them, and the tests that are performed to evaluate the immunity of your product. Continue with Part 2 and Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.

Elite Electronic Engineering draws on 65 years of experience in testing products like yours and brings its expertise and evaluation skill to answer your questions.  We’ll see the days grow shorter this season and become more transient as they go by.  Verify that your product can also see transients go by  — Contact Elite to find out how.

Join Elite’s monthly newsletter for the latest on standards, test procedures, fascinating facts, profiles of Elite engineers, and more. Fill out the form below to become part of our global community!

Newsletter Sign Up

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Specifying Fixtures for Dynamics Testing

Posted on August 19, 2021 by - Environmental Stress

Fixturing can make or (literally) break a test, so we take it very seriously at Elite. During Dynamics, Vibration and Shock Testing, the device under test (DUT) must be securely mounted in its design orientation. Properly designed fixtures ensure rigid connection, accurate simulation, and minimal interference with the applied forces. On the other hand, poorly designed fixtures can distort, resonate, and artificially amplify forces that overstress the DUT – leading to avoidable test failures.

Our experts apply decades of testing experience to deliver fixtures with guaranteed performance and proven compatibility. We have done the research to determine the best materials and design practices specifically for dynamics testing. Our in-house design and fabrication shop is not your average tool room – we specialize in test fixtures to simplify this critical part of test planning for our customers. That is also why we start fixture specification early with the right questions:

  1. What is the size, weight, and quantity of DUTs?

Investing in a larger fixture for multiple DUTs often saves time and testing cost, especially when below 100 lb. We are equipped to fabricate fixtures up to 60” by 120″ to take full advantage our largest vibration tables. All 8 of our vibration tables also utilize the same bolt patterns to maximize interchangeability and scheduling flexibility.

  1. What is the DUT test orientation for each axis?

Using SolidWorks, we import solid models of the DUTs and design fixtures to accurately simulate mounting and orientation requirements. Parasolid, *.x_t, and *.stp files work best, and we can provide secure file transfer for all your models and drawings. We also employ 3D printing to quickly and cost-effectively accommodate complex DUT shapes and contours.

  1. Will the DUTs be powered or externally controlled during test?

When cable connections, cooling lines, and nearby support equipment are necessary, we ensure adequate space and fasteners on the fixture to simulate installation and minimize strain.

If you already have a fixture, our experts can help determine if it is adequate for the intended profile and modify it for compatibility with our test equipment.

When you choose Elite to design and build your fixture, you can be confident in its compatibility, and we guarantee its performance. Contact us today to take the 3 steps to successful dynamics testing with Elite.

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Employee Spotlight: Nathaniel Bouchie

Posted on July 27, 2021 by - Telecommunications, Wireless Certification

Title: 

EMC Test Engineer

Year Started at Elite:

2021

Areas of Expertise/Interest:

Test Automation and 3D Modeling

Education: 

BS in Aerospace Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Any unique hobbies, talents, skills, experiences, etc.: 

I volunteer with shelter cats on weekends.

Anything that customers/colleagues would find surprising about you?

I write music for piano and cello.

Proudest moment in life so far: 

Finishing my engineering degree during the pandemic.

What would you consider to be your passion outside of work? How did you get started in it? Any advice for anyone looking to try this activity?

Cycling. The trails in DuPage County are expansive and I’ll probably never explore them all. It’s important to get accurate statistics of how far you go, how many calories you burn, etc. That motivates you to keep going farther and to get more out of it.

Most rewarding/favorite aspect of working at Elite:

The opportunities to assist my colleagues with their work. The feeling of a common goal is strong.

If you had a personal motto, what would it be?

“It was like that when I got here.”

If you could be paid in something other than money, what would you choose?

Time.

Elite Expands A2LA Accreditation

Posted on June 29, 2021 by - Other

Our testing and certification accreditations have been expanded and renewed after completing our recent assessment with A2LA. Third-party accreditation to ISO 17025 and ISO 17065 is the cornerstone of our quality management system to ensure that our processes are continuously assessed and improved to deliver the highest quality testing and certification services to our customers. Accredited test reports and certificates from Elite ensure our customers’ results are accepted around the world by manufacturers and regulatory bodies.

Elite has been continuously accredited for ISO 17025 since 1986, and for ISO 17065 since 2000. During that time, our capabilities and scopes of accreditation have expanded to meet our customers’ requirements. Our most recent expansions to our A2LA scopes of accreditation build on our expertise and capability to deliver complete compliance services for the automotive, aerospace, wireless/cellular, and lighting industries.

EMC and Electrical Testing (A2LA Certificate 1786.01)

  • ECE Regulation 10.06 Automotive EMC testing to support OEM and international type approvals for automotive electronics.
  • ETSI and 3GPP Cellular Spurious Emissions testing for Wireless and IoT devices using cellular data networks.
  • EMC and Radio standards for Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam to ensure international acceptance of test results and conformity assessments. 

