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What's Wrong With Lithium Ion Batteries?

Posted by samzenpus on from the too-hot-to-handle dept.

An anonymous Coward writes "Lithium ion batteries short-circuit. They overheat. They burst into flames. The reasons behind the recent spate of problems with a technology invented by Sony more than a decade ago are complex and varied, making for one big engineering headache."

7 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. Really? by JSchoeck · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Martel had to recall children's toys twice in two weeks for it contained lead in its paint.

    So making sure that no heavy-metalls are in your product, which costs money of course, wasn't left out here?

    1. Re:Really? by Televiper2000 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      The lead in the Mattel toys is a result of nefarious manufacturing practices.

      --
      New! Device Legs: These legs will help your poor OEM installed product escape any hamfistedness it may encounter. Ava
    2. Re:Really? by alzoron · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      That wasn't directly Mattel's fault, though indirectly it could be. It was the fault of some idiot in China that they outsource their plastics production to. (not being racist, the people at fault actually were idiots, and actually happened to be in China).

      Just one of the many fun side effects that arise when we outsource our manufacturing so we can save 5 cents a product and roll back (tm) prices at Walmart.

    3. Re:Really? by JSchoeck · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Of course you are right, but it is definitely their responsibility to do quality assurance with all products sold under their brand name. It doesn't matter who and where it is produced, if I tell somebody to make it I have to make sure that they make what I ordered and stand up for it if it's crap.

    4. Re:Really? by Ajehals · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      So Mattel are not responsible because they went to the cheapest possible supplier and then failed to do adequate QA? Mattel created a dangerous prooduct through various action and inaction on their part, so its utterly their responsibility and *any* negative effects are their fault.

  2. Re:What a moronic post by gpaliot · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Remember Fight Club?

    I'm a recall coordinator. My job is to apply the formula.
    Take the number of vehicles in the field, (A), and multiply it by the probable rate of failure, (B), then multiply the result by the average out-of-court settlement, (C). A times B times C equals X...
    If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.

    Maybe that works for engineering too.

    --
    ceci n'est pas une sig
  3. Re:Lithium Ions by GooberToo · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    The rats calmed down though because it made them sick

    Same thing happens to humans if the dose is too large.