# [EVDL] Speaking of Failures in Public



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Thats good news actually. I would be leary about a battery test facility
that *never* had a fire or explosion of batteries. Its better they blow up
in the lab so they can characterize the event and hopefully design around
it.

Although they should have proper containment to handle battery
explosions/fire. If not I'd be leary about the purpose of their so called
"testing".

But its GM, so who knows ;-)

Mike



> Steven Lough <[email protected]>wrote:
> 
> > Just this morning in Michigan....
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

It was NOT a "Volt" battery. Something new under test. Asked not to say more
by my source.

It is all a secret you know. 

Sincerely,
Mark Grasser

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Steven Lough
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 3:35 PM
To: [email protected]; EVDL Receiver
Subject: [EVDL] Speaking of Failures in Public

Just this morning in Michigan....

GREAT ! That's just GREAT !!!

Dang it !!!

Wonder how many Car fires there were in the last 24 hours in the U.S.
Or fires and injouries of all kinds to do with petrol chemicals of all
kinds...

Hope no one was seriously hurt....

But you know... Media being MEDIA, Bad News travels much faster 
than good news.

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/04/explosion-reported-at-gm-tech-cen
ter.html

--
Steven S Lough
President: Seattle EV Association
206 524 1351
WEB: www.seattleeva.org

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

"Thats good news actually." 

Hardly. Intentional destructive testing must be done with adequate
safeguards in place to ensure that personnel are not injured. If the
testing is not intended to be destructive but becomes so, then it means the
the people involved do not understand the technology, a bad sign, given that
this battery was headed for the electric version of the Spark. 

I cannot imagine that the people at A123 are thinking that this is good
news. Nor are the people at GM. GM can say: "Yes, we were doing tests that
could result in explosion, but do not care enough about our employees to
ensure their safety." That's not good. Or, they can say "We were doing
tests and didn't realize that the battery could explode, and therefore felt
no need to provide employee protection." That means they are clueless. 
Either way, it is not good news. 




-----
Think Big.
Drive Small. 
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

but like I also said:

"But its GM, so who knows ;-)"



> Ken Fry <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > "Thats good news actually."
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Word I got was that they were not doing destructive testing (was called
excessive load testing during my conversation) and did not expect this to
have happened. Yes, my source is from within the building. The explosion was
unexpected and a surprise to the people involved.

There was comment made that the windows and doors were built in such a
manner as to relieve an explosion. Made here this morning. If true then
where does the comment about inadequate safeguards come from? I think the
one thing that is wrong with the equation is that someone was hurt seriously
enough to be hospitalized.

As to this being not so good for A123, well maybe the chips need to fall
where they need to fall. Why are we ready to blame GM again, maybe not their
fault?


Sincerely,
Mark Grasser


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Ken Fry
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 1:58 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Speaking of Failures in Public

"Thats good news actually." 

Hardly. Intentional destructive testing must be done with adequate
safeguards in place to ensure that personnel are not injured. If the
testing is not intended to be destructive but becomes so, then it means the
the people involved do not understand the technology, a bad sign, given that
this battery was headed for the electric version of the Spark. 

I cannot imagine that the people at A123 are thinking that this is good
news. Nor are the people at GM. GM can say: "Yes, we were doing tests that
could result in explosion, but do not care enough about our employees to
ensure their safety." That's not good. Or, they can say "We were doing
tests and didn't realize that the battery could explode, and therefore felt
no need to provide employee protection." That means they are clueless. 
Either way, it is not good news. 




-----
Think Big.
Drive Small. 
--
View this message in context:
http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Speaking-of-Fai
lures-in-Public-tp4549849p4552593.html
Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at
Nabble.com.

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

After a decades-long career in new product development, in small, medium
and large companies, I can tell you that adherence to safety procedures is
more lax than it should be just about everywhere. Things are much better
on the production line, which is a much more stable. predictable
environment.

When you're dealing with new stuff there *will* be surprises. Whether due
to insufficiently-understood technology, communication lapses caused by a
hectic development schedule, ill-conceived, shoot-from-the-hip direction
from management, you name it. It'll happen. Engineers and lab techs don't
wear crisp white lab coats and masterfully check things off on their
clipboards. They're human. Which means things will get messy. Procedures
and training aren't worthless, they do limit most of the surprises to the
"poof", "splat" and "ouch" level. Rarely, a bigger one will slip through.
New product development is a process of discovery and learning. Try as we
might, sometimes lessons come the hard way.

I wonder how many surprises were encountered while developing the ICE?

Chris
LeSled is for sale!
http://www.evalbum.com/274
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