EMI SHIELDING: What it is & How it is Important?

In every 11 years the sun’s magnetic field flips. The changes from north to south, south to north brings solar storms on the sun’s surface that sends solar flares towards Earth.
These flares are dangerous to our infrastructure.

In 1859 there was little in the way of electronic technology. At the time there was such thing as EMI shielding. When a huge solar flare attacked Earth, it generated enough EMI to stop communications right away.

With technology in use, could you imagine if that happened today? How much of your equipment would get damaged? Do you even know?

If not, this article is the right place to know everything in detail.

What Is EMI Shielding?

Electromagnetic shielding is a barrier that forms a protective layer for electronics to prevent EMI. It is also sometimes known as radiation shielding.

RF SHIELDING AND MAGNETIC SHIELDING

EMI shielding/emf shielding products is the term that covers all types of EMI. RF shielding and magnetic shielding are two sub-types of EMI shielding.

RF shielding is specifically used to block radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. Shields effective at shutting down RF waves as well as other types of waves called as EMI/RFI or EMF shields.

Magnetic shielding is quite different as you can’t block a magnetic field the way you do with electromagnetic energy. This is because a magnet’s field lines run from its north pole to its south pole and monopole magnets don’t exist.

Much of today’s technology use magnets to work. Just like EMI, you must prevent magnetic interference or else it can impede the operation of the rest magnetic devices.

WHY IS SHIELDING IMPORTANT?

We are in the popular era of science fiction. Electronic devices are omnipresent. Each one can interfere with one another if it isn’t shielded.

The central role of an electromagnetic shield is two-fold. It isolates a device’s energy so it doesn’t impact anything else and debars external energy from getting in.

Without shielding/scarf michelle sand, electronics wouldn’t give optimal performance.

EMI shielding is important because it can prevent:

Brownouts and Blackouts

Brownouts are partial service outage, while a blackout is a full outage. Brownouts and blackouts are not limited to power outages.

Electrical Fast Transitions (EFTs)

If there is a power outage and a transfer sequence, you’ll receive power from a generator. When this happens, it’s generally termed as an EFT. If there is an EMI, you can get unwarranted EFTs.

Power Faults

A power fault is an abnormality that can come up in an electrical current. A short circuit is an example of the same, but it is not the only kind. Power faults are sometimes a result of an EMI.