In Compliance News

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has published IEC TR 62001-4:2016, a technical report on "High-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems - Guidance to the specification and design evaluation of AC filters - Part 4: Equipment." The first edition is now available on the IEC webstore.

Researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter in the UK are developing inexpensive, high efficiency solar cells made of gold and diamond-like (amorphous) carbon. They created a cell that can potentially reach much higher temperatures than traditional surfaces because it can minimize the emission of thermal radiation.

STIHL Inc. is recalling 8,000 battery-powered hedge trimmers for a laceration hazard. The hedge trimmer can operate faster than expected, continue running after the trigger is released or operate by depressing either the trigger or the front handle switch individually.

In May, Nikola Motor Company made its public debut as an electric truck company....

Direct Distributors is recalling its 4-inch air angle grinders. The spring-loaded safety switch can fail and allow the grinder to turn on even with the safety switch locked in place, posing a finger, hand or other laceration risk. The firm has received one report of the safety spring failing and resulting in a cut finger.

Sony Electronics is recalling 1,700 Panasonic battery packs that were used in Sony’s VAIO Series laptop computers. The lithium-ion battery packs can overheat, posing burn and fire hazards.

Silicon microchips just got a boost from the power of sound. A team of Yale scientists developed a new waveguide system that can precisely control the way that light and sound waves interact on a chip. This innovation could become the foundation for new lasers, fiber-optic communications, and signal processing technologies.

Graphene is an incredible material for many applications, but it is limited by the fact that it lacks a band gap. Scientists at the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have developed a new technique for nitrogen doping that gives graphene a stable, tunable band gap.

Researchers at MIT’s Media Lab and Harvard University have discovered that mixing solids and liquids enhances the optical properties of both materials. They found that changing the temperature of a solid-liquid mixture dramatically alters the way that light is diffused. The researchers also built a computer model that can be used to design custom liquid-solid mixtures for specific purposes.

Supreme Corporation is recalling 23,238 model year 2011-2014 Signature Van, Iner-City, and Kold King vehicles because they pose a fire hazard. These commercial Box Truck bodies have Truck-Lite Model 21 roof marker lights mounted on composite corner caps. If an electrical short occurs in the light and the light overheats, the corner cap could ignite. If a fire develops, there is a risk of personal injury or property damage.