In some ways, regulatory compliance can encourage
innovation. In other ways, product regulatory
compliance can stifle innovation.
EMC standards focus on the end-result, namely
emissions that cannot exceed specified limits.
There are no requirements on how to achieve this
goal.
Safety standards do not focus on the end-result,
but instead specify various constructions.
Regardless whether such constructions actually
make a product safe, the product must adhere to
the constructional requirements.
I know an EMC engineer that measured his performance
on the cost of components specifically installed for
EMC compliance and that were otherwise not required
for the function of the equipment. The goal, of
course, was to minimize the product cost of EMC
compliance.
A measurable end-result goal (in the product design)
drives innovation.
I was unable to apply this goal to my work in
product safety. The standards specify constructional
requirements such as the use of flame-retardant
materials even where the materials would never be
subject to a flame.
Without a measurable end-result goal (in the product
design), there is no drive for innovation.
Best regards,
Rich
Richard Nute
Product Safety Consultant
San Diego, California
USA
Tel/FAX: +1-858-592-2620
Mobile: +1-858-776-1618
e-mail: ri...@ieee.org
-
This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society
emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/
To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to emc-p...@ieee.org
Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html
List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html
For help, send mail to the list administrators:
Scott Douglas emcp...@ptcnh.net
Mike Cantwell mcantw...@ieee.org
For policy questions, send mail to:
Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org
David Heald: emc-p...@daveheald.com
All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at:
http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc
______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
______________________________________________________________________
