“It is never possible to predict a physical occurrence with unlimited precision.” - Max Planck
Contamination of manufactured products is a broad-ranging subject. Let’s first review the definitions of “contamination” and, since even the definitions are topically wide, we’ve narrowed in to a couple that make sense for the manufacturing industry.
From Wikipedia: “Contamination is the presence of a constituent, impurity, or some other undesirable element that spoils, corrupts, infects, makes unfit, or makes inferior a material, physical body, natural environment, workplace, etc.
In environmental chemistry, the term "contamination" is in some cases virtually equivalent to pollution, where the main interest is the harm done on a large scale to humans, organisms, or environments."
"An environmental contaminant may be chemical in nature, though it may also be a biological (pathogenic bacteria, virus, invasive species) or physical (energy) agent."
That which damages humans will damage materials and products as well.
Astute engineers and businesses will also look at contamination from a legal perspective.
From Law Insider: “Contaminated Product means a product that contains a Prohibited Substance that is not disclosed on the product label or in information available in a reasonable internet search;
Contaminated Product means Product that has one or more of the following characteristics: (a) contains foreign substances not inherent or naturally occurring in Product; and/or (b) fails to meet Operator’s minimum specifications.”
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Liberty Intercept Blog
Contamination in Manufacturing: Definitions
Posted by Joe Spitz on Jun 14, 2023 12:25:19 PM
“It is never possible to predict a physical occurrence with unlimited precision.” - Max Planck
Contamination of manufactured products is a broad-ranging subject. Let’s first review the definitions of “contamination” and, since even the definitions are topically wide, we’ve narrowed in to a couple that make sense for the manufacturing industry.
From Wikipedia: “Contamination is the presence of a constituent, impurity, or some other undesirable element that spoils, corrupts, infects, makes unfit, or makes inferior a material, physical body, natural environment, workplace, etc.
In environmental chemistry, the term "contamination" is in some cases virtually equivalent to pollution, where the main interest is the harm done on a large scale to humans, organisms, or environments."
"An environmental contaminant may be chemical in nature, though it may also be a biological (pathogenic bacteria, virus, invasive species) or physical (energy) agent."
That which damages humans will damage materials and products as well.
Astute engineers and businesses will also look at contamination from a legal perspective.
From Law Insider: “Contaminated Product means a product that contains a Prohibited Substance that is not disclosed on the product label or in information available in a reasonable internet search;
Contaminated Product means Product that has one or more of the following characteristics: (a) contains foreign substances not inherent or naturally occurring in Product; and/or (b) fails to meet Operator’s minimum specifications.”
Read MoreTopics: American manufacturing, manufacturers, quality
CHIPS Act, Part III: Plan for Success
Posted by Joe Spitz on Feb 15, 2023 5:03:34 PM
Discussion: CHIPS Act - Bring it Home
Read MoreTopics: American manufacturing, manufacturers, electronics packaging, Semi-conductor
CHIPS Act: Opportunity or Gamble? Part II in a series
Posted by Joe Spitz on Feb 15, 2023 1:58:46 PM
Discussion: CHIPS Act Hurdles
Read MoreTopics: American manufacturing, manufacturers, electronics packaging, Semi-conductor
CHIPS Act: General Information Part I in a series
Posted by Joe Spitz on Feb 15, 2023 1:22:01 PM
Discussion: The U.S. Government's $52.7 billion Chips for America Fund
Read MoreTopics: American manufacturing, manufacturers, electronics packaging, Semi-conductor
Corrosion, Degradation and Pollution
Posted by Joe Spitz on Apr 8, 2013 10:57:00 AM
Sulfur Dioxide Is the Major Problem with Atmospheric Pollution According To Study
“moderate volcanic eruptions are the main drivers of stratospheric aerosol variability from 2000 to 2010….” . - University of Colorado study, from an IEEE Magazine article
Topics: export, American manufacturing, corrosion prevention, environmental effects of volatiles, Asia
Increased Overseas Pollution Troubling for American Export Business
Posted by Joe Spitz on Apr 5, 2013 1:06:00 PM
American manufacturing companies would naturally seek opportunities to sell their hard- earned products into newly industrialized countries like China, India, Brazil, and others, to take advantage of the tremendous trade growth there. These markets are attractive and whether American companies export to them or establish factories to manufacture there, atmospheric pollution is very much a problem and should be considered.
Topics: export, American manufacturing, effects of pollution
Copper and the Alchemy of Bronze
Posted by Joe Spitz on Mar 15, 2013 5:58:00 PM
A few years ago, Liberty Packaging president Elaine was interviewed by the Copper Development Association, an organization dedicated to the copper metal and its uses. The Association took a particular interest in Corrosion Intercept. Corrosion Intercept, like all the Intercept Technology products, has a copper backbone bonded into the plastic packaging that acts as an atmospheric barrier, protecting the product inside from corrosion, static charges, and mildew. In that article, there is a link to a similar story regarding the importance of bronze, copper, and tin to man’s progress that I found fascinating. Here are some excerpts. I hope you enjoy.
Topics: Copper, American manufacturing, mining equipment, manufacturing
Packaging the IEEE - an Association for Excellence in Electronics
Posted by Joe Spitz on Jan 29, 2013 10:03:00 AM
“We solve product reliability issues with our Intercept Technology barrier packaging” is one of my elevator speeches. Because of this association with and passion for reliability issues, Liberty Packaging is a member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and the Reliability Society, a technical Society within the IEEE, the world’s leading association for the advancement of technology. The New York City headquartered IEEE is dedicated to the advancement of technical innovation and excellence. It boasts over 400,000 members in more than 140 counties. The Reliability Society has 24 chapters and members in 60 countries worldwide. The Boston/New Hampshire/Rhode Island IEEE chapter whose meetings I attend, is recognized as one of the top three most active chapters worldwide every year. That recognition is a credit to its dedicated volunteer officers.
Topics: American manufacturing, corrosion, boston, IEEE, reliability, quality
Best Packaging for Electronics: Then and Now
Posted by Joe Spitz on Jan 8, 2013 10:13:00 PM
While cleaning out the office this holiday season, we came across our very first newsletter sent by U.S. Mail to our contacts in 1996. Since the inception of Liberty Packaging, our basic marketing philosophy has been to share information about Intercept Technology™ packaging materials. Seventeen years later, it occurs to me that the information shared remains as valuable now to any company manufacturing electronics; devices, boards, and assembling full units. Intercept Technology barrier packaging was disruptive technology compared to the rest of the barrier products in use at that time.
Topics: American manufacturing, heavy duty barrier packaging, Static Intercept
How I Learned To Love Detergents
Posted by Elaine Spitz on Oct 25, 2012 9:13:00 AM
Today's post is from Liberty Packaging's Director of New Business, John Murphy, pictured at left during his days at Murnell.
Many years ago I took a considerable risk for our family business in hiring chemist Bill Drinan, away from the Butcher Wax Co., based on Bill’s impressive know-how for formulating detergent and disinfectant compounds. I spent long hours studying saponification (converting grease and oil to soap), and the more I learned, the more business opportunities appeared with increasing frequency. Together Bill and I structured a program for manufacturers with the essentials for a successful detergent technology degreasing operation such as: effective products, the correct water temperature, the right dilution ratios, the best handling practices, the proper rinsing, clean solution preparation, and the right equipment. In doing so, I was setting my future, although I didn’t realize it then. I just knew I needed to work hard enough to feed my six children.
Topics: American manufacturing, oil, detergents, manufacturing