Environmental Testing Types & Processes
Environmental testing can improve product robustness, product reliability and production processes, increasing yields and reducing warranty expenses and exposure. The subsequent adoption of environmental testing techniques by the commercial electronics industry has been gaining momentum ever since. Increased product robustness and reliability, improved production processes and reduced warranty expenses are some of the benefits that have been realized.
Environmental testing can be measured based upon the simulation and stimulation.
In Simulation conditions a products see a normal environmental conditions which often pass because the environmental stresses applied to the product—such as temperature, humidity, and vibration—do not exceed its intended use. Once the product passes the simulation test it’s ready for market or consumer use.
Stimulation uses stresses to uncover a product’s weaknesses and limits, often stressing a product to the point of failure and beyond. For example, the temperature would gradually increase in an attempt to find the highest temperature at which the product will operate and where damage will occur. Once the product fails, it is determined whether the failure is acceptable or if it needs to be fixed prior to market introduction.