PAM-CEM 2000 is an industrial software used to perform realistic and predictive ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) simulations in the transportation industry, automotive and railway , in aeronautics, telecommunications and electronics.
With the tremendous increase of complex on-board electronic equipment in all industrial sectors, the ability to control electromagnetic disturbance phenomena is proving to be essential in order to guarantee perfect working order, particularly where security issues are concerned. Mastering EMC in realistic situations became thus a delicate task, making PAM-CEM 2000 numerical simulation a crucial competitive issue.
Developed by a team of specialists who have been focusing their research efforts on electromagnetic simulation for the last 20 years, PAM-CEM 2000 is specifically designed to simulate EMC testing, ranging from ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI) or perturbations caused by internal wiring up to ElectroMagnetic Susceptibility (EMS) or immunity of on-board equipment to external aggressions, as well as ElectroMagnetic Radiation (or EMR) of large harness systems towards the external environment (electromagnetic pollution).
Realistic and predictive automotive EMC simulations
The European EMC framework directive 89/336/EEC requires that all electrical and electronic products offered for sale in the European Community conform with its requirements and be "CE" marked, unless they are covered by separate specific directives. One example of such a product specific directive is the automotive industry.
The EMC development of automotive electronic systems cannot rely on the "trial and error" approach, but must be guided by the continuous development of an electromagnetic modelling know-how, to evaluate on a computer the EMC performances of a new electronic system. The trend to miniaturisation and integration of circuits is evolving rapidly, making inaccessible large parts of circuits, and impossible to adjust or trim them after design.
Clock rates and operating frequencies are growing, worsening all critical effects of propagation delay and radiation, typical of high frequencies. Such constraints make it difficult to take simple and localised remedial actions at a late stage of design, but often require to reconsider the design philosophy
Previous considerations call for a design that assures as much as possible that the final product performs as requested, without the need for adjustments during the prototype development phase.
The aim is to exploit PAM-CEM simulations since the early stages of design development, in order to predict possible functioning problems, and take immediate action. The final objective is to reach the testing phase of the product with major problems solved. This ensures meeting time-to-market requirements and reducing development costs, since only minor retrofitting on the product is required.
Possible PAM-CEM 2000 applications include :
ElectroMagnetic Susceptibility (EMS) of sub-systems to external aggressions
Auto-perturbations or Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) which occur during emission of internal equipment and leading to signal changes on near-by wires
Conducted emissions of one internal wired system that emits towards a receiving antenna of a car
ElectroMagnetic Radiation (EMR) of large harness systems towards the external environment (electromagnetic pollution)
Railway applications
In a similar way, railway manufacturers have to satisfy international EMC regulations trying to reduce the overall electromagnetic pollution or to prevent on-board equipment and their related sub-systems from external or mutual perturbations. EMC problems they have to face, are including ElectroMagnetic Susceptibility (EMS), Radiation (EMR) or Interference (EMI), but emphasized by high power supply units and large scale systems featuring catenary lines, sub-stations and near-by vehicles.
ALSTOM Transport initiated the "Proof of the Concept" for PAM-CEM followed by a strategic partnership with their EMC Excellence center.
The PAM-CEM solution covers a wide applications field including:
Radiation from electric arcing produced by on/off switching of circuit breakers
Disturbances due to sliding contact between pantographs and catenary line
Electromagnetic environment in the driver's cabin
Analyzing interference between sub-systems
Evaluating the overall radiation of a vehicle
Telecommunications, Antenna Design and Optimization
Using PAM-CEM 2000, telecommunications manufacturers can simulate the electromagnetic environment created by their equipment, from emitting devices operating in realistic conditions up to the analysis of telephone central exchange network.
The optimization of emitting or receiving devices is a classical field of application, appearing in various industrial sectors. With the aim of ensuring optimal performances in their operating frequency bands, antennas are optimized according to their environment, their location, orientation or size, by computing input impedances and radiation patterns.
The new generation becomes more sensitive, as several near-by antennas with different operating frequencies can be associated on the same device, making their optimization a delicate task. In automotive rear window antennas, many antennas (AM/FM, TV, phone, keyless units) can be thus combined with advanced receiving systems for driver comfort (navigation systems, traffic control) and vehicle safety.
Besides application of suitable EMC design techniques and rules, PAM-CEM 2000 modelling allows to reach the testing phase of the product with major problems solved, ensuring to meet time-to-market requirements and to reduce development costs.