Environmental, Mechanical, and Photometric Testing (A2LA Certificate 1786.02)

Wireless Product Certification (A2LA Certificate 1786.03)

  • UK Approved Body for Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations (SI 2016/1091) and Radio Equipment Regulations (SI 2017/1206).

Airport Lighting Equipment Certification (A2LA Certificate 1786.04)

  • Third-Party Certification Body for the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Lighting Equipment Certification Program (ALECP) to test and certify all L-types in accordance with FAA AC 150/5345-53D.

Visit our ISO Accreditation page to download our complete scopes of accreditation; and contact us to learn more about how accredited testing elevates your compliance processes.

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EU and UK Regulatory Deadlines are Approaching!

Posted on June 1, 2021 by - Other

There are important regulatory deadlines approaching, so review the compliance of your products to make sure they are up-to-date with changing European Union and UK requirements:

August 6, 2021- EN 300 328 V2.2.2 for WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and other 2.4GHz radios. 

Check your CE Marked 2.4GHz radio technical file because on August 6, 2021, version V2.2.2 of EN 300 328 will be the only standard that will establish compliance to the Radio Equipment Directive. Older versions of the standard will no longer provide the presumption of conformity. By this date existing compliance reports for radio-enabled products (modules or final apparatus) along with the manufacturer’s Declaration of Conformity (DoC) must reference EN 300 328 V2.2.2. 

January 1st, 2022- UKCA Mark. 

The UK-BREXIT process requires manufacturers to comply with United Kingdom regulations for manufactured products. The most significant step to take now is to apply the UKCA Mark to devices that are sold into England, Wales, and Scotland. Currently, 2021 is a transition year where either the CE Mark or UKCA Mark can be applied. However, only the UKCA Mark will be recognized for products sold in the UK countries England, Wales, and Scotland starting January 1st, 2022. Products sold into Northern Ireland still require the CE Mark.

Check here for more information and UK guidance documents.

Important EU Regulatory Resources

While you’re busy reviewing your European Union RED compliance status, be sure you have all the necessary labeling and documentation completed as required. Recently completed market surveillance conducted by European spectrum agencies have identified many products are complaint with the harmonized technical requirements but still don’t meet the documentation and labeling requirements. Here are the key guidance documents we rely on at Elite to inform clients in matters of CE Mark labeling and documentation. 

Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 

RED Compliance Obligations: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/42081

RED National Language Requirements: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/41141?locale=en

RED Risk Assessment Technical Guidance Note 30: http://www.redca.eu/Pages/Documents1.htm

EMC Directive (EMC-D) 

EMC Compliance Obligations: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/16512/attachments/1/translations

ADCO Label Examples: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/37842

EMC National Language Requirements: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/26690

Contact Elite today and discuss a review of your compliance documents with our experts.

Make a Better IoT Device

Posted on June 1, 2021 by - Wireless Certification

Elite’s Over-the-Air (OTA) measurements of TRP and TIS can improve and optimize an IoT device for range, reliability, and battery life. Here’s a brief background on how these measurements can help Make a Better IoT Device.

In many cases, engineers design their IoT radio-enabled devices relying on radio OEM data such as conducted RF power and separate data for the antenna such as passive measurements of gain, efficiency, or directivity. While this approach is the basic and necessary initial step, the downside is that using individual component data does not account for all the integration nuances and coupling interactions when the antenna is configured to the radio.

Imprecise impedance matching between the radio and the antenna or design modeling tolerances can lead to higher VSWR than expected and sap the transmitter range and the device’s battery life. There may also be coupling losses resulting from antenna placement near metal elements. In addition, close proximity of antennas near digital noise sources can degrade receiver sensitivity resulting in a penalty to the RF link budget.

A better approach for RF designers is using TRP (Total Radiated Power) and TIS (Total Isotropic Sensitivity) measurements to optimize designs.

What is TRP (Total Radiated Power)?

TRP is the transmitter metric that evaluates the radiated performance of the radio and its antennas as a combined system. The result is based on the measurement of effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) at a specified distance and from multiple discrete points around the radio/antenna, and then integrating the individual measurements to arrive at a single performance metric. TRP data provides true measured performance with all system integration influences incorporated in the final result.

In addition to transmit aspect of the radio, receiver sensitivity can also greatly affect a successful radio IoT application. Sensitivity is the minimum threshold of RF energy the receiver can detect and still successfully demodulate the transmitted information. Sensitivity values are published by the radio module OEM but they have conducted measurements at the radio port and don’t tell the whole story. The receiver sensitivity and overall performance may be further degraded by an inefficient antenna, or one placed at a sub-optimal location nearby metallic structures, or close to radio host electronics.

