The Top Reasons EMI Shielding Is Essential

The world as we know it would cease to function without EMI shielding, but very few people know what that is! If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, you’ve benefitted from EMI shielding. Keep reading to learn the top reasons EMI shielding is essential (and what EMI is in the first place).

What Is EMI Shielding?

EMI stands for electromagnetic interference, which happens whenever the energy of an external source affects an electrical system. Today’s tech-forward world has so many gadgets and gizmos pumping out energy that almost nothing should work. And yet, it does! That’s thanks to EMI shielding—a barrier that blocks interference from reaching sensitive electrical systems.

The two main types of EMI shielding are RF and magnetic shielding. RF stands for radiofrequency, and, naturally, this shielding blocks radio waves (and other waves that can mess with technology).

Magnetic shielding requires a different touch since magnetic fields and radio waves have vastly different properties. Magnetic shielding creates a magnetic barrier around a piece of technology, causing the magnetic field lines to bounce away before they can interfere with the electrical system.

Transportation

Whenever flight attendants tell you to turn off your cell phones before a flight, they’re thinking about the sensitive avionics systems that keep your aircraft aloft. While, in truth, a few cell phones will have no significant effect on your airplane’s flight (thanks to EMI shielding), the more active cell phones there are, the more likely your plane is to experience interference.

In addition to protecting airplanes from interference both in-cabin and from the ground, EMI shielding protects consumer automobiles, too. Cars are becoming more and more autonomous, meaning that without shielding, they are more susceptible to hacking or failure.

Data Security

EMI shielding is equally critical in data centers, as data security is of paramount importance here. Without EMI shielding, anyone with a little technological know-how could access the “secure” data from outside the building!

Now that you know the top reasons EMI shielding is essential, ensure that you protect your technology and thank brilliant scientists for the interference-free world we live in!