ANSI C63 Announces New EMC Antenna Calibration Standard

ANSI C63.5-2017 Standard Includes Significant Revisions since Last Publication in 2006

CEDAR PARK, Texas, June 5, 2017 The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C63 Committee (on EMC) announced the recent publication of ANSI C63.5-2017 on May 8, 2017. The standard, titled American National Standard for Electromagnetic Compatibility Radiated Emission Measurements in Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Control Calibration of Antennas (9 kHz to 40 GHz), was last published in 2006. Significant updates include clarification of methods for measurement of antenna symmetry and balance. New content was added on the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) of hybrid antennas, such as the ETS-Lindgren antenna Model 3142E, that was previously addressed in Annex N of C63.4-2014. All loop antennas from the IEEE Standard 291-1991 are now included in ANSI C63.5-2017; this is significant as the IEEE Standard 291 had been repealed. The new ANSI C63.5-2017 standard also includes a corrected equation for the Equivalent Capacitance Substitution Method (ECSM) to harmonize with the equations included in the current edition of CISPR 16-1-6.

The ANSI C63.5 working group spent several years on updating the standard to reflect current practice in industry for EMC antenna calibration as well as incorporating the latest technical advances in EMC antenna design. Due to the significance of this standard to industry and the ongoing rapid changes in EMC antenna design and usage, a new working group has recently been formed to address a future publication of ANSI C63.5. Chaired by Doug Kramer, Manager Lab Services with ETS-Lindgren, this future publication will address measurement uncertainty and clarify issues related to antenna calibration test sites. Most importantly, the future publication will refine the antenna calibration process to include different antenna loop diameters and sizes in addition to antenna types (beyond electrically shielded loops) required for measurements below 30 MHz on devices such as those used in wireless power transfer.

As an A2LA-accredited Lab for EMC antenna calibrations, being involved in the work of the ANSI C63 committee allows ETS-Lindgren to stay current with the latest industry standards and share our best practices not only with antenna calibration, but with antenna design, said Mr. Kramer. As a leading manufacturer of antennas, ETS-Lindgren is unique in knowing current and future requirements as well as applications for EMC antennas. Our customers are key to telling us the measurement performance they need now - and in the future, he added.

To learn more about ETS-Lindgrens antenna calibration and repair services, visit ets-lindgren.com/calibration. To learn more about the new ANSI C63.5-2017 standard, attend the ANSI Workshop on August 5, 2017 held immediately prior to the 2017 IEEE International Symposium on EMC and Signal/Power Integrity in Washington, DC. For more workshop information and to register, click here. Further information on ANSI C63 standards may be found at www.c63.org. Information on ETS-Lindgrens EMC antennas is available at ets-lindgren.com/EMCAntennas. For custom EMC antenna designs or specialized EMC antenna calibration and/or repair services, please send an email to info@ets-lindgren.com or call +1 512.531.6400.

About ETS-Lindgren

ETS-Lindgren is an international manufacturer of components and systems that measure, shield, and control electromagnetic and acoustic energy. The company's products are used for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), microwave and wireless testing, electromagnetic field (EMF) measurement, radio frequency (RF) personal safety monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and control of acoustic environments.

Headquartered in Cedar Park, Texas, ETS-Lindgren has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of ESCO Technologies, a leading supplier of engineered products for growing industrial and commercial markets. ESCO is a New York Stock Exchange listed company (symbol ESE) with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Additional information about ETS-Lindgren is available at www.ets-lindgren.com. Additional information about ESCO and its subsidiaries is available at www.escotechnologies.com.