Decoupling capacitor and low inductance power distribution strategies for achieving EMC compliance: An educational approach using MultiSim® and Mathcad®

Many companies and small universities do not have the financial means to purchase very expensive software or hardware resources that can be used to effectively teach EMC related design principles to engineers or students. However, most of these universities and companies do have access to cost-effective SPICE software tools, such as MultiSim^reg, as well as other math related software packages such as Mathcad^reg. This paper discusses the useful integration of MultiSim, which is a SPICE based circuit simulation software tool, with Mathcad, for delivering an EMC related design curriculum to students, as well as design engineers. Specifically, this paper discusses how these two tools were used to teach decoupling capacitor and embedded capacitance strategies for achieving EMC compliance at InfoPrint Solutions Company and ITT Technical Institute.