# 70% of PCBs FAIL EMC Testing (And AI Is Making It Worse)

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2026-06-16
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 344
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse/

## Summary

EMC expert Dr. Anton Tishchenko joins host Zach Peterson to discuss why 70% of PCBs fail EMC testing and how AI is exacerbating the issue. Tishchenko explains that large language models often generate confident but incorrect layouts, leading to 'garbage in, garbage out' scenarios when constraints are misapplied. He demonstrates his web-based tool, pcb4emc.com, which performs EMC design rule checks directly from Gerber files to evaluate ground plane quality, impedance, and crosstalk risk without requiring sensitive schematic data. The conversation highlights the distinction between AI as a helpful enhancement for literature reviews and simulation optimization versus its failure as a replacement for human engineering judgment.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=0) Introduction: Dr. Anton Tishchenko and the 70% EMC Failure Rate
- [4:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=258) AI in PCB Design: LLM Limitations and the 'Garbage In, Garbage Out' Problem
- [13:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=814) Positive AI Use Cases: Literature Reviews and Simulation Enhancement
- [20:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=1219) Introducing pcb4emc.com: Gerber-Based EMC Analysis
- [23:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=1423) Demo: Ground Plane Quality, Impedance, and Crosstalk Checks
- [33:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=2001) Handling 2-Layer Boards and Coplanar Waveguides
- [38:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-06-16-70-of-pcbs-fail-emc-testing-and-ai-is-making-it-worse#t=2300) Future Roadmap: Integration and Cloud vs. Desktop

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Altium (company)
- pcb4emc.com (product)
- Altium Designer (tool)
- 3D SolidWorks (tool)
- Xilinx (company)
- Claude (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Layout Review with Zachariah Peterson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-11-layout-review-with-zachariah-peterson) (The Amp Hour)
- [Intelligent Routing with Sergiy Nesterenko](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2023-04-03-intelligent-routing-with-sergiy-nesterenko) (The Amp Hour)
- [Your Mind Is The Tool](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-11-06-your-mind-is-the-tool) (The Amp Hour)
- [This Is Just A Tribute](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-10-this-is-just-a-tribute) (The Amp Hour)
- [464: Please Make This Monster Look Scary](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-11-16-464-please-make-this-monster-look-scary) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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