The EMC space
An exclusive interview with a test engineer
Martin Rowe -- Test & Measurement World, 7/1/2007 2:00:00 AM
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David Brumbaugh is a technical fellow at Boeing Phantom Works (Seattle, WA; www.boeing.com/phantom), the company’s advanced research and development unit. Brumbaugh has specialized in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) since joining Boeing in 1981, and he works on EMC design, analysis, and test. Martin Rowe recently interviewed Brumbaugh by telephone and by e-mail.
Q: What is a technical fellow?
A: Boeing has a technical career path for engineers who prefer to advance their careers as technical contributors rather than go into management.
Q: What projects have you worked on?
A: Since becoming an associate technical fellow and then a technical fellow, I’ve worked on EMC-related issues for several space-based and ground-based projects. I also consult on EMC issues to other groups within Boeing. I’ve spent most of my career in space-based systems that include the Sea Launch Company as well as Ground-based Midcourse Defense, part of the National Missile Defense System. I’ve worked on the International Space Station, and I also provide EMC support to the Navy’s P-8A Poseidon, a maritime patrol aircraft currently under development at Boeing.
Q: Please give an example of how you use your EMC knowledge.
A: I’ve performed analysis of spacecraft power systems. To do that, I modeled the power system using conducted emissions test data taken on the spacecraft’s individual systems. I then converted the simulated frequency response into the time domain. I could then calculate ripple on the power bus. Using the results, I can predict if there’s enough margin for a new spacecraft component to work in the system. I can also use the model to predict if a new component’s emissions will adversely affect other units on the power bus.
Q: Have you worked on electrostatic-related issues?
A: Yes. The environment in space is different from here on earth. A satellite in a geosynchronous orbit can become negatively charged, especially between the midnight and dawn sector of its orbit. If a difference in charge occurs between parts of the satellite, a discharge of current can occur. I often participate in the electrostatic design that mitigates the effects of discharges.
Q: What is your involvement in EMC measurement?
A: Boeing purchases subsystems and integrates them into spacecraft and aircraft systems. I’m responsible for making sure that a vehicle is safe to fly from an EMC perspective. I test whole systems for conditions such as lightning strikes on aircraft.
Q: How do you perform such a test?
A: We inject a low-level discharge into an aircraft and measure its transfer function in the frequency domain with a network analyzer. We want to see how the discharge transfers current throughout the vehicle. The measurements are converted into the time domain to determine the effects of a full-scale lightning event.
Q: Are you involved in any technical committees?
A: I’m secretary of the IEEE 1688 committee, which is working on an EMC-testing standard for line-replaceable electronic modules [Ref. 1]. I compile meeting notes and minutes and contribute at technical meetings. The committee’s goal is to establish EMC test standards that reduce the risk of electromagnetic interference when a system requires a newly designed module. I’m also involved with the SAE AE4 (SAE Aerospace Electromagnetic Environmental Effects) committee on EMC and an AIAA standards committee, which is developing a new EMC standard for space systems.
| Reference |
| 1. Rowe, Martin, “IEEE to develop EMI standards for modular electronics,” Test & Measurement World online, March 23, 2006. www.tmworld.com/article/CA6318250.html. |
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