Problems that can arise in a Working EMC Laboratory, and How Pre-Test Verifications Can Help
Test laboratories, in particular those accredited to quality standards such as ISO 17025, engage in regular checks to ensure that their equipment and test setups are working correctly. Having been established and proven, the test setup may be altered as individual items are replaced or reconfigured, or where equipment is shared and moved around between tests. The possibility of variation creeping into the results arises through the additional wear and tear on connectors and cables, or if the setup is configured incorrectly, right up to the equipment itself being damaged in transit or through misuse.
Equipment in an EMC test laboratory is calibrated at periodic intervals, typically on an annual basis, although the actual intervals may vary. This confirms that the equipment is operating within its published specifications and also, in the case of non-adjustable items such as cables or antennas, gives a set of values or factors that are necessary to correctly interpret the measurements subsequently made using that equipment. Such calibrations are effectively a snapshot of the equipment’s performance, which may degrade over time. The more sophisticated equipment may include self-calibration functions, but these may not be as comprehensive as a full calibration and are unlikely to verify the test system as a whole.
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