How to build a test chamber on the 7th floor

It can be done: building a test chamber on the 7th floor.

“But we could never have done it without the help of our client,” says Marc Le Roy, one of our technical consultants. He gladly tells us the story of his first project for Comtest Engineering. “When I joined the Comtest team, I had almost 20 years of sales experience in the thermal sensors business. One of the reasons I joined Comtest was their project-oriented approach to doing business. Clients need a solution for their testing, and usually, they need it fast because OEMs at that point are approaching the time-to-market stage.”

His colleague Bas de Groot adds: “We started this project in 2022 when our antenna expert in the R&D department, Dmitriy Penkin, developed a design for a PIM measuring chamber for this client. When Marc joined us in February, I thought this would be a great project for him, especially when I told him where the chamber needed to be installed!”

Marc explains: “After Dmitriy finished the design, a few challenges appeared. First was how to bring large telecom antennas in a fully anechoic chamber with the floor covered with absorbers. We placed a rail system to move products and equipment into the room without damaging the absorbers. You must understand that some of the tested products are almost two meters long. Turning from the hallway into the chamber was also challenging.”

But the biggest challenge was the room’s location in the building, explains our senior project manager: “Yes, the seventh floor… Can you imagine moving all the heavy parts of the room into the building via a crane outside and an elevator? Doors, shielded panels, and other parts. But our contact person onsite took care of everything for me; we were a good team. Like all the chambers we installed at Comtest for the past 25 years, it was operational before the deadline ended.”

If you have a challenging workspace and are considering purchasing your own test facility, please contact Marc Le Roy to discuss the possibilities.

Since we do not have a photo of this specific project, we picked one from another.

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Upgrading an EMC chamber with new absorbers on old tiles

Can you upgrade an EMC chamber and keep the old, glued ferrite tiles? “It’s possible”, says Uliana Trucchi, one of our technical consultants. “Say you want to replace your old absorbers because you need to meet performances over 1GHz, and you wish to keep the ferrite tiles because they are glued to the chamber’s walls and ceiling. That is exactly what the people from Nemko in Germany asked us for the chamber upgrade in the photo.”

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.