New product development challenges of design for environmental compliance and design for electromagnetic compliance

New wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and 802.11x are leading designers to deploy a variety of new ICs, circuit designs, and board/product form factors. Generally, electronic products are getting hotter, faster, smaller, and lighter. The mechanical and electrical design interfaces are challenging especially when one considers that no product can be marketed or sold without passing stringent standards for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and new regulations from the European Union (EU), especially the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction on Hazardous Materials (RoHS) Directives. The fundamental issue is how to systematically design new electronic products with a high degree of certainty that they will function properly, be compliant with new EU directives involving environmental protection and recycling, and meet stringent U.S. and International electromagnetic compliance requirements. As electromagnetic compatibility or compliance (EMC) often requires that an EMI shielding solution be provided, this paper will elaborate on a new product that facilitates the joint requirements of environmental compliance and EMC.