Bringing a new electrical product to market means more than great design, it means proving that product works reliably in the real world. That’s why we’ve made a significant investment in our own in-house Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) test facility at our Head Office, giving our engineering team the tools and knowledge to design and certify products to the highest standards.
What is EMC and why does it matter?
Every electrical product on the market must meet strict EMC regulations before it can be sold. EMC (ElectroMagnetic Compatibility) ensures that products function correctly in the environments they’re intended to be used in, covering the full range of radio frequencies, whether travelling through the air or conducted along cables.
There are two sides to EMC compliance:
A product must not emit radio waves or generate radio frequency noise along cables, such as a mains supply lead, that could interfere with other electrical products nearby.
A product must continue to operate as intended in the presence of EMC transmissions in its environment. Mobile phone signals, television broadcasts and Bluetooth transmissions are all around us; a compliant product must be unaffected by them.
Meeting EMC requirements isn’t optional, it’s a legal and performance requirement backed by internationally recognised standards.
Our Facility
The centrepiece of our EMC capability is a purpose-built screened room measuring 7m x 3m x 3m. This fully enclosed metal room is lined with radio wave absorbing material, creating a shielded environment that prevents radio transmissions from entering or leaving. Inside, engineers work in a radio frequency-free space — ideal for both emissions measurement and immunity testing.
For emissions testing, the screened room allows us to measure exactly what a product is radiating, with no external interference to distort the results. For immunity testing, we can deliberately generate high-level radio waves inside the room and subject products to controlled, worst-case conditions to verify their robustness.
Alongside the screened room, we have invested in a comprehensive suite of test equipment including artificial networks, specialist antennas, and a high-performance radio receiver. Our measurement capability spans 9 kHz to 6 GHz — a range that covers everything from mains power supply noise through to long wave, medium wave and FM radio, television, mobile phone signals and Bluetooth.
We are also equipped for mains supply immunity testing, enabling us to simulate worst-case voltage spikes and transients on the mains supply and verify that products continue to operate correctly under those conditions.
The Benefits for Our Customers
Having this capability in-house has transformed the way we develop products. Our engineers have built deep, practical knowledge of EMC principles, which feeds directly into the design process from day one. The result is faster development cycles, fewer design iterations, and a significantly higher rate of new designs passing EMC requirements first time.
For our customers, this means products that are designed right, certified with confidence, and ready for the real world.
