safety

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.

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.

Recalls are a major contributor to product liability incidents and lawsuits, interactions with government safety agencies, disputes with suppliers and product sellers, and negative publicity with the buying public. New guides have recently been issued that can help a manufacturer and product seller to better understand how to prepare for and implement an effective recall.

Read an interview with Dr. Robinson for context on manuals, including the latest standards and best practices for incorporation with your product safety strategy.

The calculation of creepage and clearance distances (spacings) is one of the most important activities a product safety/compliance engineer or technician performs throughout the product development process.

The safety hierarchy is a flexible concept that can be helpful in deciding on a final product design. But it can also be a trap for the unwary design engineer. This article will discuss the safety hierarchy concept, how do you comply with its requirements, and what are the problems associated with it?

Industrial human-robot collaborative systems must be validated thoroughly with regard to safety. Due to the complexity of robot systems, safety flaws often stay hidden, especially at early design stages, when a physical implementation is not yet available for testing. Simulation-based testing is a possible way to identify hazards in an early stage.

This article will discuss the law of misuse and some ways in which manufacturers can practically perform a risk assessment, including an analysis of product misuse.

Grounding is often viewed from separate points of view - safety, ESD, or EMI.  This article combines all these aspects together so that practitioners can address grounding at the factories and in the laboratories in a comprehensive way.

The pandemic has brought many changes in the way we do business. For equipment manufacturers, that may equate to big picture shifts related to your supply chain, vendors, and production. Here, let’s explore key considerations to keep in mind for your product safety strategy, warnings, and instructions.