A quality product begins with a quality design. Our product development process assures a quality design that results in a product that meets our customers’ needs. Before any product design is started, we work to understand our customers’ requirements. We ask questions, and then we listen. We gain an understanding of the application. We will visit sites where the product will eventually be used. As we learn, we document the product requirements. When this process is complete, a formal Specification exists for the product to be developed. This Specification identifies all product requirements that must be met, such as operating temperature, functionality, linearity, governmental regulations, etc.   Only after the application is fully understood and a Specification exists will our engineers start a product design. Mechanical, Electrical, and Software Engineering expertise will be combined to develop a product – all of which are on staff in our Engineering Department at BECS. Design is performed utilizing 3-D CAD stations and other design software. As part of the design process, a comprehensive series of analyses and reviews are conducted to scrutinize the system and assure its reliability. Every design analysis includes:   Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) details how the system will perform (the “Effects”) in the event of an individual component failure. Component Stress Analysis assures that each component in the system is being used within the tolerances of that component. All components in a product designed at BECS are required to operate within 80% of their specified operating range. Other analyses as required by the design Once a design has been completed, analyzed and reviewed, a limited number of prototypes will be constructed. These prototypes will be subjected to a full functional test, to verify that the system will operate as specified. In addition to the functional test, prototypes will be taken to our in-house Qualification Lab where a rigorous qualification test will be executed. This Qualification Test will subject the unit to abnormally harsh conditions, to confirm system performance in even the most severe environments. The Qualification Lab contains the following equipment used in product testing: 3 Environmental Chambers      BlueM Model 1004      BlueM Model CFR-7752C      Tenney Model T30C Lindgren Screen Room Compliance Design 2000i ESD Simulator Schaffner NSG1025 EFT/Burst Generator Schaffner Capacitive Clamp   Many companies view their Service activity as a profit center. At BECS we consider every customer interaction an opportunity to improve our products. Our Service Department is part of the Engineering Department, and our Service Manager reports directly to the Engineering Manager. Engineering has full access to service records, so design improvements continue long after a product is in production.