Agenda

Registration:                    8:00 – 8:30 am

Morning Session:             8:30 am – 12:15 pm

Lunch (On your own):       12:15 – 1:15 pm

Afternoon Session:           1:15 – 5:00 pm

Forensic Engineering Overview

   General causes and consequences of mechanical failures

   Legal and consumer definition of defective design

   Relevance of codes and standards

Warnings

   The NSPE Canon of Ethics and The Safety Hierarchy

   Written warnings and owner’s manuals

   Warning vs. training

   Intuitive design

Forming Defensible Opinions

   Techniques of documenting the failure

   Conducting investigation and research

   Determining causation and responsibility

   Test protocols and testing

Preparing the Forensic Engineering Report

   Identifying the report’s purpose and its audience

   Organization

   Example report analysis

Material Causes of Failures with Case Studies

   Single force overload

   Fatigue

   Corrosion

   Biological attack

   Processing and heat treatment

   Wear

Non-Material Causes of Failure with Case Studies

   Assembly

   Consensus driven absence

   Guarding

   Design for failure

   Accidents, Murphy’s Law, and foreseeable misuse

Conclusions; Forensic Engineering as a Profession

   Finding your niche

   Building your credibility

   Finding employment

Credits

This seminar offers 7.0 PDHs (Ohio CPD Hours) to professional engineers.


Continuing Education Credit Information

This seminar is open to the public and offers 7.0 PDHs (Ohio CPD hours) to professional engineers in all states. Educators and courses are not subject to preapproval in Ohio.

HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for architects in Florida and is deemed an approved sponsor in New York. HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00000700), New York (NYSED Sponsor No. 35), North Carolina, and North Dakota.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.

Speakers

Stephen Batzer, Ph.D., P.E.

Batzer Engineering

Dr. Batzer is a mechanical engineer who consults with clients regarding patent infringement, intellectual property (IP), and the forensic analysis of mechanical devices and manufacturing processes. He has over 30 years of experience and has taught mechanical engineering coursework at five universities. Dr. Batzer is a member of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers, the Society of Automotive Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics from Michigan Technological University. Dr. Batzer has three safety patents and speaks German. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Army and consults on firearms cases.