Rise of the Machines is a description, a title, and a path. I know, this title might seem worn out, and sound dystopian at the core but I promise in this case it is a good thing. Automation is being used from start to finish in many companies, and it shouldn't be a surprise that Samtec utilizes automated processes in a lot of areas as well. So why use Automation? Well, there are several reasons that a company might choose to employ automation. For instance, in a highly repetitive task … [Read more...]
Using Ionization can Help Control ESD
In a previous blog, I wrote about Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), and why it needs to be controlled in an electronic system. Since connectors are passive devices, there really isn't much that can be affected by ESD on the connector system; however, this does not mean that Samtec doesn't have measures in place to prevent it and test connectors against it. While Relative Humidity can help mask a gap in your ESD program, it does not control ESD. Ionization, however, in conjunction with other … [Read more...]
Going Microscopic to Solve the Problem
Ok, I had a choice to make here with my opening statement; Ant-Man (which is more timely and goes to the quantum level) or go old school with "Honey I Shrunk the Kids." Clearly the choice here was Rick Moranis combing his back yard with a magnifying glass to find his shrunken kids. While a magnifying glass is not a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Rick was scanning his yard with a magnified view much like engineers often have to rely on technology to help us solve problems on a tiny scale. … [Read more...]
What is Outgassing and How is it Tested?
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) products are making their way into industries that wouldn't have considered them previously. This is mainly due to the flexibility, speed of delivery, and cost savings that COTS products offer when compared to a full MIL-SPEC product. However, this doesn't mean that the Military / Aerospace, Space, Industrial, Transportation, Automotive, and Medical industries do not need to know the performance of a COTS product in their application. Knowing the outgassing … [Read more...]
A Business Continuity Plan Can Prevent Disruption Through Preparation
In my former role as a compliance engineer, I was repeatedly asked for Samtec's Business Continuity Plan. This was normally part of a yearly vendor/supplier survey that ensures that a company could still supply products in the event of a disruption. For most people, this isn't something that really ever matters to them on the day to day (excluding those people in compliance); however, when something happens it had better be in place. Oddly enough, this topic was on the schedule to be … [Read more...]
What is Electrostatic Discharge?
Before we talk about electrostatic discharge (ESD), perhaps we should talk about where it comes from. You know what it is, and even young children know what causes it; static electricity. Rub a balloon on your head, and make your hair stand on end, put on socks and drag your feet across the carpet, or slide down a plastic slide on the playground. No matter how you make it, you know what static electricity is when you are "fully charged." The conditions that afford static electricity to … [Read more...]
Environmental Compliance with ISO 14001
Burning rivers, toxic runoff, dumped waste in an open field, acid rain, and brown air. Are we describing a dystopian future or the not so distant past? Either way, most of us wouldn’t find this an appealing environment to live in, and ISO 14001 is here to prevent it. As with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 is largely customer driven, and is a requirement placed on suppliers by their customers. Where ISO 9001 focuses on quality, ISO 14001 covers environmental management for companies. ISO 14001 … [Read more...]
Beef Up Your Quality with ISO 9001
Companies proudly display it, and customers often require it. It can be a large undertaking to receive, but can help to streamline processes, maintain records, align goals, and avoid costly mistakes. We of course are talking about ISO 9001 certification. This quality standard helps maintain a customer focus and top management buy-in for a continual improvement plan throughout your company. Having an ISO 9001 certification can lead to easing a customer's concerns over your processes, and could … [Read more...]
Up in Smoke with UL (Underwriters Laboratories)
Chances are likely you have seen it, and even see it more than once per day. You can find their logo on just about every power cord of a consumer product alongside other standards, but what is UL testing and why do we need it? What is Underwriters Laboratories? Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has a long history of testing to a variety of standards, and is the mark preferred by many in multiple industries. Since its inception in 1893 UL has performed testing on products to provide … [Read more...]
Wet Chemistry Testing for RoHS Compliance
When you hear ICP you might think of the American hip hop duo know as the Insane Clown Posse, but rest assured we are talking about Inductively Coupled Plasma Testing (ICP Testing). While the band might bring a more colorful conversation; it will not aid you in RoHS or REACH compliance. REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) and RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) are the driving for force of Inductive Couple Plasma testing, otherwise … [Read more...]