Finding a seat in the conference hall of the Tree of Life spa resort shortly before 9 AM was not exactly the easiest task. Empty chairs were few and far between, yet the event maintained its traditionally intimate and friendly atmosphere.
Electronics testing. This was the central theme of the 17th annual VVA seminar, which attracted over a hundred experts, students, and enthusiasts to Lázně Bělohrad.
This year's seminar once again became a meeting place where experts from development centers, technicians from testing laboratories, but also tinkerers who are absorbed by the topic of electronics, meet. The 'Golden Czech Hands' who gladly push the boundaries of what is possible and are not afraid of challenges. It is precisely this mix of professionalism and personal passion that makes the VVA event something we look forward to all year. And what was it like this year?
Eight shorter presentations in the morning, one hour-long lecture after lunch, and a visit directly to our test center in Hořice. Throughout the day, attendees were greeted outside the resort entrance by the displayed Škoda Enyaq and Elroq models from Porsche Hradec Králové. Inside, there was a student formula race car, which young engineers tirelessly and with great passion tune down to the very last bolt.
The first presentation belonged to our colleague, Michal Ježek, who opened the topic of electronics testing in the practice of development laboratories. And what pitfalls does practice bring? "At the beginning of the whole process, everything is planned perfectly, but the development phase is usually extended, which puts the laboratory under the greatest pressure," he explained, describing a situation familiar to everyone working in the industry.
"If the day could ever have 30 hours, it would be ideal. People often ask themselves: How to do it in the shortened time? But obstacles must be overcome." And that's precisely the magic of working in a testing laboratory—overcoming the seemingly impossible.
According to Michal, the key to success is getting the best possible inputs: a clearly defined testing plan, clarification on questions like, "Will the product manufacturing also be included?" and quality software support. At Tiyo, we perform a wide range of tests: climatic, mechanical, endurance (these are the most complex—thousands of hours and a huge amount of data), chemical and material, electrical tests, and EMC tests covering both emissions and immunity.
A new service we introduced is the Deep Dive Analysis, for cases when the tested sample fails. Starting in 2026, we will offer a comprehensive analysis that will determine where the problem lies.
Ondřej Adámek and Tomáš Braun from HELLA AUTOTECHNIK NOVA revealed the world of validating electronic components in automotive lighting. And it is a world that is changing at a breakneck pace. “Today, a car light contains thousands of LEDs; it must function precisely,” the presenters stated.
LED technology brings not only new possibilities in design and functionality but also challenges in the area of EMC. Simply put, the topic of component emissivity and immunity plays a critical role in headlight development. Therefore, during the tests, for example, light outputs, including animations of immunity tests, are monitored, and thermal analysis is performed using thermal cameras, as well as CFD analysis. The result is detailed graphs and data.
An interesting point is the use of AI in software testing and static analysis, the benefit of which is the early detection of failures. Everything is tested — from simulations and virtualization to electrical and environmental tests, all the way to material analysis and defectoscopy.
And what interested the audience? For instance, why do LED lights blind more in the dark than classic ones? The answer was surprising: "Tests have not confirmed this. We are more likely just not used to them. However, it can often be close to the limit. Sometimes external factors like fog can also be responsible."
Ondřej Stejskal from Valeo Autoklimatizace introduced the fascinating concept of the digital twin. For every physical product, a virtual image can exist that significantly accelerates further development. A thermal model was shown as a prime example.
"Every model is a simplification of reality. It is necessary to understand which parts of the model the simplification applies to," Stejskal emphasized, hitting the nail on the head regarding the core of the issue. The model must be as accurate as possible, but at the same time practically usable.
To the question of how long it takes to fine-tune the model, the answer was: one day in the case of temperature, and a maximum of three days for boundary conditions. And how close do the models get to reality? "When we know what we want to look at, it is truly very precise," he assured.
Tomáš Helan and Milan Vacek-Veselý from LABTECH presented the mechanical testing of electronics with an analysis of resulting deformations. They addressed the topic of strain gauges and explained how DIC (Digital Image Correlation) works.
An interesting point is that DIC cameras are intentionally black and white. This is because they provide better data than cameras using the RGB spectrum. DIC works by testing similarly to human vision, but the product must always be prepared—by applying a pattern to it, for example, using powder. This creates a unique set of points.
The technology finds application in testing chips, SSDs, and other components. By combining DIC and strain gauges, temperature can also be taken into account during mechanical tests. And what about a practical example? At LABTECH, for instance, they tested battery casings for electric vehicles using helium leak detection.
Professor Aleš Richter from the Faculty of Health Studies at the Technical University in Liberec introduced a topic that made the entire hall perk up—the electromagnetic compatibility of implanted electronics in cardiology. “The heart is an electromechanical system,” the specialist in pacemakers began his lecture decisively.
Pacemakers replace muscle signals, and various types exist. Today, it is common for patients to have a mobile app for monitoring their device.
“When we want to stimulate the heart, it's simple. But when the heart is too fast, the only option is to stop the heart and restart it,” Richter explained the issue of defibrillation.
What can interfere with a pacemaker? Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) in the daily lives of patients. Sources of interference are everywhere: electromagnetic fields, open distribution boxes, motors, switches, relays, welding machines, and transformers. In medicine, sources include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ionizing radiation in radiotherapy.
And because life writes stories that even an expert smiles at, Professor Richter entertained the audience with one of them. A patient with a pacemaker was forbidden from welding. By both doctors and his wife! But his favorite pastime was stronger, so he secretly used the device at three in the morning. However, the graphs from the retrospective analysis of the pacemaker's functionality showed no mercy. And the "sinner" faced confession.
