Are you familiar with electromagnetic interference or EMI shielding? Whether you understand the technology or not, it’s integral to the daily function of our everyday lives. Without it, it would seem like nothing works anymore!
Our guide will explain the basics of EMI shielding that you and everyone should know, from what EMI is to the applications for EMI shielding.
What Is Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)?
Before we get into the basics of EMI shielding, we’ll cover the fundamentals of EMI you should know. Also known as radio frequency interference, EMI is unwanted noise, static, or interference in an electrical path or circuit due to an outside force.
There are natural sources of EMI, but the most common one comes from other electronic devices and circuits. Even the smallest electronic devices create magnetic fields with their electrical flow, which can interfere with and cause malfunctions and failures in nearby devices without sufficient protection.
What Is EMI Shielding?
So, how do we stop these electronic devices from interfering with one another? With EMI shielding. EMI shielding creates enclosures with particular materials around circuits and electrical flows that alter, absorb, and reflect EMI so it doesn’t interfere.
EMI shielding alters the path of EMI emitting from an electronic circuit and absorbs and prevents EMI from penetrating and interfering with the electrical flow. EMI shielding ensures that all our electronic devices don’t interfere with one another and function at total capacity.
What Materials Compose EMI Shielding?
EMI shielding can’t be done with any materials—it requires particular metals with specific properties to adequately absorb, reflect, and alter EMI. The most common metals used in EMI shielding include:
- Copper alloy 770 / nickel silver
- Copper
- Aluminum
- Carbon steel alloys (mu-metal, permalloy, supermalloy)
What Are Examples of EMI Shielding?
In our modern world so dependent on technology, EMI shielding is all around us and is essential to our daily lives, even if we don’t realize it. Perhaps the most common form of EMI shielding that most people come into contact with every day is in our cell phones.
EMI shielding protects our cell phones to prevent EMI from interrupting connections and calls. Without it, our calls would always drop, and a strong connection would be hard to come by. Other industries that require EMI shielding include:
- Healthcare
- Military
- Consumer electronics
- Aerospace
- Automotive
As you can see, EMI shielding is vital to so much of our lives, from the phones in our pockets to the cars we drive every day!
