Solving EMI design challenges and meeting compliance requirements for medical electronics equipment. Download these free resources!

How EMI/EMC filtering can help to address product development challenges.

Like all advancing technologies today, many medical electronic devices are incorporating new technologies such as wireless, wi-fi, RFID, and Bluetooth. Increasingly, medical device manufacturers are also using sensitive analog electronics and microprocessors in products ranging from simple devices like an electrical nerve stimulator to more advanced technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems. Looking ahead, automation features will become increasingly more common in medical electronics, such as to facilitate the monitoring of patients and to perform diagnoses. With the abundance of technologies and forms of connectivity comes the risk of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), and the necessity to comply appropriate Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standards such as FCC Part 15, IEC/EN 60601-1-2, and the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC.

The information provided here is a guide to addressing the compliance requirements, some of the typical product development challenges for medical electronics, and how EMI filtering can be used to overcome some or all of these challenges.

A Selection of Relevant Applications

  • X-Ray equipment
  • CAT scanners
  • Defibrillators
  • Laboratory equipment
  • Analyzers
  • Measurement devices
  • MRI, MSI, EEG, ECG/EKG
  • Test Equipment
  • Hospitals

Download Resources

  • IEC Inlet Filters / Power Entry Modules
  • Single Phase and DC Filters
  • Three-Phase Filters and Line Reactors
  • Three-Phase Filters and Neutral Line Filters

IEC Inlet Filters / Power Entry Modules

These provide all the advantages of IEC connectors, EMC/EMI filters, fuses, switches and voltage selectors combined in a powerful, compact, all-in-one solution.

Single Phase and DC Filters

Single-phase filters for chassis or DIN-rail mounting are key for EMC compliance of higher power medical machines equipment and low to medium power medical applications. A broad selection of electrical and mechanical features allows a specific choice and deployment for countless applications. DC filters are specifically optimized for applications with DC supply like e.g. PV inverters

Three-Phase Filters and Line Reactors

EMC/EMI filter solutions for industrial applications like medical devices and equipment. Line reactors, also operated on the line side of power drive systems, efficiently protect inverter electronics and DC link capacitors from inrush, peak and short-circuit currents. Additionally, low-frequency interference and harmonics are reduced significantly.

Three-Phase Filters and Neutral Line Filters

Three-phase and neutral line filters are a compact solution for the interference suppression on the mains input of cabinets and control units of sensitive medical installations. These typically involve separate and often insufficiently filtered frequency inverters and SMPS, causing current imbalance and significant interference problems. As individual elements they may be interference-suppressed already. The conjunction of several switching components in the same cabinet and a non-EMC conscious cabling will rise the demand for an additional EMC/EMI filter on the mains input of the whole installation. Many times, this is the only way to get the CE mark for the cabinet in accordance with the EMC directive