“'EMC/EMI (Electro Magnetic Compatibility/Electro Magnetic Interference)' is an eternal homework for those who design circuits. EMC/EMI is a process that circuit designers must go through and overcome, and when designing circuits and systems, they must have experience and know-how in solving EMC/EMI problems and design the system and circuit. This is especially important when designing patterns. However, this problem-solving ability cannot be achieved in a short period of time and can only be achieved through long-term practical experience. “In addition, government support for educational institutions is urgently needed to train circuit and system experts based on EMC/EMI from college level.”


Professor Cho Seong-jae of Shinhan University, who was recently interviewed by our magazine, emphasized the importance of education by specialized institutions, saying that in order to solve EMC/EMI, which is a common problem for circuit designers, it is necessary to encounter and solve various problems for a long time, and that when senior engineers with various experiences and know-how in solving these problems continuously educate and spread the knowledge to junior engineers, the capabilities of domestic engineers can be improved.

Professor Cho Sung-jae mentioned EMC/EMI in automobiles, which has recently become an issue. He said that in the case of automobiles, both conventional internal combustion engine vehicles and recently rapidly emerging electric vehicles, transient fast response (EFT or burst) or surge, radiated noise, and conductive noise such as internal and external shock waves can occur, and that electrical components and circuits can fail due to various factors such as power instability caused by sudden peak currents and noise caused by PCB patterns.

However, in order to identify the cause of failure of these electrical components, various cases and a lot of time must be invested. However, in the case of automobiles, the occurrence of failures is extremely rare, occurring in one out of tens of thousands or one out of several thousand units, making it very difficult to track them down. So, he said, it is necessary to design the circuit by considering all possible countermeasures in advance as a preventive measure.

In particular, various electronic devices are installed not only in automobiles but also in industrial sites and the defense field. In particular, in the case of tanks or self-propelled guns, a very strong shock wave is generated when the gun is fired. In such extreme situations, not only the installed CPU but also the circuits of the board and the installed devices may be damaged. Therefore, EMC/EMI countermeasures that can withstand this must be considered, and in particular, comprehensive measures that consider even circuit damage due to vibration of the board or device are necessary.

He said that the solutions for this include: △stable circuit design, △noise removal through PCB patterns, △blocking wired and wireless noise, △solving power instability factors, △blocking communication errors, △measures against surges and EFT, △grounding of the equipment case, △special cables, and △insulating materials.

Furthermore, in the case of recent powertrain components, there is an indescribable mix of various wavelengths, such as high-voltage electric vehicles, incredibly fast transmission speeds due to autonomous driving, communication between components, and communication between automobiles and the outside world. Therefore, in addition to preparing for this and having strong components, it is urgent to foster experts who have the experience and knowledge to consider all of these situations.

Professor Cho Seong-jae said, “In Korea, PCB circuit design is often left to PCB companies, but I believe this is not the right direction for circuit design. In fact, a circuit designer needs to have a feel for how to design a PCB and design it, but in Korea, pattern education is still limited to just connecting wires with a circuit diagram, and the techniques for pattern design are also lacking,” he said. “It is difficult for students to understand that such practical things are taught professionally at universities, so education for seniors or experienced engineers is urgently needed,” he said.

He also argued that “competition among countries in industrial protection and electronic components is expected to intensify in the future, so the government should be aware of circuit design and EMC/EMI issues and invest in nurturing talent through investment in grants, equipment, and expanded faculty at universities and labs.”