Concerns and approaches for accurate EMC simulation validation

There are a number of different ways to validate EMI/EMC simulation. Measurements can be useful, but care is needed when using measurements, since the limitations of the measurement could affect the results significantly. Other options are available to help engineers increase the confidence is their model results. Engineers should validate their models to ensure the model's correctness, and to help understand the basic physics behind the model. Measurements can be used to validate modeling results, but extreme care must be used to ensure the model correctly simulates the measured situation. Omitting feed cables, shielding or ground reflections, or different measurement scan areas can dramatically change the results. An incorrect model result might be indicated when, in fact, the measured and modeled results are obtained for different situations, and should not be directly compared. Intermediate results can also be used to help increase the confidence in a model. Using the RF current distribution in model, or the animation in a time domain model, can help ensure the overall results are correct by determining the intermediate results are correct. These intermediate results have the added benefit of increasing the engineer's understanding of the underlying causes and effects of the overall problem.