Equipment Selection Guides
Selecting the Right EMC Test Equipment
To select the right equipment for your needs, follow this structured process based on your testing standards, product requirements, and test location.
The selection process generally involves the following steps:
1 Identify Your Testing Standards
Our website organises much of our inventory by the standards they meet. [3, 4]
- Navigate to the Standards section in the menu to find equipment lists tailored to specific regulations like MIL STD 461, DEF STAN 59-411, or CISPR.
- The standard you need to comply with will typically dictate critical parameters such as frequency range, resolution bandwidth, and measurement time, which will help narrow down your equipment choices.
2 Determine Product and Test Specifics
Before selecting individual items, define the technical requirements of your project:
- Frequency Range: Ensure the sensors, antennas, or analysers cover the specific MHz/GHz range your test requires.
- Measurement Type: Decide whether you are conducting Radiated Emissions, Conducted Emissions, or Immunity testing.
- Application Details: For specific items like current probes, you'll need to know whether you are measuring AC or DC, the cable diameter of your device under test, and the expected current ranges.
3 Choose Between Individual Items and Bespoke Systems
- Individual Items: Browse our All Categories page for specific components such as antennas, amplifiers, or ESD generators.
- Bespoke Test Systems: If you need a complete setup, our Bespoke Test Systems include all necessary equipment, pre-loaded software (such as DARE RadiMation), and operating procedures configured to your specific requirements.
4 Speak Directly with Our Engineers
If you're unsure which equipment is right for you, we're happy to help:
- Enquiry Forms: Complete our Test Systems Enquiry Form, detailing your Equipment Under Test (EUT) and requirements.
- Technical Advice: Our engineers can provide personalised guidance to ensure you get the right equipment for even the most complex standards.
5 Consider Facility Hire vs. Equipment Rental
- Laboratory Hire: If you don't have the space or support equipment available, you can hire our test facility in Shefford. This gives you access to our full inventory along with onsite engineer support.
To select the right equipment using the EMC Hire Ltd website You can navigate through the primary tabs and category menus to match your technical and regulatory requirements.
6 "Standards" Tab
If you know the regulatory body you need to comply with, this is the most efficient starting point.
- How to use it: Select the Standards tab from the main navigation bar.
- Sub-categories: Choose from sectors like Military (MIL-STD-461), Automotive (ISO/CISPR), Commercial (EN/IEC), or Avionics (RTCA DO-160).
- Selection: Clicking a specific standard will generate a filtered list of equipment pre-vetted to meet those exact testing requirements.
7 “For Hire” Tab
For those seeking specific individual components rather than a full standard-based setup for you to hire and for us to deliver at your location, use the category-specific headings:
- Analysers / Receivers / Power Meters: For active measuring devices, including both tunable and broadband field analysers.
- Antennas / Near Field Probes: Select antennas based on whether you are doing compliance or pre-compliance measurements.
- Current Probes / Clamps / LISNs / CDNs: When selecting here, check the FAQs for guidance on cable diameter and current range (AC vs. DC).
- Generators (ESD, Transient, Signal): Navigate here for immunity testing equipment, such as ESD guns or harmonic and flicker analysers.
Under the Hire tab you are able to select full test systems. If you require a "ready-to-go" solution rather than individual parts, these tabs offer integrated packages. These systems come pre-configured with all necessary cables, software (i.e DARE RadiMation), and operating procedures.
8 "Test Facility” Tab
Use this tab if you prefer to perform your own testing at their Shefford lab. You can choose Option 1 (you test at your own pace) or Option 2 (engineers conduct the test for you).
9 "Onsite Testing" Tab
For on-site EMC testing, use this tab to find services for evaluating Equipment Under Test (EUTs) at the location of your choosing like in-situ testing or in own test laboratory or workshop using our engineers.
We can also perform Chamber Field Uniformity or RF Electric Field Survey measurements at the location of your choice.
10 "For Sale" Tab
If you need to move from hiring to permanent ownership, this tab lists used or ex-hire equipment and products from partners like Fischer Custom Communications.
Pro Tip
If you are unsure which specific model fits your frequency range, use the product search bar in the top right corner of any page to find equipment by keyword or model number.
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