Virtual Tests for EMC Compliance

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing is largely understood as taking a physical prototype and subject it to a series of laboratory tests to determine how well it performs from an EMC standpoint. This process has worked for decades but there are some issues in relying on physical testing alone. Some of the issues are the following.

• Discovering issues at the physical hardware stage happens too late in the program
• The product’s physical environment becomes increasingly important that a laboratory test may not comprehend
• It can be difficult to apply lessons learned on one product to another similar product

This presentation discusses how electromagnetic simulation using CST Studio Suite® determines EMC compliance of a product or system. We will address the strengths and weaknesses between virtual and physical approaches to get the best picture possible of EMC performance in a timely manner.