Selection, Construction, Validation and Utilization of An Open Area Test Site for EMI Testing of Automotive Vehicles

The paper discusses the selection, construction, validation and utilization of an Open Area Test Site (OATS) for Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing of automotive vehicles, as per International/National Standards. Selection of Obstruction Free Area (OFA) for tests on automotive vehicles and Electronic Subassemblies (ESA's) of the vehicles as per International Standard CISPR 12, Designing of Conductive Ground Plane (CGP) covering the various critical factors like type of CGP, Procedures for joints, method of protective coating to CGP etc., Earthing system for CGP, Precautions in earthing such as moisturization, chemical salting etc. and Electrical Power Supply System at OATS are explained. Design of earthing configuration and procedures for calibration of OATS as per International Standard ANSI C63.4, 1992 are explained with experimental results. Radiated emission results of a vehicle tested at the site is illustrated to exhibit the usefulness of the test facility established.