Compliance & Precision News Round-Up - Issue 34

This issue covers:

Focus on product safety
UK electronics sector in good health
HAL LED confirms luminaire power outputs
New website for CEMEP
New surge protection guide

Focus on product safety

All aspects of product safety will be the focus of attention at this year’s Product Safety Conference, organised by Electrical Safety First.

This year the event, entitled Product Safety First – Time for Change, will be held on Wednesday 12th November, at Church House, Westminster.

Key themes will include the changing shape of product safety legislation, identifying trends and emerging issues, recall effectiveness and the issue of behavioural change in consumers. A highlight of the event will be the launch of Electrical Safety First’s research project on consumer behaviour – and how this impacts on traceability and product recall.

Previous research shows that consumer indifference and an underestimation of the danger of recalled products make a significant contribution to low recall rates. Nearly two million adults have knowingly ignored a recall notice, with a further million admitting to currently owning an electrical item that has been recalled.

The conference has become a major forum for ideas and information around product safety, as it brings together key stakeholders from across the board – manufacturers, retailers, consumer safety professionals and government bodies – to ensure consumer protection benefits from the industry’s collaborative approach. Further details here.

UK electronics sector in good health

NMI has published its third annual employment survey for the UK’s microelectronics and semiconductor IP sectors. The survey, covering engineering roles from graduates to senior management, suggests that the UK electronics industry is in good health.

The survey showed that 57% of respondents are recruiting, 44% are planning to give pay rises and 71% plan to recruit graduates in the coming 12 months.

The survey also showed staff turnover is increasing. In its 2013 survey, NMI found turnover averaged 5%; this year, that figure grew to 18%.

In terms of the UK’s competitive position, 64% of respondents stated that they thought the UK has an advantage over other European countries with only 14% stating the opposite - that the UK is at a disadvantage.

Asked what favoured the domestic electronics sector, one respondent commented that the UK has a 'good, strong industry network meaning we are well connected' and another noting the UK’s 'highly skilled innovative people with a lot of talent'. Details at www.nmi.org.uk

HAL LED confirms luminaire power outputs

The advanced HAL LED low power safety tester from Clare has been developed specifically to meet the specialist needs of the LED manufacturing sector.

The specialist production line tester for luminaires undertakes high resolution LED output power measurement to ensuring that quality control and performance parameters are within acceptable limits and confirmation that correct components, such as LED drivers, have been fitted at the time of manufacture.

Included in the full suite of conformance testing provided by the instrument is power/leakage testing, AC/DC Hipot (FLASH/Dielectric Strength), insulation and ground/earth bond testing.

An onboard memory allows accurate and comprehensive test results to be stored with date and time stamps for up to 6000 products, ensuring an audit of results for quality control assurance.

In this way, the HAL LED enables users to meet the safety compliance requirements for national and international product standards, including BS EN 60598, covering the safety of lighting equipment such as lamp holders, lights and fluorescent light.

Full details here

New website for CEMEP

The European Committee of Manufacturers of Electrical Machines and Power Electronics, (CEMEP) has launched a new website, giving information on the structure, members and activities in its four industry groups.

The industry groups, representing manufacturers of low voltage motors, high voltage motors, variable speed drives and uninterruptible power supplies, enable the national associations to come together as one voice to deal with EU technical and environmental directives and other common industrial matters.

This allows industry to co-ordinate actions at the European level, with the main topics being: market evolution, standardisation, regulation, promotion and connection with other products & professional groups. New website and full details at www.cemep.eu

New surge protection guide

BEAMA, the UK electrotechnical industry organisation, has published a new guide to surge protection.

The new guide is intended to help designers, specifiers and installers better understand the requirements relating to surge protection standards by providing clear, best practice guidance on the subject.

Included is information to enable readers to fully understand the types of risk and damage that can occur, enable them to comply with surge protection requirements in Wiring Requirements BS 7671, and assist those involved in selecting, erecting and testing, and verification of surge protection devices in accordance with BS 7671, supported by current lightning and surge protection standards.

Full details of the BEAMA Guide to Surge Protection Devices is available at www.beama.org.uk