Endurance test consumer devices

Test facility for endurance testing of consumer/household appliances

Here we present our test facility, which simulates a summarized life cycle for e.g. household appliances in continuous operation mode and thus determines their behavior over the service life.

Various tests, measurements and analyses are possible:

• This facility can be equipped with up to 20 test specimens, which are divided into two groups and operated independently.
• Numerous device characteristics are monitored during operation, such as electrical power/voltage/current, temperatures, as well as consumption values, cycle times, etc.
• Also internal device data can be monitored during operation like monitoring of several temperatures, e.g. motor, bearing, electronics temperature.
• almost any number of actuators and sensors for automated operation and evaluation of the devices
• Recording of all measured values and parameterizable storage of raw data and preparation of test results in a ready-to-use test protocol
• The test sequences are easy to edit and can be universally created for any test application.
• Endurance test programs and lifetime tests as well as individual tests for final inspection
• Combination of the test equipment with a climate simulation chamber for extended service life testing
• Many other tests and analyses are conceivable, depending on the test specimen and your requirements.

Test equipment and operation

The use of many test item types is conceivable here, from the food processor shown here to the coffee machine, kettle, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner and many more. The required media can be supplied to and removed from the DUT, and filling and emptying cycles can be carried out.

Due to the exchangeable actuator and test item modules (workpiece carriers), different test item types can be mounted. The created test programs and test tolerances can be selected by the operator directly from a type overview.

The sequence is activated by pressing the start button. The service life test usually lasts several weeks or months, the test specimen is operated according to the selected sequence program, the measurement data is recorded and displayed live on the screen. The devices are all evaluated in parallel in real time on the basis of the limits specified in the type data and are removed from the test if these limits are violated. The other DUTs continue to run in the meantime.

Once the operator has assessed the faulty DUT, it is possible to subsequently take this DUT back into the test and continue the cycles performed. The setup and operation effort is very manageable, the test itself runs autonomously.

Touchscreen operation, barcode reader, protocol printer, etc. are just a few of the many possible additions to the setup.

Test program and measurement technology

The DUT is electronically monitored in real time during the test and during the streamlined operating cycle (load/stimulation, climatic simulation if applicable). Measurement results are stored in a standard file format on the system or network and can be assigned to each DUT. If a fault occurs on the test specimen during the test, this fault pattern can also be stored. In higher resolution, e.g. for newly developed DUTs, for extended diagnosis.

The testing software used for this purpose comes from our company and is easy to operate thanks to a modern user interface. With only a few inputs a test is compiled and started. If a barcode or RFID scanner is used, the input can be reduced to a minimum. In addition, the experienced operator at a higher level (administrator) can compose the test sequence individually using a simple programming language. This opens up enormous degrees of freedom. Thus, there are hardly any limits in testing and with regard to the test variants.

This is an example of one of our current projects. Each of our test facilities is developed individually on the basis of your customer inquiry (specification sheet). If you are interested in a test facility, please contact us with your requirements. We will be happy to work out a concept with you.