Dr. Jan Swart is a Principal in Exponent’s Electrical and Semiconductors practice with more than 15 years of experience in electronic systems, electrical product fire investigations, passive and active product component failure analysis, and electrical product safety evaluation services.
Dr. Swart also specializes in battery systems for consumer products, telecommunication industry, utilities and automotive applications and has published and presented at numerous conferences on the topic. His expertise includes product safety performance evaluation. He also provides consulting services related to power electronics systems used in conventional, hybrid (HEV and PHEV), and electrically powered (BEV) vehicles. Dr. Swart’s extensive battery system knowledge and experience qualifies him to conduct due-diligence reviews for clients interested in adopting related new technologies, purchasing related companies and/or evaluating related intellectual property (IP).
Dr. Swart has lead teams which have developed a battery cell, AC adapter and desktop computer test systems. Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Swart presented lectures on Electronics and Control Systems in South Africa and served as member of a tertiary College Executive Council. He spent two years in renewable energy research in South African and Germany. He has held various technical and research positions in South Africa, Germany and the USA.
Book Chapters
Arora A, Medora NK, Livernois T, Swart J. Safety of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles. In: Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Overview Power Sources, Models, Sustainability, Infrastructures and the Market. Pistoia G (ed), Elsevier B.V., in press 2010.
Selected Publications
Dalal S, Swart J, Pinnangudi B. IEEE 1625 and battery powered products. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, San Diego, CA, 2011.
Pinnangudi B, Dalal SB, Medora NK, Arora A, Swart J. Thermal shutdown characteristics of insulating materials used in lithium ion batteries. IEEE Symposium on product compliance engineering, Boston, MA, October , 2010.
Dalal S, Swart J, Pinnangudi B. IEEE 1725 and battery powered products. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Toronto, Canada, 2009.
Swart J, Slee D, Loud J. Arcing and fires—Case studies. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Toronto, CA, 2009.
Slee D, Stepan J, Wei W, Swart J. Introduction to printed circuit board failures. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Toronto, CA, 2009.
Swart J, Slee D. Failure analysis methodology for battery powered product incidents. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Austin, TX, 2008.
Arora A, Medora N, Swart J. Failures of electrical/electronic components: Selected case studies. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Longmont, CO, 2007.
Swart J, Edmonds J, Arora A, Dalal S. Case studies of electrical motor and generator failures. Failures 2007, South Africa, 2007.
Swart J, Arora A, Megerle M, Nilsson S. Methods for measuring the mechanical safety vent pressure of lithium ion cells. IEEE Symposium on Product Safety and Compliance Engineering, Irvine, CA, 2006.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Ross B. Case studies of electrical component failures. Failures 2006, South Africa, 2006.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S. Characterizing the performance of battery chemistries used to power a single-person vehicle. 6th International Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Conference, Baltimore, MD, 2006.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Xu Y. Going beyond industry standards in critically evaluating Lithium-ion batteries. Advancements in Battery Charging, Monitoring and Testing, Vancouver, Canada, 2005.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Xu Y. Characterizing the vent operation of Lithium-ion cells and battery packs. 5th International Advanced Automotive Battery (and Ultracapacitor) Conference, Hawaii, 2005.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Xu Y. Lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles. A safety perspective. 5th International Advanced Automotive Battery (and Ultracapacitor) Conference, Hawaii, 2005.
Swart J, Wu J, Zumwalt R, Birdsley J. Case studies of IR based rapid PC motherboard failure analysis. ISTFA, Phoenix, AZ, 2002.
Selected Posters and Presentations
Swart J. Battery failures: A perspective on battery system failures and test development. MD&M Minneapolis 2011 Conference, Minneapolis, MN, 2011.
Swart J, Dalal S, Pinnangudi B. Custom cell abuse tests. The Battery Show. Detroit, MI, 2011.
Swart J, Shkolnikov Y. Electrical shock and the electric powered vehicles—An introduction. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, San Diego, CA, 2011.
