This document discusses key elements to developing an effective verification and regulatory compliance plan for battery-powered devices. It outlines why having such a plan is important for risk mitigation and success. The document details several important considerations for the plan, including performing tests to verify performance under the intended use environment, user experience expectations, stated design specifications, and foreseeable misuse. It also stresses the importance of compliance verification for shipping regulations, regional laws, customer requirements, and market differentiation. Finally, it provides tips on integrating the plan, overcoming roadblocks like lack of business discipline and buy-in, and resources for additional help.

1. Key Elements to Assure a WellDeveloped Verification Plan for
Your Battery Powered Device
Presented by:
Cindy Millsaps
Energy Assurance LLC
September 18, 2012
Performance Compliance Success

2. Overview
• Why develop a verification and regulatory plan
• What are the key considerations in developing a
verification and regulatory plan
• How to integrate a verification and compliance
plan into your process and overcoming
implementation roadblocks
• What tools are available to help

3. Why have a plan?
• Risk Mitigation
– Performance verification
– Compliance verification
= Success

4. Performance Verification
• Use Environment
• User Experience
• Design Specification
• Foreseeable Misuse

5. Use Environment
• What will the battery be exposed to in normal
use?
And
• How will it perform under these conditions?
Outdoor Use
Vehicular Use
Handheld or Wearable Use

6. User Experience
• What does the end user or the direct customer
expect from the battery?
– Dis-satisfiers
– Perception versus reality
Consumer products
• Direct end user
feedback/input
Commercial products
• Limited or no access to
user information

7. Your Specification
• What do you say your product will do?
And
• How can you prove the product can do it?
Cycle life
Capacity
Fit

8. Foreseeable Misuse
• What might an end customer do to your battery
that is not intended?
And
• What will happen when they do?
Water exposure
Opening with a tool
Rigged connectors

9. Compliance Verification
Compliance verification is done for many different reasons:
• Shipping/transportation regulations
• Country/regional laws/codes
• End product driven requirements
• Customer requirements
• Market differentiation

10. Shipping/Transportation
Regulations
• What battery shipping regulations apply:
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By chemistry
When shipped alone
When shipped with other equipment
For prototypes
For air transport
• When is re-test required for changes to the
product?
When does the testing need to be completed?

11. Country/Regional Laws and
Codes
• Where is the product going to ship?
– What areas/countries are priority?
– How will the battery be imported?
– How long will the approvals take to complete?
Be Realistic

12. End Product Driven
Requirements
• What end product will use the battery and how
does this change my compliance verification
needs?
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Information technology equipment (ITE)
Cellular products
Medical devices
Energy Storage application
Automotive application
Know your end product customers requirements

13. Customer Driven
Requirements
• What approvals does the customer expect or require the
battery to have? (Even if it is not “required” for a battery)
– International compliance
• CB Scheme report or
• 3rd party verification/certification without CB or
• Self declared with data
– UL standards compliance
• UL or
• Other Nationally Recognized Test Laboratory (NRTL)

14. Market Differentiation
• Can you set yourself apart by having a
certification that others do not?
– Proven safer
– Globally compliant certifications
– Higher performance
• Is it worth the time and cost?
– Is your customer base educated on the certifications

16. Integrating a Verification
and Compliance Plan
• Create a checklist for verification and compliance
• Understand what stage of design completion is
needed to start testing and verification
• Build it into your schedule with room for the
unforeseeable issues
Make it a real priority
But don’t over-complicate it

17. Implementation
Roadblocks
• Business discipline
• Buy in from decision makers
• Strong customer voice

18. Business Discipline
• Customary state of operations
– Short design cycle
– Testing scheduled condensed
– Regulatory considered after design is final
RISKS
• Does not comply with global regulatory
• Does not meet customer requirements
• Does not align with customer regulatory needs
RESULT:
REDESIGN – DELAY – ADDED COST – UNHAPPY CUSTOMER

19. Buy-in from Decision Makers
• Leadership team must be behind the process
– Understand risks in not preparing
– Not just give it “lip service”
– Assign responsibilities - Accountability
– Take ownership
Change the culture

20. Where To Go for Help?
• The Web
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Battery Directive
UN Manual Rev6
Transport FAQ
Battery Power Article
Large format link
Safety Link
• Your test lab expert
• Your design checklist

21. • Questions?