Chapter Meeting and Presentation from Dr. Bruce Archambeault

EMC and Electromagnetics for the Working Engineer

Electromagnetics theory is surrounded by mystery and magic. Mostly because the mathematics needed to solve Maxwell’s equations are messy enough that most of us avoid them at all costs! EMI/EMC is even worse, and often considered voodoo magic!This presentation is intended to remove the mystery behind EMI/EMC and electromagnetics by explaining things in everyday terms, and without the mathematics. Some of the basic symbols used in mathematics, such as integration, derivatives, and weird vector symbols are explained. Then using these simple explanations, Faraday and Maxwell’s contribution to electromagnetics is explained.

These concepts are not just university-only-interest, they have real world application in the design of electronic equipment both for EMI/EMC control as well as high speed signal quality issues. Faraday’s law is an introduction to inductance, and this presentation will examine inductance and it’s impact on printed circuit board (PCB) design, the concept of “ground”, and return current flow in typical printed circuit board stackups. Various typical mistakes during PCB design that greatly impact the EMI/EMC performance will be demonstrated during this discussion. Simple design approaches that do not increase the cost of the PCB are explained.

Speaker:
Dr. Bruce Archambeault; IEEE, IBM, MST, IEEE Fellow, IBM Distinguished Engineer Emeritus, Adjunct Professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology

Chapter:
Boston Chapter

June 22, 2022, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM EDT