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Fig. 2. Example of issues in return path continuities.

Four Factors that Lead to EMI/EMC/SI in PCBs

As printed circuit boards (PCBs) become smaller, the risk of electromagnetic interference (EMI) increases significantly. EMA Signal Integrity Engineer Ryan French has developed what he refers to as the Very Bad Board. According to him, the example board incorporates issues that are highly prevalent and frequently encountered in similar designs. “I tend to see them […]

Design Problem Free PCBs on the First Try

The speed of electronic components has increased in recent decades. It’s all thanks to improvements in the fabrication of semiconductors. EMA Signal Integrity Engineer Ryan French says this may seem like great news for designers, but that may not be the case. “The universe kind of has it against you here because as speed increases […]

Plane struck by lightning

E3 Support for Optimized Aerospace Designs

Ensuring the safety, efficiency, and reliability of aircraft starts by focusing on electromagnetic environmental effects (E3). “Lighting, HIRF, and RF interference require you to understand the structure, understand how the cables are laid out, understand where things are, and the external environment and that’s really difficult,” EMA Principal Scientist II Justin McKennon says. “It’s going […]

Fig. 5. EMA’s current testing and characterization facility named SERE for space environment and radiation effects.

Accelerated UV Aging and Degradation Studies with SERE

EMA’s Space Environment and Radiation Effects lab (SERE) is a unique commercial test facility that makes space evaluations possible on Earth. It contains an array of energy sources from 5keV to >2MeV over a large working area. The combination of sources allows EMA to produce realistic spectra associated with various orbits. SERE is also equipped […]

Ansys EMC Plus and Ansys Charge Plus 2025 R1 What’s New

2025 R1 updates are now available for Ansys EMC Plus and Ansys Charge Plus. This latest release includes performance updates and focuses on feedback from application engineers and software users. Ansys EMC Plus EMC Plus is a platform-level electromagnetic modeling and simulation tool that delivers a design to validation workflow. Application areas include electromagnetic environmental […]

Patch antenna used for validation (right) and EMC Plus model (left).

Validating Radiated Susceptibility between Measurement and Ansys EMC Plus

When you are developing a product with electronics, including vehicles, you must meet electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements. Some designers now use simulation to predict potential problems ahead of EMC testing. In certain cases, simulation is replacing EMC testing all together. To increase confidence, there is growing interest in comparing simulation results to EMC testing. EMA […]

Four Space Applications with Ansys Charge Plus and Ansys EMC Plus

Engineers must consider several electromagnetic threats when designing for the harshness of space. There is the risk of arcing, material surface and internal charging, 3D particle transport, and dielectric breakdown. At EMA, we make it easier to analyze the risks that can lead to mission failure. In this article, we take a look at four […]

Fig. 1. Arc damage from the ADEOS-II Satellite caused by unmitigated ESD. Courtesy: NASA.

Comprehensive Charging and Material Characterization Services for Space Missions

The space environment is dynamic, complex, and harsh, leading to possible mission failures. Energetic charged particles emitted by the sun pose the biggest risk to a spacecraft and its components. A buildup of these particles can potentially alter a spacecraft’s material properties leading to electrostatic discharge (ESD) related arcing, degraded insulators, and other undesirable effects. […]

Map of Pittsfield, Mass.

Space, Fuel Tanks, and Optics: A Look at EMA’s Testing Capabilities

Western Massachusetts has a long history of innovation, with William Stanley’s Electric Manufacturing Company producing the first electric transformer in Pittsfield back in 1891. Today, EMA is continuing that tradition. EMA has developed a series of labs at our Pittsfield offices that can recreate the space environment, measure the impacts of lightning strikes, and more. […]

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