What does it take to lead a global authority on engineering safety? For over 26 years, AMC’s own Michael Nicholls hasn’t just been ensuring our Servo Drives meet compliance; he’s been at the helm of the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society (PSES), helping other Engineers understand the standards that the entire electronics industry lives by. Navigating the "Wild West" of regulation, Mike’s global understanding has ensured that AMC remains at the absolute cutting edge of reliability.
Michael Nicholls: Shaping the Future of Global Engineering
While Mike Nicholls is a familiar face in the AMC halls, his professional footprint extends across the globe.
As a Senior and Life Member of the IEEE and the Past President of the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society (2022–2023), Mike has spent the last 20 years representing the interests of safety engineers on a global scale.
Defining the Standards for the Future
In the world of high-performance motion control, "compliance" is often a moving target. Mike’s leadership at Compliance and Safety gives AMC confidence in the design and manufacturing for AMC’s Hi Tech products used in robotic, medical and industrial electronics applications. During his tenure, he navigated the transition of global safety standards, ensuring that US (UL), Canadian (CSA), and European (CE) requirements were incorporated into AMC product early in the design stage — a massive win for OEMs looking to sell products internationally without redundant testing.
"Being President is a five-year journey," Mike explains. "From President-Elect to Past President, you are deeply involved in how the industry discusses emerging technology regulations like the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Safety Standards are written with broad strokes, often confusing and subject to interpretation. The world of Safety and Compliance encompasses every product on the market."
Bridging the Academic Gap: The Purdue Partnership
As a member of the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society Mike has witnessed one of the Society’s proudest global achievements. Not a piece of hardware, but a bridge to the next generation. Recognizing that most engineering universities lack a dedicated curriculum for EMI and safety compliance, The Society spearheaded a multi-year effort to change that.
The IEEE PSES Education committee launched a pivotal partnership with Purdue University. This online product safety course allows engineering students to learn the rigors of compliance—ensuring that the "silent" art of safety engineering doesn't disappear when the current generation retires. The commitment continues with creating more opportunities to introduce Product Safety in Academic curriculum.
The AMC Advantage: Global Authority in Every Drive
For AMC customers, Mike’s IEEE involvement is more than just a title; it’s a guarantee of foresight. Mike has a front row seat to new and constantly updated global standards and regulations like the Cyber Resilience Act, EMC, Safety and Compliance years before they take effect, AMC has been able to "bake in" these protections early.
Whether it's ensuring that EtherCAT drives are secure from outside interference or managing complex over-voltage categories for medical and defense applications, Mike’s global perspective has transformed compliance from a hurdle into a competitive advantage.
A Career Built on Precision
Whether he is judging the perfect sound stage at a Car Audio World Final or voting on IEEE policy, Mike’s career has been defined by a singular focus: How do we make this better, safer, and more reliable?
As Mike prepares for retirement, he leaves AMC with a legacy that isn't just measured in the thousands of drives shipped, but in the global standards he helped establish and the students he helped inspire.
That said, we will miss having him as our bowling team captain in the Ventura Corporate Games.