Towards the end of the presentation, a question arose regarding concerns about interference with pacemakers caused by electric vehicles. The answer was reassuring: "It was tested, and no interference was detected. Chargers were more of a concern, but even they are shielded. They should not cause interference."
Jan Demel from IEE Sensing Slovakia presented HW verification tests of electronics in the development process. His company specializes in sensors—these include, for example, breath sensors in cars or sensors for automatic passenger airbag activation detection.
"All the systems that make life (un)pleasant are made by us," Demel introduced his company with a touch of exaggeration. They divide every unit into blocks and test each block separately.
According to him, the greatest benefit is the automation of test setups. And the numbers speak for themselves: "Previously, one HW test took us four days; today, thanks to automation, it takes one hour, including the report." That is a difference that changes the entire development process.
Radim Štefan from ROHDE & SCHWARZ, which participated in the seminar for the third time, offered insight into trends in power electronics for e-mobility and artificial intelligence. He addressed, for example, the issue of electric vehicle driving range on a battery charge.
Higher voltage means lower current—today, we are moving toward 800V batteries. A part of this development is also a shift in the field of semiconductors. Wide Band Gap semiconductors using Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide open up new possibilities.
It is interesting that e-mobility and AI servers have a very similar architectural concept. “Up to one-third of the energy in a data center is consumed by air conditioning,” Štefan pointed out. One server rack consumes as much energy as one electric vehicle. And there are dozens of racks in server rooms.
New components based on Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide have a future, but they are still far from ideal. The barriers are power loss and a more complicated control method.
Vojtěch Kladívko from our team presented how we test electromagnetic compatibility at Tiyo. We perform both emissions and immunity tests - emissions tests via conducted means and through the air in a semi-anechoic chamber.
“The most important toy for measuring emissions is the EMI receiver,” Vojta revealed. Then come various types of antennas, which overlap in individual frequency bands, and devices for simulating vehicle harness impedance, the so-called LISN (Line Impedance Stabilization Network).
Immunity tests also take place via conducted means and through the air; we use generators and amplifiers — often multiple stages of amplifiers. Our laboratory is certified for six standards, for instance, ISO 11452.
He also mentioned that in some cases, the internal team custom-made coils when a supplier failed. “We simply manage,” he summarized the team's improvisational capabilities.
As an example of a non-standard project, he stated: “We tested air cargo containers for transporting pharmaceuticals, which contain a battery and photovoltaic panels. We measured EMC so that the customer could safely place them on an airplane.” The entire extensive arsenal of EMC devices is justified in our laboratory.
Michal Kubíček from the Brno University of Technology (VUT) had the slot after lunch for an hour-long lecture on the topic of electronic system design from an EMC perspective. He focused on power supplies, where EMC plays a key role.
And what did we learn, for example? We learned that the voltage regulator is often a source of interference and that many integrated circuits are themselves a cause of interference. The Power Distribution Network—PDN—is crucial. “If we neglect the PDN in the design, we are setting ourselves up for problems in the test lab,” warned Kubíček, adding that his presentation also covered the parasitic properties of capacitors, the skin effect, and inductors.
And because the topic might have been genuine rocket science for some, reminding them of sleepless nights spent studying for credits, let's summarize a part of the lecture as follows: “While capacitors are exemplary students on paper, in reality, it's not such a great story.”
Following the official part of the seminar, attendees moved from the Tree of Life spa resort directly to our testing center in Hořice. And what did we prepare for the first time there? Guided tours at various stations and a workshop featuring a measurement demonstration under the wing of Rohde & Schwarz.
Those who wished could take the ten-minute trip by electric bus, which is normally used for public transport in Hradec Králové.
And what all was on display at Tiyo? One of the stops was the drive-in chamber for environmental tests, which can fit an entire passenger car. And the fact that such tests can be quite a struggle is demonstrated by the fact that the operators work in +80 °C only to subsequently have their “noses freeze” at -40 °C.
And because the sub-theme of this year's VVA seminar was electromagnetic compatibility testing, a stop at the EMC and ESD testing section was also included. We primarily perform wireless tests and utilize two basic pieces of equipment: a chamber and a rack with technology.
The chamber is de facto a huge Faraday cage with absorbers to prevent anything from reflecting inside. We test at various distances—one to three meters, including near-field tests.
The VVA seminar is not just about lectures and technical specifications. It is primarily about people meeting who share the same passion for electronics and testing. It's about exchanging experiences that cannot be found in textbooks. It's about the fact that obstacles can be overcome—whether it’s a lack of time, the complexity of tests, or unexpected problems.
More than a hundred participants from various companies and sectors, eight hours of program time, nine lectures, laboratory tours, and lively discussions. That is the VVA seminar. And we are proud to be part of this community that is driving Czech electronics testing forward.
This year's edition, which took place on November 13th, is behind us. We are already looking forward to the next one. Because when experts meet tinkerers, and 'Golden Czech Hands' meet the latest technology, projects that change the world around us are born.
The VVA seminar could not have taken place without the support of our partners. We thank the companies Rohde & Schwarz, LABTECH, and BlueEmi for their expert support and presentation of the latest technologies. We also thank Porsche Hradec Králové for lending the Škoda Enyaq and Elroq electric vehicles, and DP města Hradce Králové (Hradec Králové City Public Transport Authority).
Special thanks go to all the lecturers who shared their experiences and knowledge with us, and, of course, to all the participants who created the excellent atmosphere of the seminar.
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