Category: 

  • February 15, 2020

Tough Enough? Planning a Product Wear and Tear Test

Strength in itself is a virtue that customers want from their products. A product that isn’t the best on the market, but will outlast its rivals, will be more attractive to some. Perhaps this is why car brands like Honda and Ford have remained ahead of their more expensive rivals. They offer a vehicle which hardly ever brakes down and although it might not be the quickest, that in itself is worth something.

The only way you can know if your product is tough enough is to test it. Product wear and tear tests involve a lot of planning. You’re trying to figure out how long your product will last over the course of its lifetime, in just a few short days or weeks. It’s very complex needless to say.

The Human Factor

Members of the public should be used to put the hurt on your products. Whether you make a smartphone or drink glasses, human beings offer the toughest durability test of all. Using your marketing team, find members of the public that know a thing or two about your industry. They should have prior knowledge about some of the prevalent brands while also, having a history of buying the type of product you’re testing. Offer them payment for participating in your test. Your research and development department should create the tests. They will know the tolerances of the materials used as well as the pressure that your products can take at the hand of human hands. They will also be aware of key weak spots, so giving them control of the experiments with the volunteers is essential.

The Right Kind of Protection

Every component of your product has to be given the right kind of protection. If you create electronics, utilize the type of parylene coating that https://pctconformalcoating.com/ provides. They work with militaries across the world to protect key circuit boards when failure simply isn’t an option. They also offer protection for smartphone pieces, mainly to protect against water damage. Chances are that if your smartphone has been certified for an IP68 rating, it uses the same kind of parylene coating for its electronics. Inherently, this means knowing what types of protections are available within your industry. Going to industry events that showcase your options will open your eyes to the myriad of options out there.

The Third-Party Option

Going to a third-party product testing company is a great option for small business owners. You don’t need to set up your own facility or buy test and evaluation software. By giving your product to industry-standard testing companies, you get every certified and ready to go. They will perform product validation tests to ensure the product is robust and doesn’t pose a danger or hazard under normal scenario conditions. The test reports you get given back can be delivered straight to governing bodies that want to know if your product meets their rules and regulations.

When you finish the design of your product, there’s one last step to go before you can green light production. The durability tests will need to pass before you can sell to consumers.

A pretty interesting post, huh?

Subscribe now to be informed of any new posts like this one via email

Latest from the Blog