Introduction (RelQual)

Introducing RelQual Associates of Northern California

RelQual Associates is a Sonoma County consortium of experienced independent engineering consultants in several disciplines, offering technical services in Product Qualification and Full-Service Environmental Testing. Each consultant runs his/her own business, sets independent rates and bids for contracts through RelQual acting as agent.

Product Qualification and Evaluation Services help product developers design in quality and streamline the design process, reducing failures and improving time-to-market.

These services include Design-for-Reliability, Design-for-Manufacturability, Design-for-Test, Planning for HALT, environmental stress testing and regulatory pre-qualification, software quality testing, failure analysis, regulatory pre-auditing (ISO900x), and others.

Environmental Testing Services are made possible by special agreements between RelQual and a network of labs having extensive environmental test capability. This makes it possible to qualify products to meet regulatory standards, such as MIL standards, CISPR, ANSI, UL, IEC, CE, CCC, BELLCORE and others.

Lab services include RF/Microwave Radiated Emissions and Immunity, Conducted (AC mains) Emissions and Fault Immunity, ESD Immunity, Random and Sinusoidal Vibration, Mechanical Shock, HALT, HASS, Humidity/Salt Atmosphere, Package Drop test, IR imaging, SEM, X-ray and SIM imaging, Failure Analysis and others.

Founded by reliability engineering consultant Ron Purcell in June 2003, RelQual has over twenty active engineering Associates in addition to outside senior advisory consultants. Our Associates are described more fully in the About Us page.

RelQual’s services are aimed at companies designing or making products to meet standards of safety, quality or reliability, or whose processes must comply with ISO, customer or government standards. RelQual can save time and cost in such cases by enabling firms to outsource tasks that previously drew in-house professionals off their primary roles during the period of product qualification. The diverse wealth of design experience in the RelQual group can help product developers avoid design mistakes that cause later qualification or field warranty problems.

RelQual’s Core Values begin at the personal level, starting with honoring the value and contribution of another person above one’s own. This is reflected in personal relationships both within our organization and with our clients. We will always prioritize trust and integrity at the personal and business level above financial gain. Our business will be built on the Total Quality Management principles of outstanding quality service, customer loyalty and continuous improvement of our professional qualifications. RelQual’s internal leadership will be earned by the trust of its followers, and decisions affecting Associates will be made with input from those Associates. RelQual will finance its work only through equity and revenue, avoiding non-Member outside financial obligation or ownership. A Member is an Associate or closely involved stakeholder. RelQual seeks clients, Associates and business partners who share these values.