Dear All, Many thanks for your collective help with this question. I attach my final text below in case others on the list have a use for it.
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) In 1967 off the coast of Vietnam, a jet landing on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Forrestal was briefly illuminated by carrier-based radar. This is quite a normal event, however the energy from the radar caused a stray electrical signal to be sent to the jet weapon systems. The result was an uncommanded release of munitions that struck a fully armed and fuelled fighter on deck. The subsequent explosions killed 134 sailors and caused severe damage to the carrier and aircraft. This article briefly describes the problems caused by Electromagnetic Interference, what must be done to control it, and the relevance it has to our work. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) is caused by equipment that emits radio frequency energy, either deliberately or as a by-product. If this energy gets into nearby equipment it can degrade or even prevent its normal operation. This is an important factor in hardware design. Products cannot be allowed to accidentally cause an aircraft's landing gear to retract, or crash a nearby life-support machine for example. Just as importantly, equipment must continue to work reliably when stray energy is present, shrugging off interference from nearby "noisy" devices (such as the U.S.S. Forrestal's radar system). Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) is the science of non-interference. If two pieces of equipment can operate in the same environment without the loss of function or performance in either, they are said to be (mutually) Electromagnetically Compatible. To ensure this compatibility for our systems, equipment must be designed to control its susceptibility to, and its emission of, electromagnetic interference. This can only be achieved through an engineering planned process applied over the whole product lifecycle. Careful consideration of design, procurement, production, site selection, installation, operation, and maintenance is required. ... Best regards, Richard King Systems Engineer Thales Communications UK, > -----Original Message----- > From: King, Richard [SMTP:[email protected]] > Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 11:07 AM > To: '[email protected]' > Subject: Help wanted with succinct subject description for > non-specialists > > > Dear all, > > I am working on an article about EMC for an internal newsletter. The aim > is > to increase awareness of the EMC related projects on which my colleagues > and > I are currently engaged. The target audience is largely composed of > engineers specialising in other subject areas (software, systems and > hardware), managers and support staff. > > To put the piece in context I would like to succinctly describe what EMC > is > in an opening couple of paragraphs. However I am struggling to do so in > language that is easy to read and not full of techno-jargon. > > My questions to the list are: What are your experiences of producing > similar > material? How well was it received and what is your advice for people > producing similar text? Are there any examples of good summaries > available, > on the web or elsewhere, that people in my position can draw upon for > inspiration? > > My current draft is copied after my signature. Comments or alterations, > either by direct e-mail or to the list, will be gratefully received. > > Thanks in advance, > > > Richard King > Systems Engineer > Thales Communications UK. > > ==== Begin Draft Subject Description ===== > > EMC is two things: > > - The resistance of a piece of equipment to external Electromagnetic > Interference (EMI) > - The control of a piece of equipment's production of EMI. > > If two pieces of equipment can operate in the same Electromagnetic > Environment (EME) without degradation in the performance or function of > either, they are said to be mutually Electromagnetically Compatible. > > To ensure Compatibility it is necessary to carefully design equipment such > that both its susceptibility to, and its emission of EMI is controlled. > Standards exist that define limits for both these aspects. Examples you > may > have heard of are the European EMC Directive, which is mandatory for all > electrical hardware sold in the European Union; and the Defence Standard > DEF-STAN 59-41, which many of our contracts refer to. > > In addition to the distinction between emissions and susceptibility, EMI > can > be further classified as either conducted or radiated. The former is > energy > transferred via wires or other conductors; and the latter refers to > electromagnetic waves propagating through free space. > > EMC is a necessary consideration for projects that deliver hardware. > Furthermore, many of the requirements for EMC are common between projects. > This commonality can be exploited to increase efficiency for individual > projects and across sites. > > ==== End Draft Subject Description ===== > Thales Defence (Wells) DISCLAIMER: The information in this message is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. 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