What are the functions of environmental testing?

With the rapid development of society, the environment encountered in the storage, transportation and use of various products is becoming more and more complicated. This makes both the user and the producer to care about the performance, reliability and safety of the product in the above environment to ensure that the product works satisfactorily, which requires environmental test. Environmental test is the exposure of a product to a natural environment or an environmental chamber to assess its performance under actual storage, transportation and use conditions, and to provide information on design quality and product quality by environmental testing equipments. 

Significance of Environmental Test

The evaluation of the product can not only depend on its function and performance, but also integrate its various aspects. For example, in a harsh environment, the reliability of its functions and performance, the cost of maintenance and so on. Environmental test plays an important role in improving product reliability. Without environmental test, it is impossible to correctly identify the quality of products and ensure product quality. Environmental test is required in the development, production and use of the product. The more realistic and accurate the environmental test, the better the reliability of the product.

Function of Environmental Test

(1)For Product Research Test

The research test is mainly used in the design and development stage of the product. Environmental chamber manufacturers evaluate whether selected components, design structures, and processes meet actual environmental requirements, and find existing problems by environmental tests. In order to save time and fully expose the weaknesses of the product, test chamber manufacturers generally use accelerated environmental testing methods.

(2)For Product Finalization Test

Finalization test is used to determine whether the product meets the specified design specifications and safety requirements under predetermined environmental conditions. The finalization test is the most comprehensive test and the environmental factors that the product may encounter must be considered.

(3)For Production Inspection Test

The production inspection test is mainly used to check the process quality of the product and the quality stability when the process changes.

(4)For Product Acceptance Test

Acceptance test refers to the test of some items that must be carried out in order to ensure the quality of the product when it leaves the factory. The acceptance test is usually carried out by sampling.

(5)For Product Safety Test

Environmental tests can be used to check whether the product is hazardous to health and life. Constant acceleration is used to check the tightness of the product installation and connection to prevent personal injury or damage other equipments in the event of an emergency. Safety tests are usually carried out at a more severe test level than normal tests.

(6)For Product Reliability Test

The reliability test consists of environmental test, life test, phenomenon test and special test. Environmental test is the main component. American MIL-ZTD-781D clearly stipulates that environmental test is a necessary supplement to reliability test and an important means to improve product reliability.

Nowadays, the application of environmental test is quite extensive. From electronic and electrical, instrumentation, machinery manufacturing to transportation, chemical and other departments are inseparable from environmental test. Environmental test is an important means of quality assurance.