If you’re in the process of designing or manufacturing an electronic device, you’re likely familiar with the importance of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
Electromagnetic compatibility refers to your device’s ability to function in its environment without being affected by electromagnetic interference (EMI) from other devices, or causing interference that affects nearby devices via radiated emissions and/or conducted emissions.
Completing EMC testing is a key step towards obtaining FCC certification, CE certification and a range of other important compliance marks and regulatory standards.
Radiated Susceptibility and Regulatory Compliance
A major part of the EMC testing process is testing your device’s radiated susceptibility, or its risk of being affected by radiated emissions from other devices. Your device will need to display that it meets all relevant performance requirements for radiated immunity to pass testing.
If your device fails radiated susceptibility testing, you’ll likely need to make changes to its design to comply with certain EMC regulations, such as IEC 61000-4-3.
As an ANSI-accredited testing lab and FCC-recognized Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB), we can complete radiated susceptibility testing for your device and assist you to receive FCC, CE, ISED and other regulatory certification marks.
Contact us online to ask our engineers a question or request a quote for your device, or call us at 866-540-5287 to talk to our team now.
You can also continue reading below to find out more about what radiated susceptibility is, how testing for radiated susceptibility works, and minimum performance requirements for FCC Part 15 and other common regulatory standards.
What is Radiated Susceptibility?
Radiated susceptibility refers to a device’s degree of sensitivity to any external electromagnetic energy that affects its performance. This term refers only to radiated energy — waves that other devices transmit through the air.
If a device has a high level of radiated susceptibility, it means it is very likely to be affected in an environment with significant levels of radiated emissions.
Radiated emissions are electromagnetic waves that travel out from other devices. These waves can interfere with certain components inside other electronic devices, causing sudden changes in functioning that are referred to as electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Under regulations such as FCC Part 15, devices must meet certain performance requirements for electromagnetic compatibility to receive FCC certification and enter the market.
How Does Radiated Susceptibility Testing Work?
Radiated susceptibility testing involves measuring the amount of radiated interference needed to affect your device’s functioning. The type of testing is performed by exposing your device to an external source of electromagnetic energy and assessing its performance.
Although this testing measures radiated susceptibility, it’s also referred to as an “ immunity” test, as the same testing procedure measures your device’s immunity to electromagnetic energy.
During radiated susceptibility testing, your device will be placed inside an anechoic chamber — an indoor, controlled environment that’s shielded from external electromagnetic waves.
Your device, referred to as the Device Under Test (DUT), is directly exposed to electromagnetic radiation within several frequency ranges. Its performance is monitored to determine how able it is to continue functioning while subjected to radiated electromagnetic emissions.
If your device continues to operate unaffected while exposed to radiated emissions, the device is considered immune (very low susceptibility) to radiated EMI.
Several standards exist to measure radiated susceptibility, such as IEC 61000-4-3. Immunity or susceptibility testing is typically required for compliance with several EMC regulations within the United States, European Union, and other markets.
Our guide to RF immunity testing provides more information about common standards required for electronic devices.
Contact Us About EMC Testing & FCC Compliance
Completing electromagnetic compatibility testing is a critical step in achieving FCC certification, as well as other important compliance marks. Radiated susceptibility is one of several tests that you can anticipate during the process.
As an accredited electronics testing laboratory, we can test your electronic device and help you to achieve compliance with FCC Part 15, CE regulations, and more.
To ask our engineers a question, or to request a testing or certification quote for your electronic device, contact us online or call us at 866-540-5287.
