Transient generators simulate transients for the conducted immunity portion of EMC testing. A transient is a dramatic but brief fluctuation in current or voltage that a device may experience while connected to a power grid; voltage spikes and oscillations are common examples. Conducted immunity testing determines the susceptibility of the equipment under test to such disturbances. To test a device’s immunity to transients, test engineers use transient generators, also known as transient immunity test systems, to reproduce these fluctuations in a controlled environment.
One of the most common causes of transients in a real-world setting is indirect lightning, which may strike nearby and send a surge through a grid; the electricity travels through wiring, causing electrical and electromagnetic interference. Another source of transients is electrical switching, which refers to when one device on a grid, when switched on, sends a transient to another device on the grid. Waveform variation allows for a transient generator to replicate nearly any transient a device could be exposed to, and most testers will include modules for specific waveforms. Generators designed for EMC tests on commercial, industrial, medical, and IT devices comply with the following test standards in the waveforms they generate.
Commercial Conducted Immunity Test Standards
Although similar in nature, the automotive and military/aerospace industries require different equipment and operate under different standards. Visit our pages on
automotive transient generators and
military & aerospace transient generators to learn more about these requirements.