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In comparison to the fireworks of traditional welding’s molten metal, ultrasonic welding is more a wisp of smoke and a tip of the magician’s hat. In the mid to late 1990s, ultrasonic welding had ventured well beyond its plastics and automotive roots of the 1960s and 1980s respectively. By the dawn of the new millennium, ultrasonic welding had expanded far beyond toys and automobile subsystems—it was wired into the consumer electronics industry, including medical devices and components. Though lacking the cachet of robotics and CAD-CAM, ultrasonic welding was already well versed in the language of manufacturing.

Underwriters Laboratories’ (UL) 94 Standard for Safety Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances defines acceptable flammability ratings of plastic materials for parts in devices and appliances in North America. The First Edition of UL 94 appeared in September of 1972. And on September 16, 1988, the Department of Defense (DoD) adopted UL 94. Since then, there have been several updated editions of UL 94.

Dielelectric Voltage-withstand or Dielectric-strength tests are often referred to as the High Potential Voltage “Hipot” test. It’s one of the most common yet important safety and diagnostic tests used for electrical and electronic components and devices—it can be used in both the design phase and the production phase in the manufacturing of electrical products.

A successful new product design can be a valuable asset to a company.

During product development and prior to shipment, it is essential to know if that product will function properly in the country it is intended to be used in—which makes product development testing crucial. With numerous plug patterns used around the world, engineers and designers need to verify that equipment and consumer electrical products will run safely and reliably on specific voltages and frequencies—before exporting.