Published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/878 replaces the text of Annex II of the REACH regulation, “Requirements for the Compilation of Safety Data Sheets.”

The revised safety data sheet requirements apply as of January 1, 2021. However, safety data sheets that comply with the requirements presented in the current version of Annex II can continue to be provided until the end of 2022.

Measuring Differential- and Common-Mode Current Radiation from Cables

his article discusses the common-mode and differential-mode radiation from cables and presents the measurement results from the SMPS connecting wires.

If the fields generated by the forward current cancel the fields of the return currents and no other circuits, or sources, or coupling paths are present, then the forward current equals the return current. In virtually any practical circuit a different scenario takes place, as shown in Figure 2.

Î_D is referred to as the differential-mode (DM) current while Î_C is referred to as the common-mode (CM) current. The DM currents are usually the functional currents, they are equal in magnitude and of opposite directions. The CM (unwanted) currents are equal in magnitude and of the same direction (See [1] for the discussion of the CM current creation).

EOS is an area that has long been overlooked by the industry, not because of any limited importance, but rather because of its complex definition and multiple root causes. Indeed, it has proven difficult to find complete agreement among experts on even the fundamental definitions. Thus, the language of EOS, EOS threats, and responsibility remains open for discussion. ESDA’s newest technical report, ESD TR23.0-01-20 – ESD Association Technical Report for the Protection of EOS/ESD Susceptible Items – Electrical Overstress in Manufacturing and Test, is the first in a series of documents intended to provide information that promotes the reduction of EOS damage in manufacturing and test, and provide the knowledge base for on-going mitigation and monitoring for possibly damaging electrical stresses. The document will be revised and expanded as others in the industry come forward with additional best practices used in their facilities. The content in this version represents best practices that have been shared and reviewed up to the time of publication.

ithium and lithium-ion batteries are an integral part of everyday life. They are small, lightweight and, due to a high energy density, offer a long life. Across industries, from medical to consumer electronics, industrial applications to transportation, the small, lightweight energy sources pack quite a punch, making them a popular choice for manufacturers everywhere.

Most lithium batteries used today are safe when designed, manufactured and used properly. However, if they have design defects, are comprised of low-quality materials, are assembled incorrectly, are used or recharged improperly, or become damaged, they can pose a risk. Additionally, because of their high energy density, lithium batteries are susceptible to overheating and can become a fire hazard. For these reasons, there are several safety standards that manufacturers need to apply when developing and using devices incorporating lithium batteries.

Medical devices are increasingly designed with network interfaces to support interoperability. Interoperability interfaces enable medical devices to be composed into larger medical systems that include infrastructure components supporting networking, composite displays for operators, and software applications providing workflow automation, etc. In addition, work in the research [11], [28], [8], [22], [36] and standards [1] communities is laying the foundations for safety, security, and risk management approaches for “systems of systems” of medical devices built using “medical application platforms” (MAP). As defined in [11], a MAP is a safety- and security-critical real-time computing platform for (a) integrating heterogeneous devices, medical IT systems, and information displays via a communication infrastructure and (b) hosting application programs (“apps”) that provide medical utility via the ability to both acquire information from and update/control integrated devices, IT systems, and displays. Consortia [29], [17] are being organized to help support ecosystems of manufacturers [21] that cooperate to build asset bases of reusable components and rapid system development approaches aligned with a particular architecture.

roduct liability litigation and regulatory activities in the U.S. and elsewhere often become intertwined. Product liability claims and lawsuits can generate investigations by the government and recalls. And, on the flip side, investigations and recalls can generate product liability and other lawsuits and contribute to findings of liability.

Reporting a safety issue to the government and undertaking a recall can certainly make defending a product liability case much harder. And, while it doesn’t amount to absolute liability, reporting and recalling a product, at a minimum, increases the interest of plaintiff’s attorneys and can serve as the basis for a plaintiff’s verdict and possible award of punitive damages.

As a result, plaintiff’s lawyers and their retained experts can try to use the government as leverage to force a recall or use the argument that the manufacturer should have reported to the government who would have most likely forced a recall. And, on the other side, the government can argue that a product liability lawsuit or expert’s opinion triggered a duty to report, and that the company’s failure to report in a timely fashion should result in a fine.