Swart J. Battery failures: A perspective on battery system failures and test development. 8th MIT Workshop on Fracture Mechanics and Battery Modeling, MIT Cambridge, MA, 2011.
Swart J, Dalal S. Custom cell abuse testing—How were the tests performed? Advanced Automotive Battery Conference, Mainz, Germany, June, 2011.
Swart J. Panel 2: Emerging battery technologies and stationary applications. 15th Annual Battcon® 2011 International Battery Conference, Orlando, FL, 2011.
Swart J. The electrification of vehicles: An introduction into Lithium ion batteries. IEEE PSES Symposium, Boston, MA, October, 2010.
Swart J. The battery in your product failed—What now? The Battery Show, San Jose, CA, October, 2010.
Dalal SB, Swart J. Your product’s battery failed—What now? Battery Power Conference 2010, Dallas, TX, October, 2010.
Swart J, Dalal S, Pinnangudi B, Medora NK, Arora A. Lithium ion battery standards. 10th Annual International Advanced Automotive Battery Conference and Symposia, Orlando Florida, May 17–21, 2010.
Stewart S, Horn Q, Budiansky N, White K, Mikolajczak C, Wu M, Swart J. Optimizing design, charging algorithm and predicting useful life by electrochemical modeling. AABC 09 – Advanced Automotive Battery & EC Capacitor Conference, Long Beach CA, 2009.
Swart J, Arora A. Characterizing regenerative braking in a micro hybrid vehicle. AABC 09 – Advanced Automotive Battery & EC Capacitor Conference, Long Beach CA, 2009.
Arora A, Medora N, Swart J. Arc faults in hybrid and high voltage automotive electrical systems. AABC 09 – Advanced Automotive Battery & EC Capacitor Conference, Long Beach CA, 2009.
Swart J, Slee D. F Failure analysis methodology for battery powered product incidents. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Austin, TX, 2008.
Dalal S, Swart J. Constraint based product component safety evaluation. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Longmont, CO, 2007.
Arora A, Swart J. Design review of a lithium-ion battery powered product. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Longmont, CO, 2007.
BenKinney M, Arora A, Swart J. The influence of regulatory changes on unique product designs. IEEE Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering, Longmont, CO, 2007.
Swart J, Edmonds J, Arora A, Dalal S. Case studies of electrical motor and generator failures. Failures 2007, South Africa, 2007.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S. Lithium ion batteries for micro photovoltaic power systems. Lithium Mobile Power, San Diego, CA, 2007.
Arora A, Megerle M, Swart J, Nilsson S. Methods for measuring the mechanical safety vent pressure of lithium ion cells. IEEE Symposium on Product Safety and Compliance Engineering, Irvine, CA, 2006.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Ross B. Case studies of electrical component failures. Failures 2006, South Africa, 2006.
Swart J, Arora A. Is lithium ion chemistry viable as a renewable energy storage medium in a micro photovoltaic power system? Advancements in Battery Charging, Monitoring and Testing, Chicago, IL, 2006.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Xu Y. Lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles: A safety perspective. 5th International Advanced Automotive Battery (and Ultracapacitor) Conference, Hawaii, 2005.
Swart J, Arora A, Nilsson S, Xu Y. Going beyond industry standards in critically evaluating lithium-ion batteries. Advancements in Battery Charging, Monitoring and Testing, Vancouver, Canada, 2005.
Arora A, Swart J, Nilsson S, Xu Y. Characterizing the vent operation of lithium-ion cells and battery packs. 5th International Advanced Automotive Battery (and Ultracapacitor) Conference, Hawaii, 2005.
Swart J, Wu J, Zumwalt R, Birdsley J. Case studies of IR based rapid PC motherboard failure analysis. ISTFA, Phoenix, AZ, 2002.
Swart J. The unexploited low-heat hydro power in Germany using existing weirs. Karlsruhe University, Germany, 1994.