When is it time to acquire a FAC instead of a SAC?

When is it time to acquire a full anechoic chamber (FAC) instead of a semi-anechoic chamber (SAC)? After delivering 21 chambers and upgrades for the leading French test house, Groupe Emitech, we approached their Group Director of Purchasing and former Deputy Technical Director, Julien Joly, with this question.

Julien Joly: “A few weeks ago, Comtest completed two new FAC3 chambers for our test house in the north of the city of Angers. We have a growing demand for tabletop product testing, and a FAC chamber makes testing much faster. Moreover, we have an increasing need to perform ETSI measurements; for those, the FAC is ideal. In the new situation, we do not always have to change the setup (floor absorbers), like moving from chamber to chamber and changing setup equipment. Working faster makes our professional lives easier and the work more efficient: we can do more tests in a day in the new setup.
We serve more than 850 companies in France, with our 57 chambers in eight locations. Almost half of them were designed and built by Comtest over the past nine years, so we work together very well.”

Uliana Trucchi, our senior technical consultant, has been our contact for Emitech since the beginning. She recalls an anecdote about the smooth way of working with Emitech. Uliana: “The level of knowledge is very high at Emitech, so the projects are well-prepared and specified by them before they get to us. After a few years, we started calling this smooth way of cooperating ‘working à la Emitech’. We try to make their lives easier, and they surely make working with them quite smooth for me.”

Do you need help determining if a full-anechoic chamber (FAC) is the right solution for you? Contact Uliana Trucchi for advice, or visit the dedicated EMC page on our website for more information about our EMC solutions, such as FAC, SAC, Reverberation and Shielded Room testing via the comments.

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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.