An Overview of Aerospace Battery Compliance

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published requirements that require testing for all battery devices that are a part of the aircraft itself. This testing is heavily based on standards published by RTCA and includes primary and secondary lithium, nickel, and sealed lead chemistries.

Deciphering Safety Symbol Complexities

This column covers specifics on symbol use – one of the fundamental elements of your labels – and options for handling complexities you may be facing.

Understanding Safety Label Format and Symbol Options

Read a quick guide to understanding the considerations of the main label and symbol format options available to you, including pros and cons, and whether they meet the U.S. ANSI Z535.4 standards, the international ISO 3864-2 standards, or both standards.

Product Liability and Your Safety Labels

Product safety labels are an important part of keeping users safe and reducing liability risk. There are two main standards for safety labels that are key to creating effective warnings that accurately communicate hazard information: ANSI Z535.4 domestically and ISO 3864-2 internationally.

Duty to Warn Non-English Speaking and Reading Product Users

How does a manufacturer comply with its duty to warn, given the number of people in the U.S. who do not read English or any language? Does the law require multilingual labels or safety symbols, and when is it a good idea to include them?

NASA Space Shuttle’s Return to Flight: The Untold Electromagnetic Backstory

The 2003 Columbia re-entry accident was caused by a piece of liberated external tank foam that struck and damaged the left leading edge during powered ascent. Computational and experimental electromagnetics were ultimately applied to foster the development of a new NASA Ascent Debris Radar (NDR) for the remaining 22 Shuttle missions. In the process, countless static and dynamic radar signature and EMI/EMC calculations and tests were completed to assure this safety-critical radar system was ready for the return to flight (RTF) missions.

The Impact of Tin Whisker Formation on Vehicle Electronics

Tin whiskers are small, hair-like structures that can form naturally from the surface of tin components. This article explores potential contributors to tin whisker growth, failure mechanisms that may be induced by whiskers, current testing standards and processes, and mitigation strategies, with a particular focus on the automotive industry.