Product Design and Liability
At Forensic Dynamics, we not only investigate matters involving a complaint of defect, we are engineering designers/inventors/manufacturers ourselves! Through our sister firm, Innovex Engineering, we have taken numerous products from the idea stage, through the design/engineering stage, and finally, into the manufacturing in quantity stage. We understand how difficult engineering a product (that can often be abused) is.
When it comes to manufacturing defect questions, we examine the part using the appropriate methodologies to firstly determine how failure occurred. Next, we compare it to other products of similar design in the market place. Finally, we often will take a 'sister' product and subject it to tests which are appropriate, according to the applicable standards which govern their use. In this fashion, we can determine whether the product was likely misused or whether a design defect is indeed present.
We also have established laboratories in our engineering tech centre which are capable of performing repeated use tests of the product. This allows manufacturers and/or importers to have a better understanding of whether their product will meet with success before it is mass produced, and also what the expected life span of the product will be.
Our special services department works with manufacturers, distributors and suppliers in order to custom design a program that will meet the needs of the client in order to anticipate any potential problems which may occur prior to launch into the market place.
As inventors, we have registered professional engineers with design experience, and have a clear understanding of the stresses and strains that a part must be engineered to in order for it to survive in a harsh environment. We also use finite element analysis software, along with specialized engineering design software, to assist manufacturers in streamlining their product for looks, weight and functionality. If you have a product that needs a frank, independent assessment of its design, you can count on Forensic Dynamics to deliver an unbiased assessment of its likelihood of success or failure.
FDi also performs liability assessments for a variety of organizations. Using our 10,000+ case experience, we look into premises, properties and products in order to 'predict' where a problem might arise.
Case Study
When the Canada Games Pool in Kamloops, British Columbia had too many 'slip and falls' for their liking, they asked Forensic Dynamics to retro-fit their floor tile system in order to minimize any further liability. By properly analyzing the friction available of the surface, we were able to come up with a solution that was cost effective, attractive, and which dramatically enhanced the friction available for public users.