New directive looms large at automotive EMC event

The conference programme for the Automotive EMC 2006 Conference includes four papers on aspects of the new EU Automotive EMC Directive 2004/104/EC.

The conference programme for the Automotive EMC 2006 Conference "Driving the new directive", has been released and includes a broad range of topics covering design, test and standards for the automotive environment as well as four papers on aspects of the new EU Automotive EMC Directive 2004/104/EC.

The conference is divided into four distinct sessions covering design, the new EU directive, testing and lastly other standards.

The first session on design includes a keynote presentation from Etienne Sicard of INSA Toulouse on the design of ICs to meet automotive EMC requirements, this is an area that determines the source and susceptibility points in most electronic systems.

There follows a paper on electronic board level design concentrating on the aspect of the very high immunity challenges the automotive environment requires.

Then a paper on the simulation of harnesses and the consideration required for shielded cabling.

The impact on EMC of the design stages from the IC, to the electronic assembly and into the harness are all to be covered in this opening session.

The second session covers the full spectrum of the recent automotive EMC directive that is due to come into force this year.

The three papers will be covering the component design viewpoint and requirements, the vehicle manufacturers' perspective (from Ford) and the regulators will be providing a question and answer session on the new directive (this is by the UK's Vehicle Certification Agency, VCA).

This will be the last opportunity for engineers and managers in the field to get a detailed background on the new directive and how it will impact design and testing prior to it coming into force of law throughout Europe on 1st July 2006.

There is a break at lunchtime to allow delegates to visit the multiple exhibitions that are running concurrently in the NEC at the same time.

These include NEEDS 2006, Drives and Controls plus many other relevant events that will be of interest to delegates working in the automotive design and test fields.

After lunch the conference focuses on testing with the first paper looking at one of the most difficult transient test pulses to survive - the load dump, excluded from the recent EU directive but present in all vehicle manufacturer test requirements.

A high field radar pulsed test is then presented from the point of view of the equipment supplier and component producer.

Finally the brake cycle testing included for whole vehicles in the recent directive change is also examined, this is new to the EU directive and is different from usual ABS type tests.

The final two papers of the day look at other standards that the automotive electronics designer encounters.

The penultimate paper examines the requirements for designing for fitment to police vehicles in the UK and the PITO5 standard.

The final paper attempts to bring together the plethora of vehicle manufacturer standards and looks for a common set of tests and limit levels that would enable a product to meet the majority of these standards with the minimum of testing.

The conference aim is to bring together design engineers, EMC specialists and test service providers to share information on the latest standards, test methods and design practices for achieving EMC compliance in the automotive environment.

With the introduction this year of the new EU Automotive EMC Directive 2004/104/EC the focus on this standard was always an aim of this year conference, hence the title "Driving the new directive".

The organisers feel the programme suitably addresses the new directive while still catering for the broader topics of design and testing for all automotive requirements.

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