ESD – RTCA DO-160

What Is ESD — RTCA DO-160?

ESD test is an immunity test in which the static charge accumulated in the human body or objects is discharged into the device in the laboratory. IEC 61000-4-2 defines both direct contact and air discharge methods.

Purpose of ESD — RTCA DO-160

The purpose is to verify that the device does not lose its function or suffer permanent damage under static discharges that occur in the real use environment.

Which Products Is ESD — RTCA DO-160 Applied To?

Electronic devices and control cards
White goods and small household appliances
Automotive electronics
Medical devices
Industrial automation equipment

In Which Sectors Is ESD — RTCA DO-160 Used?

ElectronicsElectricalAutomotiveTelecommunicationsDefence

Standards Related to ESD — RTCA DO-160

RTCA DO-160Environmental conditions and test methods in aviation equipment test

ESD — RTCA DO-160 Conditions

Ejaculation type: Contact discharge and air discharge
Levels: Levels 1–4 are defined in the standard; 2/4/6/8 kV for contact, 2/4/8/15 kV for air
number of ejaculations: Repeat each point and each polarity the number of times specified by the standard.
Environment: Relative humidity and temperature are kept within the standard-defined range

Equipment for ESD — RTCA DO-160

ESD simulator (discharge gun)
Horizontal and vertical coupling plates
Reference ground plane
Monitoring and recording mechanism

Sample Requirements for ESD — RTCA DO-160

The sample must be in working order, in typical usage configuration
All points accessible to the user are determined as test points
Function monitoring method must be defined before testing

Duration of ESD — RTCA DO-160

It depends on the number of test points; For a typical device it takes half to one business day.

ESD — RTCA DO-160 Procedure

1User-accessible points and coupling plates are determined.
2The device is operated in typical operating mode and monitoring is established.
3A defined level of discharge is applied to each point, in each polarity.
4Device behavior during and after ejaculation is recorded.
5The result is classified according to the performance criterion.

ESD — RTCA DO-160 Acceptance Criteria

The resulting performance criterion is evaluated as A, B or C: in A, the function continues without interruption, in B, there is a temporary deterioration and recovers spontaneously, in C, operator intervention is required. Which criteria are valid is stated in the product standard.

Evaluation of Results

Permanent damage, loss of data or loss of security functionality is non-compliance. Whether temporary deterioration is accepted depends on the product standard.

ESD — RTCA DO-160 Report

Applied standard and level
Test points and coupling layout
Number of discharges and polarities
Observed behavior and performance criteria
Ambient conditions

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

EMC 2014/30/EU
UNECE R10 (automotive)
MDR 2017/745 (medical)

EMC / EMI Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the ESD test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

EMC testing answers a question with two sides: does the device emit an unacceptable level of electromagnetic interference into its surroundings (emission), and does it withstand the interference coming from them (immunity)? The two sides are measured with separate tests and separate set-ups, and both are required.

The field exists because of a simple physical fact: every conductor carrying current behaves like an antenna. A switched-mode power supply, a motor drive or the clock signal of a microcontroller radiates radio frequency energy even though it was never designed to. The same conductor also works in reverse: an external field induces a voltage across it. In an environment crowded with devices, this mutual effect means devices disturbing one another.

On the emission side, conducted and radiated emission are measured separately. Conducted emission is the interference the device imposes on its mains and communication cables and dominates at lower frequencies. Radiated emission is the field the device releases into the air and comes to the fore at higher frequencies. The two are measured in different set-ups, and the limits vary by product group.

On the immunity side, real-world sources of interference are simulated: electrostatic discharge (human touch), radiated radio frequency fields (a nearby transmitter), electrical fast transients (switching), surges (lightning and mains events), conducted radio frequency, power-frequency magnetic fields, voltage dips and short interruptions.

The standard to be applied depends on WHERE the product is used, and that choice determines the entire outcome. Residential and industrial environments carry different sets of limits; in vehicles the UNECE R10 regime applies rather than CE; for medical devices IEC 60601-1-2 brings additional requirements; and for products containing a radio, radio legislation comes into play and harmonised ETSI standards are used.

In immunity testing the acceptance criterion is a PERFORMANCE CRITERION class, not a binary pass/fail. A device continuing to function without interruption during the test, being temporarily affected and recovering by itself, or recovering only through user intervention are different classes. Which class is acceptable is defined in the product standard; the tolerance for a device carrying a safety function differs from that of a consumer device.

The most common shortcoming of an EMC file is that it covers only one side. A file carrying an emission report alone is not complete in terms of the EMC directive. The second common gap is a test set-up that does not represent actual use: if the device is measured on a bare bench with cables different from its real ones, the result does not carry over to the field.

Method groups in this field

Conducted emission
Interference imposed on the cable through mains and communication ports, measured via an artificial mains network (LISN).
Radiated emission
The field released into the air by the device, measured at a defined distance in an anechoic or semi-anechoic chamber.
Harmonics and flicker
The harmonic content of the current drawn from the mains and voltage fluctuation; the side that affects mains quality.
Electrostatic discharge
Contact and air discharge together with indirect discharge; the most frequently applied immunity test.
Radiated and conducted RF immunity
The device is exposed to a defined field strength and to an RF signal injected into the cable.
Mains-borne events
Electrical fast transients, surges, voltage dips and short interruptions.

Commonly confused in this field

An emission report alone does not complete an EMC file; immunity must be demonstrated as well.
An FCC report is not accepted in a CE file; the limits, measurement distances and set-ups are different.
The EMC Directive does not apply to vehicles; the UNECE R10 regime does. Specifications requiring both together should be reviewed.
The warning that a Class A device may cause interference in a residential environment is mandatory in the manual; market surveillance checks that this warning is present.
The test set-up is part of the report. If cable type, length or routing changes, the result changes; measurement must be made in the series-production configuration.
CISPR 22 and CISPR 13 have been withdrawn; their current counterparts are CISPR 32 and CISPR 35.

Which decisions these results support

CE declaration under the EMC Directive
The EMC part of radio equipment conformity
A UNECE R10 file for a vehicle component
Resolving field interference complaints and correcting the design
Assessing the EMC impact of a board or wiring-harness change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About ESD — RTCA DO-160

What is the difference between contact and air discharge?

Contact discharge is applied directly to conductive surfaces and has high repeatability. Air discharge is done on insulating surfaces by bringing the probe closer and creating an arc; It is more sensitive to humidity and approach speed.

Why is automotive ESD testing different?

ISO 10605 is applied in automotive. Capacitance and discharge resistance values are defined differently than IEC 61000-4-2 to represent in-vehicle conditions.