Teaching electromagnetic compatibility in a required course for mechanical engineering students

Most engineering curricula include survey courses that expose students of one discipline to other areas of engineering. Civil and mechanical engineers have long been required to take at least one course from the electrical engineering department that offers instruction in the basic concepts of areas such as circuit analysis, digital logic design, power distribution systems, and motors. Many of these engineers find employment in the aerospace and electronics industries and are assigned to design enclosures, structures, and product layouts where the minimization of electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a vital consideration. This paper details a unit teaching concepts and practices in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) that was added to a survey course in electrical engineering required of mechanical engineers. A summary of the course material and the pedagogical techniques used to promote a visual and intuitive understanding of EMC design principles by the students are presented.