ISO 7582:2023

Overview - ISO 7582:2023 (Metallic coatings for EMI shielding)

ISO 7582:2023 specifies how to designate and characterize metallic coatings used for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding on parts made of plastics, ceramics, glass and other substrates. The standard standardizes the way suppliers and test laboratories report EMI shielding effectiveness, coating adhesion, substrate type, principal coating material, manufacturing process and local thickness. It also defines the measurement methods used to determine shielding performance and adhesion.

Keywords: ISO 7582, EMI shielding, metallic coatings, shielding effectiveness, adhesion, characterization method

Key technical topics and requirements

• Designation system: A compact code beginning with the symbol “SdM” that includes:
  • Frequency-band letter (A–J) covering ultra-low (power line) to sub‑millimetre waves
  • Shielding effectiveness class (Sxx) in dB
  • Adhesion class (A…P or A…TC) indicating peel strength or thermal‑cycle performance
  • Substrate designation (e.g., PL for plastics with specific polymer code)
  • Principal element and coating process (e.g., Cu EL for electroless copper, Ni EP for electroplated nickel) and minimum local thickness (µm)
• Shielding effectiveness: Classification ranges (e.g., S35, S80) that map to dB bands used to express attenuation of transmitted voltage for the same incident power.
• Adhesion assessment:
  • Peel strength test (A P… classes, reported in kN/m)
  • Thermal‑cycle test (A TC… classes referencing service conditions per ISO 4525)
• Characterization methods:
  • Measurement of EMI shielding effectiveness (methods include network analyser measurements - VNA - with TRL calibration)
  • Adhesion testing procedures (peel tests, thermal cycling)
  • Sampling and reporting rules; examples and annexes give typical measurement cases.

Practical applications and who uses ISO 7582

• Coating manufacturers-to label and guarantee EMI/ESD shielding performance of metallic coatings (electroless, electroplated, sputtered, vacuum evaporated).
• OEMs and design engineers-in automotive, telecommunications, consumer electronics and medical devices to specify coating performance on housings, connectors and ECUs.
• Test laboratories and compliance teams-to perform and report standardized shielding and adhesion tests.
• Procurement and quality departments-to compare suppliers using a unified designation format.

Keywords: metallic coatings for EMI, shielding measurement, adhesion testing, electroless plating, electroplating, sputtering, VNA, TRL calibration

Related standards

• ISO 17334 (autocatalytic copper/nickel‑phosphorus coatings for EMI/ESD)
• ISO 4525 (electroplated nickel+chromium on plastics; thermal cycle service conditions)
• ISO 472, ISO 2080, ISO 16348 (vocabulary/appearance)
• IEC 60050, ASTM B533, JIS H 8630

Use ISO 7582:2023 to ensure consistent specification, testing and communication of metallic EMI shielding coatings across supply chains.