Shielding Effectiveness Testing

A range of testing services are on offer to determine the Electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) of both materials and enclosures. 

Many EMC concerns can be helped with knowledge of the shielding effectiveness provided by an enclosure or by sheet materials.

The shielding (or screening) effectiveness of a material depends on a variety of aspects. Often screening enclosures are quoted as providing a screening level equal to the SE of the material that they are constructed from. This is almost always an overstatement of the enclosure performance.

We can provide confident and accurate electromagnetic shielding effectiveness testing results for enclosure shielding from screening wallet sized enclosures using bespoke in-house developed credit card antennas, up to full size screened rooms. Measurements of total screening can be measured as well as providing a measurement of spatial variation; useful for panels, bulkhead connections and seams in larger enclosures.

The specific method used to determine the shielding effectiveness will depend on the frequency range, the expected level of shielding and the required precision.

Various standards are available covering different enclosure types and sizes. Some examples would be IEEE 299 and IEEE 299.1 for enclosures and ASTM D4935 for small planar samples.

We have a large variety of alternative test methods depending on the size, shape and expected screening of your sample.

Electromagnetic shielding effectiveness testing

• The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness testing of Planar Material up to 40 GHz
• Small enclosures test using purpose built Comb Generator Emitters (CGE) up to 40 GHz
• Anechoic Chambers and screened rooms; Shield Attenuation Measurement (and can be combined with a test and measurement health check)
• Non-rigid enclosure testing
• Cable Screen Test; Line Injection Method
• Connector Screen Test; Reverberation Chamber Method
• Unintentional Screening (signal attenuation through materials)
• Low frequency screens and near field measurements

EMI advice and guidance

• Shielding advice, guidance and research
• Electromagnetic (EM) Modelling

Training courses

Our 4-day EMC courses contain shielding effectiveness Training Modules.

Instrumentation

Our Comb Generator Emitters (CGEs) are compact enough to be used within small enclosures to test their effectiveness.

Please contact our York office for more information.