Electrical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering

Electrical systems are integrated into many of the products used today to make them cheaper, more reliable, and “smarter”. Electronic systems are found in everything from coffee makers to automobiles, and in many of these products they interface with mechanical components. The integration of electrical and mechanical systems is so common that the entire system is generally referred to as an electro-mechanical system. A perfect example of an electro-mechanical system is a modern automobile, which uses electronic systems such as the engine management to control the inputs to the engine, a mechanical system.

Many of the projects that Principia’s engineers encounter involve interactions between electrical and mechanical systems and require a high level of competence in both fields. Principia’s engineers have expertise in both electrical and mechanical engineering. In addition to our education and training, we have design experience in electric circuits, electronic control systems, and electro-mechanical systems. We understand the particular problems that can arise in the integration of electrical and mechanical systems and the failure modes that can occur in these systems. Some representative areas that require this multidisciplinary background include:

• Fire cause and analysis involving electric sources of ignition.
• Consumer product failures that contain both electronic and mechanical components. Principia has worked on projects involving electric grills, stoves, hot tub controllers, and elevators.
• Circuit board and semiconductor failures. Often these failures are due to mechanical engineering issues such as heat transfer problems (overheating), mechanical failures, or manufacturing defects. Principia’s engineers have experience working with large electronics manufacturers on products ranging from cell phones to mp3 players.
• Automotive safety systems and electronic control systems. This includes vehicle braking systems, traction control, stability control, and air bag systems. Principia’s engineers have worked on automotive airbag sensing systems and deployment technology, seatbelt pretensioners, and safety interlocks that prevent the vehicle from starting in unsafe situations.

Principia, LLC also has the facilities and tools necessary to analyze, test, and design electronic circuits and systems. Our electronic lab has electronic components for testing and design, hardware for monitoring circuit performance, electronic power supplies, electronic signal generators, and circuit fabrication and prototyping tools. These tools allow Principia to efficiently assist our clients with their cases without the need to rely on third party companies, making the work product less expensive and providing higher value.