Pre-compliant or full-compliant?

In this post, we explain why purchasing a test chamber that is not fully compliant can be very interesting. “It can save money and space,” says our technical advisor, Marc Le Roy. He explains how we helped the KU Leuven Brugge with an efficient and affordable solution.

Marc: “There is a difference between relevant and acceptable measurements. Take CISPR16-1-4, for example; to be fully compliant, you must have a chamber at least 5,5 meters high to perform a 4-meter height scan. Some of our clients do not have that height available; the additional information from the height scan is limited. In those cases, a pre-compliant chamber is almost just as effective because it still helps them test during the development stage of a product and be well-prepared for that final full-compliance test at an accredited test house. With your own chamber, you can considerably reduce the time-to-market. Imagine being able to test whatever you want, whenever you want—no more delays or travelling to external parties. Owning an in-house test chamber lets you control every aspect of testing. Especially for OEMs, this pre-compliant solution is attractive.”

Klaas Pluvier from the KU Leuven Brugge: ”Our pre-compliant lab in Brugge is a place where companies can perform tests during the development stage of products, such as computer peripherals, everyday mass-market electronics, and household appliances. The benefit for companies in this stage is that we are non-accredited as a test lab, so we are allowed to think with the client when a test does not meet the pass and fail criteria of the EMC standard and advise them, something accredited test houses are not allowed to do.”

Are you an OEM and want to invest in a pre-compliance chamber to shorten your time to market? Contact our technical consultant, Marc Le Roy.

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Big doors, a big challenge for packaging and transportation

How does a 4.2×4-meter door fit in the box in the photo? “It’s not only a challenge for packaging but also transportation,” explains Arjan Nederstigt. His colleagues Ron Ligtvoet, Ferruh Saribas, and Miguel Gobardhan join him in ensuring that all purchases are sent safely and soundly to our clients. One of the things that sets us apart from other manufacturers is that our doors are shipped in one piece after being thoroughly tested in our workshop so our team can install the doors fast and worry-free anywhere in the world. The challenge that comes with shipping completely assembled doors is their size.”

An eye for perfection

According to our welding specialist Sebastiaan Koopmans, finishing an RF-shielded door requires special skills: “A regular household door fits into a wooden or metal frame. The ‘knives’ on our doors need to fit exactly into the copper ‘fingers’ of the door frame after welding the parts together. Therefore, they must be sharp but not too sharp to wear the copper fingers. Just like a good kitchen knife. I test the welding edges of the door knives manually but safely: when they feel smooth enough, they get my green light.”

Our services include maintenance and validated testing. We recommend that both are executed by authorized personnel only. Our expert teams can perform preventive maintenance on RF-shielded doors, mode-stirrer systems, and positioning equipment such as turntables. We also offer validation services to see if your EMC test chamber or RF-shielded room still functions within its intended limits and avoiding unexpected down-time or product recalls at the same time.

Our services include maintenance and validated testing. We recommend that both are executed by authorized personnel only. Our expert teams can perform preventive maintenance on RF-shielded doors, mode-stirrer systems, and positioning equipment such as turntables. We also offer validation services to see if your EMC test chamber or RF-shielded room still functions within its intended limits and avoiding unexpected down-time or product recalls at the same time.

A shielded room can perform conducted emission and immunity EMC measurements, eliminating harmful external influences, leading to more accurate and consistent test results. Being a Faraday cage, a shielded room will not only improve test results but will also form an excellent aid in protecting information and essential hardware. Comtest can assist governments, the military, financial institutions, and large corporations in protecting what matters most in critical situations. We offer the highest quality, sensitivity, and security before, during and after working with you.

A shielded room can perform conducted emission and immunity EMC measurements, eliminating harmful external influences, leading to more accurate and consistent test results. Being a Faraday cage, a shielded room will not only improve test results but will also form an excellent aid in protecting information and essential hardware. Comtest can assist governments, the military, financial institutions, and large corporations in protecting what matters most in critical situations. We offer the highest quality, sensitivity, and security before, during and after working with you.

Comtest has been building high-quality antenna test ranges for more than 20 years. We are dedicated to putting our experience to work for you, turning any problem you might have into a customized test solution. As for researching and developing your products, we know speed and return on investment are very important. That’s why we ensure your project is delivered on schedule, on budget and exactly as ordered.

Comtest has been building high-quality antenna test ranges for more than 20 years. We are dedicated to putting our experience to work for you, turning any problem you might have into a customized test solution. As for researching and developing your products, we know speed and return on investment are very important. That’s why we ensure your project is delivered on schedule, on budget and exactly as ordered.

Comtest offers semi and full anechoic chambers that shield almost 100% of ambient emissions and reflect minimal internal radiation. We deliver or build your custom test chamber at your location, depending on what size chamber you need. If you tell us your challenges, we’ll offer a tailored turnkey solution from design to installation, including upgrades and yearly certifications.

We are committed to helping you achieve the best EMC testing possible. 

Comtest offers semi and full anechoic chambers that shield almost 100% of ambient emissions and reflect minimal internal radiation. We deliver or build your custom test chamber at your location, depending on what size chamber you need. If you tell us your challenges, we’ll offer a tailored turnkey solution from design to installation, including upgrades and yearly certifications.

We are committed to helping you achieve the best EMC testing possible.