EMC Training

It’s sometimes assumed that technical personnel know all that is needed to know about the company' s products without any formal induction or guidance; they learn on the job and if they make mistakes, well, as long as they are corrected no harm is done.

This attitude seems to prevail with respect to the straightforward functions, operation and assembly of the products. It’s even more prevalent when it comes to EMC, despite the fact that many if not most of a company's technical staff will have had little or no background or experience in EMC problems and how to deal with them.

On the shop floor and at installation traditional assembly methods must adapt to take account of good EMC practice. This may well require a change in thinking for some staff, particularly those whose attitude is "we've been doing it this way for years, we know best", or "can't see this making any difference". The rest of this guide discusses such developments in practice.

Training and awareness check list

The most cost effective way of bringing this knowledge in-house is by providing suitable training courses for critical personnel. The following is a suggested guide to structure a company-wide EMC awareness and training program. It takes typical modules from course providers and applies them as necessary for each job function.

1. Project managers

Modules: Introduction to EMC

++ Application of the EMC Directive

++ EMC control planning

++ Overview of design and installation factors affecting EMC

2 System designers, installation and commissioning engineers

Modules: Introduction to EMC

Interference fundamentals and coupling mechanisms

++ Earthing and bonding

++ Cable layout and termination

++ Shielding techniques

++ Segregation of equipment

++ Filtering and surge protection

3. Modules:

4. Procurement and quality control

Modules: Introduction to EMC

Overview of installation factors affecting EMC

Use of standards for specifying EMC of parts

Assessing suppliers' evidence of compliance EMC change control Installation and assembly technicians, maintenance and field service engineers Introduction to EMC

++ Overview of installation factors affecting EMC

++ In-house EMC-specific installation practices

++ Controlling the EMC effect of modifications

5. Sales and marketing management and personnel

Modules: Introduction to EMC

++ Application of the EMC Directive

++ The marketing benefits of following a correct approach to EMC

++ Assessing the customer's electromagnetic environment and the permissible functional degradation allowed during disturbance events

++ Marketing and selling products only into the environments, and for the intended use, where they will be EMC compliant

6. General and financial management

Modules: Introduction to EMC

Application of the EMC Directive

The financial benefits of following a correct approach to EMC

7. Documentation and manual writers

Modules: Introduction to EMC

++ Application of the EMC Directive

++ Creating technical documentation that section due diligence in EMC compliance

++ Informing the user of limitations to use and installation methods

Next: Electromagnetic-environment: Phenomena

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