EMI Shielding Products
- Custom Gasket Fabrication
- Connector Gaskets
- Bonded O Ring
- Custom Gaskets
- Conduct-O-Knit Knitted Wire Mesh
- Conduct-O-Seal Combo Gasket
- Conduct-O-Elastomer
- Conduct-O-Seal Oriented Wire in Silicone Gasket Material
- Conduct-O-Mesh Tape
- Conduct-O-Foam
- Conduct-O-Bond
- Optical Filters For Electronic Displays
- Shielded Vent Panels
- ESC Board Level Shielding
- 300 Series
What is the Difference Between Narrow-band and Broadband Electromagnetic Interference?
If you have ever listened to the radio and heard it get crackly, you have experienced Electromagnetic interference. This common phenomenon is often triggered when a person's cell phone goes off either in the room or in the surrounding vicinity. A smartphone signal can interrupt radio signals. In essence, radios search for signals, temporarily grabbing other signals that interfere with them. EMI occurs when one electrical source disrupts another source's signal in a more general sense. Engineers that deal with EMI often frequently must deal with radio frequency interference or RFI. EMI and RFI shielding are great tools for protecting modern electronic devices.
EMI occurs naturally, but it is often not a significant factor for engineers to consider. Human-made EMI and RFI are a more substantial threat than naturally occurring variance. More critical for engineers to understand than natural versus human EMI is the type of EMI that the device will frequently experience. Two kinds of EMI exist in the world:
Narrow-band EMI - This type affects communication devices mainly, including radios, televisions, and smartphones. This type of EMI happens over a discrete frequency. It causes signals to cross, which in turn causes the device to malfunction. Narrow-band EMI is typically considered annoying and an inconvenience because it often happens to consumer products. It is a short disruption that does not cause permanent harm to a system.
Broadband EMI is a more pervasive and prevalent type of EMI that occurs over broad spectrums. It can do this because it occupies a large part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is the type of EMI that engineers and users must worry about because it can cause permanent damage to devices.
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