Understand and improve EMC of PCB

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a major concern for electronic equipments, which is still not perfectly understood by designers. Electromagnetic emission and immunity issues need to be thoroughly understood by professionals to successfully design their printed circuit boards (PCB). A careful placement and routing of PCB can improve significantly EMC. However, applying the adequate guideline requires a good understanding of electromagnetic issues associated to PCB. Otherwise, the modification applied at PCB level may be inefficient.

This training is dedicated to technicians, engineers, researchers involved in electronic design who want to clarify the origin of EMC issues at PCB level and learn the techniques to fix them. No prerequisites in EMC are required. Only basic knowledges about electronic, PCB design and manufacturing are necessary.

The objective of this training is twofold:

Clarify EMC issues at PCB level, demystify the electromagnetic concepts related to these issues, understand their effect on electronic equipments, propose simple tools to evaluate EMC performances of PCB

Present the main placement and routing techniques to improve EMC of PCB, learn how to analyze and manage EMC at PCB level, validate these techniques on real case studies

The concepts presented during the courses will be illustrated through hardware and software demos with IC-EMC.

Program:

Day 1: Basis
Basic concepts for EMC at PCB level:

Introduction, context, EMC purpose

Spectral contents of signal

Stray impedance of components

Transmission line

Common-mode vs. differential-mode

Radiation

Ground

Determining current return path

Tools to identify EMC issues at PCB level:

Basis about spectrum analyzer

Current probe

Estimation of radiation from common-mode current measurement

Near-field probe

Estimation of PCB trace radiation from magnetic field measurement

Low-cost VNA

Visit of an EMC lab

Day 2 - EMC rules for PCB design - part 1
EMC design rules for signal integrity:

Frequency condition

Impedance control of PCB lines (single-ended and differential lines)

Routing of PCB traces

Effects of via and stub

Control of reference plane

Effect of symmetry on differential lines

Crosstalk

Case study

EMC design rules for power integrity:

Power distribution network of PCB

Role of parasitic inductance

Simple model to analyse PI problem

Power-ground plane pairs

General strategy to ensure power integrity

Decoupling budget - Single-point methodology

Placement of decoupling capacitors

EMC design rules to reduce radiated emission:

Identification of parasitic antenna at PCB level

Reduce loop radiation

Shielding of sensitive traces

Board edge radiation

Effect of split planes

Radiation from cables

Placement of connectors

Case study 1: Improve EMC of a digital board

Day 3 - EMC rules for PCB design - part 2
EMC design rules to reduce conducted emission:

Real performances of EMC filter

EMC filter placement

Transient suppressor placement

Case study: EMC filter

EMC design rules for DC-DC converter

Case study 2: Improve EMC of a DC-DC converter EMC design rules for mixed-signal board:

Reference separation

Partitioning

Split planes

Image plane violation

Bridging

Isolation with a common ground plane

Placement of mixed-signal circuits

Case study 3: Improve EMC of a mixed-signal board Conclusion:

Design methodology

Advanced tools for EMC of PCB

Registration:

Formation continue INSA de Toulouse

Contact:

Email: Alexander.boyer <at> insa-toulouse.fr

Update: November 24, 2017

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a major concern for electronic equipments, which is still not perfectly understood by designers. Electromagnetic emission and immunity issues need to be thoroughly understood by professionals to successfully design their printed circuit boards (PCB). A careful placement and routing of PCB can improve significantly EMC. However, applying the adequate guideline requires a good understanding of electromagnetic issues associated to PCB. Otherwise, the modification applied at PCB level may be inefficient.
This training is dedicated to technicians, engineers, researchers involved in electronic design who want to clarify the origin of EMC issues at PCB level and learn the techniques to fix them. No prerequisites in EMC are required. Only basic knowledges about electronic, PCB design and manufacturing are necessary.
The objective of this training is twofold: Clarify EMC issues at PCB level, demystify the electromagnetic concepts related to these issues, understand their effect on electronic equipments, propose simple tools to evaluate EMC performances of PCB Present the main placement and routing techniques to improve EMC of PCB, learn how to analyze and manage EMC at PCB level, validate these techniques on real case studies The concepts presented during the courses will be illustrated through hardware and software demos with IC-EMC.