Stop electronic waste, fix it yourself

Users are advised to read through these instructions so that all functions are understood. Immediately after unpacking, the instrument should be checked for mechanical damage and loose parts in the interior. If there is transport damage, the supplier must be informed immediately. The probes must then not be put into operation. Electromagnetic compatibility continues to be an important issue in the electronics industry worldwide. The main goal of design engineers is to meet ever more demanding specifications, while also making circuitry quieter and more robust to meet tough EMC regulations. The design of microcontroller based products which fully comply with present and imminent EMC regulations isn’t an easy task to undertake with the use of current technologies. Even with the best PCB layout techniques and the most substantial decoupling, at the speeds of today’s designs, radiation from boards and the consequent noise impinging on PCBs is becoming a growing problem that will not go away. By the date of January 1, 1996, every electronic instrument or device which can be imported to the European community must meet the EMC regulations according to EN 55011 to 22 , EN 50081-1 and CISPR-Publi- cations 11 to 22. The EMC directive refers to both electromagnetic emissions and electromagnetic immunity. The manufacturer of electronic equipment or devices declares the conformity of his product with the above regulations by the placement of the CE-sign on the device or equipment. By doing so the manufacturer is liable for all violations of the above regulations. Goods without the CE-sign are not allowed to be sold in the European Community. In order to be sure that the manufactured equipment meets all specifications according to the EMC regulations, extensive test during the design phase of every electronic device must be done. One of the methods of CE certification is to use the services of a professional testing lab that specializes in the compliance certification process. The lab will have precise test equipment and a shielded, screen room within which the inspection is performed. Since many products being certified will require modification and redesign, the customer is charged on an hourly basis for test time used. Quite often, many trips are made between the test lab and the design/development facility. In order to minimize the cost of the test, it is recommended that a “Pre-Compliance” phase in product development first be conducted. This phase would use a spectrum Analyzer such as the B+K Precision 2600 Series in conjunction with PR-261 close field sniffer probes, to inspect for emission and leakage; isolate the source, design and correct the problem and then retest. Once the product appears electromagnetically “quiet”, it is submitted to the compliance certification laboratory. This should save the expense for much of the test time, since the submitted unit has already been pretested. Typically, the test time and money saved should represent many times the purchase price of the spectrum Analyzer.