Any time that multiple RF systems are co-located, there is an opportunity for RF interference (RFI) to degrade or disrupt the performance of receivers. The impact of RFI includes decreased performance, delayed product releases, product recalls and safety-critical scenarios. RFI is a very serious matter that must be addressed throughout the design of products and systems.
Individual RF units must meet performance standards that specify limits for both in-band and out-of-band operation. Meeting the individual unit level tests can sometimes incorrectly lead you to believe that RFI problems will not occur when multiple RF systems are integrated. This is not true.
A combination of simulation and testing is necessary to identify RFI problems early and then develop optimal solutions to mitigate the problems. The Ansys EMIT technology was developed specifically for the RFI problem. It employs a multi-fidelity approach that allows users to incorporate both high-fidelity data and parametric models. This is an extremely important capability, as engineers almost never have high-fidelity data for all components and coupling mechanisms at the beginning of the analysis.