Good practice in investigative testing
EMC tests at equipment level

The equipment under test used for investigative testing should be as close as possible to the equipment that will undergo qualification. On-board software can have a significant impact on test results for radiated and conducted emissions, as well as for radiated and conducted susceptibility, and for all temporal tests such as lightning or fast electrical transients.

A typical example is the use of test software for investigations and operating software for qualification tests. A simple gain on an operational amplifier can make an electronic device more sensitive.

The condition of electronic boards will also have an impact on test results. A board with too many wire or mezzanine modifications will behave very differently in EMC testing than the final product incorporating...