What is TIS (Total Isotropic Sensitivity)?

To better gage the receiver performance radiated TIS is used to evaluate the design of the radio receiver and antenna as a system. TIS is a metric that is calculated as the integral of individual receiver sensitivity measurements taken from multiple discrete points around the radio antenna system. TIS takes into account the antenna design and placement as well as the unwanted interference from transmitter and digital host spurious noise. These unwanted interference sources coupled by the antenna into the front end of the radio receiver can greatly reduce the receiver performance. TIS testing is critical to evaluate and reduce the impact of receiver desensitization.

TRP and TIS requirements are often more challenging to meet than the regulatory spurious emissions compliance limits. They are such important metrics that nearly all cellular network operators require TIS and TRP measurements as part of the operator certification process.

As a CTIA Authorized Test Lab, Elite is capable of performing carrier TRP and TIS measurements. We work with our PTCRB partners to help clients achieve the range of compliance from regulatory to carrier certifications.

Regardless if the radio applications are for cellular, Bluetooth, WiFi, or others, TRP and TIS measurements can help improve radio performance for IoT devices and help ensure a more successful application.

For more information on how Elite’s TRP and TIS testing can help your next IoT application, or to help with your carrier certification, contact our OTA specialists today to discuss how we can help.

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Count on Elite to Speed Your Cellular IoT Products to Market

Posted on April 27, 2021 by - Wireless Certification

Cellular radio modules are fast becoming the preferred choice for Wireless IoT connectivity. They provide excellent reach, coverage, and robust security. They also come in a broad range of module capabilities and network operator plans to suit nearly every unique application. Newer ultra-low power devices ensure long life in the field and radio module pricing is very competitive against other wireless technologies.  Still, despite these many advantages cellular IoT devices need to meet certain requirements before they can deploy to the market and connect to cellular networks.

All wireless RF IoT devices need to meet regulatory rules to ensure effective use of spectrum and limit interference to other devices. Additionally, cellular modules must meet industry and network operator requirements to confirm they use the cellular network properly and efficiently.

To ease the cellular compliance process, Elite experts offer technical guidance plus all the necessary testing and compliance services. We have an extensive in-house capability for cellular testing. Plus our best-in-class partner network optimizes specialty services such as PTCRB, GCF, NRTL, CB Scheme, and design consultancy.

Elite is a CTIA Authorized Test Lab for Over-The-Air (OTA) performance testing and is qualified to perform the required TRP and TIS measurements often mandatory for cellular applications. TRP and TIS are key cellulars and WiFi performance metrics. They describe the integration effect of the radio and antenna. These tests can present challenges to designers so Elite experts assist with pre-compliance OTA testing to ensure your design is on the right path and formal certification measurements with accepted results.

Elite’s value is key for Midwest regional IoT developers who benefit from the convenience of our nearby cellular test capabilities, but we serve all clients who seek a more accessible and responsive service partner. All-in-all, Elite clients benefit from attention, expertise, and convenience while minimizing costs. 

The cellular compliance to market process can be complex so count on Elite to simplify the process for you. Contact our experts today so we can help accelerate your IoT success.

Connect with an Elite cellular expert

Elite Now an Approved Mazda EMC Laboratory

Posted on February 25, 2021 by - Automotive, EMC/EMI Testing

Elite’s Automotive EMC Testing team has successfully completed the lab approval process to become the first and only approved Mazda EMC test laboratory in North America. With this new credential, Elite is ready to conduct validation testing for automotive electronics manufacturers on a wide range of Mazda vehicle electronic systems.

The scope of Elite’s approved services currently extends to testing low voltage (12VDC) components with plans to achieve full approval for all high voltage testing required for electric vehicle drive train components.

Elite’s capabilities cover the MES PW 67602 “Revision D” standard which means having methods such as the Tri-Plate transmission line and all the CI 290 Mazda cranking waveforms in place.  In addition, our radiated emissions equipment and chambers meet stringent requirements set in the Revision D standard.

To have your product tested, manufacturers can simply send their Mazda EMC test plan to Elite for review and to receive a proposal, as well as a project start date.  From there we connect our EMC experts with the client’s technical team to prepare for testing in advance and ensure a successful delay-free validation project.

Mazda EMC approval adds to our long list of global Automotive OEM approvals, including Ford, GM, FCA (Stellantis), Hyundai-Kia, and Jaguar Land Rover. With more EMC chambers, test equipment, and qualified personnel than any other EMC lab, Elite is uniquely suited to help automotive electronics manufacturers achieve their product validation goals and deliver products to the OEMs on time and with accepted test results.

Contact us today for information on how Elite can help you with your Mazda EMC validation testing.

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