Products that are to be used in the European Community must comply with a number of relevant directives and standards that are intended to ensure they are safe to use and perform satisfactorily in their intended operating environment.
In this module we shall be concerned with the design of electronic based products and we shall focus on the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC).
The module is concerned with design and each of the units listed in the table of contents will be covered using typical design requirements for typical electronic based products. Where possible, these design examples will be supported by online simulations.
It is essential that you read this overview carefully- it will help you plan your studies and, importantly, provide you with guidance in carrying out the assignments.
| Study Week | Units | Unit Description | Exercises | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | LVD Introduction | Accessing EU Standards on Line | |
| 2 | Design for LVD | |||
| 2 | 2 | Design for LVD | Introduction to Multisim | |
| 3 | 3 | EMC Introduction |
|
|
| 4 | Surges | Surges: simulations | ||
| 4 | 5 | Harmonics | Harmonics: simulations | Start Ass 1 |
| 5 | 6 | Voltage Dips | Voltage Dips: simulations | |
| 6 | 7 | Line Conducted Emissions | Conducted emissions: simulations | Submit Ass1 |
| 7 | 8 | Fast Transients | Fast Transients: simulations | Start Ass 2 |
| 8 | 9 | EM Radiation | ||
| 9 | 10 | EM Radiation & PCB Design | EM Radiation: simulations | |
| 10 | 11 | Electrostatic Discharges | ||
| 11 | 12 | Module Summary | ||
| 12 | Continue Ass 2 | Submit Ass 2 |
The module consists of 12 units that cover the main standards associated with EMC and LVD, particularly in Small to Medium Sized Enterprises. The emphasis is on design and, where appropriate, specific EMC/LVD design examples are undertaken for a fictitious product, Product X1.
ProductX1 is an instrumentation product used to monitor relatively slowly varying engineering quantities such temperature, pressure and flow, etc. Product X1 uses a switched mode power supply (SMPS): this has been included because SMPS present real problems to electronic designers for both LVD and EMC.
Where necessary, the theory necessary for designing particular electronic circuits has been covered, but only to a level sufficient to allow EMC and LVD design techniques to be implemented.
A typical unit structure is:
Design principles are stressed, which on completion of the module, you should be able to apply to a wide range of problems and products. You will also be able to interpret EMC and LVD standards and be competent in performing circuit simulations using multisim.
The relationship between marketing and EMC compliance is stressed, as is the importance of including EMC design at the start of the development cycle- compliance is not just a technical exercise that is added on to product design at the end.
Assessment is by two assignments- see the study plan.
There are two assignments for this module and details can be found on each by clicking on their links in the module table of contents.
It is important that you start the assignments early, as indicated in the suggested study plan.
If you do not complete the walkthroughs and design examples week by week and leave the assignments to the last minute you are unlikely to be able to complete them.
The assignments must be referenced, details of which are included in the assignment descriptors. It is important to realise that internal references are required, that is material used from the module material should be referenced in the assignments.
If you study the modules on a regular basis, complete the walkthroughs and design exercises, take brief notes and also note references, both internal and external, you should be able to complete the assignments satisfactorily.
Although we have suggested that you study the units in sequence, it is sensible to start your studies by checking over all the modules briefly and the assignments- in other words have an initial look around. Be prepared to revisit units in the module and in some instances, units in other other modules.
| Title | Author | ISBN | Publisher | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMC for Product Designers | Williams T | 0750649305 | Newness | 4th Edition 2007 |
| EMC for Printed Circuit Boards | Armstrong K | 9780955511806 | Nutwood UK | 1st Edition 2007 |
| Electromagnetics with Applications | Kraus/Fleisch | 0071164294 | WCB McGraw-Hill | 5th Edition 1999 |
It is not necessary to purchase any books in order to study this module. However, it is usually beneficial to get different points of view and different treatments of material. In addition, the books often contain more information than is included in the module. The books listed above are briefly summarised below.
This book is an acknowledged reference for EMC at a professional level and covers directives, standards and technical issues.
This is a book for electronic and PCB engineers who need to employ good EMC and Signal Integrity practices to save both time and money when designing with the latest technologies, to make reliable and compliant products. The book provides well illustrated examples of PCB layouts in colour supported by concise and informative descriptions of design techniques.
This book covers the whole of electromagnetism comprehensively and provides concise applications which are interesting and relevant to both engineering and science.
The above books are available from the university library - we strongly recommend that you obtain a library copy before purchasing any of them. Some of the books are expensive and may be more suitable for purchase by your company, for use in your development department.
Updated 13.02.08 RJH
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