The path to electrification is paved with questions. Which battery chemistry aligns with operational needs? Where will charging infrastructure be deployed? And—perhaps most critically—what design factors may have gone overlooked?
Among these challenges, one proves especially subtle: electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Unlike a mechanical failure, EMI is invisible. However, it’s just as capable of undermining system integrity, emitting frequencies that risk disrupting critical component operations and communications. On-board chargers are especially at risk, operating at high frequencies and in close proximity to sensitive systems.
To ensure both safety and regulatory compliance, OEMs must educate themselves on the nature of this invisible threat, taking proactive steps to develop secure, electromagnetically compatible systems.
Identifying the Danger: A Deep Dive into EMI and EMC
Though often discussed in the same context, the terms EMI and EMC represent two opposing categories of electromagnetism:
- Electromagnetic interference (EMI) refers to the unintentional emission of electromagnetic energy from a device. These emissions can disrupt nearby electronics, control systems, and communication lines, such as a vehicle’s telematics or motor controllers.
- Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is the system’s operability in complex electromagnetic environments. More specifically, it defines a system capable of standard functions without emitting (or falling victim to) the silent danger of EMI.
Put simply, EMI is the problem; EMC is the engineering approach to solve that problem. And since EMI works both ways, achieving full EMC requires designing an on-board charger that both limits emissions and is itself protected from external EMI.
Risks of Unchecked EMI
Perhaps the biggest danger of EMI lies in its “silent” nature. While direct component damage is rarely an issue, system corruption and faults certainly are. This includes:
- Disabled components and subsystems
- Software malfunctions, such as system crashes or faulty data
- Radio reception interference
- Spikes in line voltage
Most notably, it’s almost impossible to trace these disruptions back to their source. Though EMI may cause these and other malfunctions, the “symptoms” mimic those of component damage, system glitches, and other general failures.
In other words, without the right safeguards, EMI may well be sabotaging operations without OEMs or operators ever knowing it.
Common Sources of EMI in On-Board Charging Systems
On-board chargers act as switched-mode power supplies, inherently producing EMI as part of their normal operation. Some aspects of the charger’s circuitry responsible for EMI emissions include:
- High-speed switching devices used in power electronics
- Magnetic components, such as inductors and transformers
- Unshielded or poorly maintained cabling and auxiliary electronics
Though the advantages of on-board chargers almost certainly outweigh these challenges, they nonetheless demand close scrutiny—particularly when OEMs seek to source from external suppliers.
Mitigating the Danger: Design Techniques to Minimize EMI
Fortunately, OEMs and machine design engineers armed with intentional design strategies can combat the EMI threat. This comes down to three primary strategies: Suppress, filter, and shield.
- Suppressing EMI – As with any industrial safety threat, the first goal is to remove the danger entirely. Rather than remove the charger or similar components, this involves deliberate design choices to generate as little interference as possible. This may include leveraging printed circuit boards (PCBs) instead of cabling for wiring harnesses, minimizing noise that occurs as cables shift position. Verifying that all sourced components comply with relevant EMC regulatory standards further ensures unnecessary EMI is kept to a minimum.
- Filtering EMI – Regardless of design, some EMI will always be present, requiring filters as a means to “clean up” interference before it can pollute external systems. Such filters may be passive, a combination of inductors and capacitors tuned to block unwanted frequencies. Or they may be more proactive, such as strategically placing a ferrite bead along the path of a sensitive sensor to protect it from residual noise—or at the source of that noise to halt it entirely.
- Shielding EMI – Electromagnetic fields can be physically blocked with the proper materials. Cables are a prime example, often wrapped in grounded metal shielding that prevents essential communication lines from picking up (or emitting) EMI. Die-cast walls, metal sheets, stampings, foils, and even strategically positioned PCBs may also act as shielding to isolate high-frequency components and contain possible emissions.
Ensuring Compliance With EMC Testing and Standards
To prove that charging systems underwent best design practices in mitigating EMI emissions, certain testing procedures and accompanying certifications exist.
Key regulations include:
These standards provide a mark of authenticity against the otherwise invisible threat of EMI.
However, as previously noted, the ideal solution is to source off-the-shelf components designed with stringent EMC principles in mind from the very beginning.
ZIVAN’s CT3.3: An EMC-Centric Charging Solution
To assist OEMs in accelerating electrification projects and time-to-market, ZIVAN’s CT3.3 high-frequency charger is engineered with EMC as a core focus. Each unit complies with global standards for EMI emissions, including UNECE R10 and FCC regulations, for ready deployment across regions.
Designed for the rigors of industrial applications, the CT3.3 also features:
- Automotive-grade construction, including a ruggedized aluminum enclosure that is both IP67-rated for full ingress protection and serves as a built-in EMI shield.
- Strategically integrated design that condenses a 500 W DC-DC converter, EV charging station interface, and over-voltage protector into a singular, EMI-shielded package.
- Liquid- and fan-cooled options to ensure the power-dense, 3.3 kW power output enclosure remains thermally controlled along with the EMC-tested sealing.
Eliminate the Silent EMI Threat With ZIVAN’s Charging Solutions
EMC is an essential building block of safe, scalable electrification. This danger, though invisible, is very real, capable of causing in-field failures that circle back to the OEM. By investing in EMI-conscious design from the early stages, OEMs reduce development risk, improve product reliability, and comply with regional regulations.
Capturing these benefits requires the right charging solution—and ZIVAN’s CT3.3 stands as the ideal choice.
With an EMC-centric design and validated, compliant component packages, the CT3.3 enables OEMs to fully realize the benefits of electrification—without the electromagnetic side effects.
Ready to learn about how the CT3.3 can empower your next electrification project?
Reach out to a ZIVAN expert today.
Media Contact
Violetta Fulchiati | Marketing & Communication Specialist
Phone: +39 0522 960593
E-mail: marketing@zivan.it