How Many Product Samples Do We Really Need To Test In Order To Ensure That Our Product Is Reliable And Complies With Reg

You need to be aware that in the course of developing a new product, as well as in the course of running production runs for mass quantities, a number of samples will need to be tested in a variety of different ways.

The goal is to guarantee their quality, reliability, and safety, as well as obtain certification so that they can be imported and sold.

But how many could possibly be required? Here is an example for you based on a product that needs to be tested that is electro-mechanical...

Which samples should be examined?

During the development of any product, the question of whether or not there should be samples available for testing is an important one. It's possible that the number of required participants and the associated costs will surprise you. That is a valid concern, but the testing is necessary (I've spoken many times about the risks of skipping testing) if you want the peace of mind that your products will be safe and not lead to expensive recalls or legal problems if a consumer gets hurt. I've spoken many times about the risks of skipping testing. Because some tests are destructive, you should be prepared to pay for some samples that will never be seen again even though they will be destroyed.

Let's say you've already wrapped up product development, and the design of the finished product can no longer be altered. The following step is to verify that the product being sold on the market is reliable, safe, and compliant with all applicable regulations. It is necessary that the test samples and the mass-produced versions of the product be identical. This means making use of the same materials and components, production processes, and production equipment that will be used in the mass production of the product.

Because of this, the samples of final PP should be the ones used for testing. In the event that tooling is required, the samples have to be crafted using components that originate from said tooling.

In order to guarantee the dependability and safety of the product, what kinds of testing are required?

In a broader sense, the new electro-mechanical product you've developed (along with its packaging) will be required to go through reliability testing as well as compliance testing.

At, we work with our customers to develop customized testing plans for the reliability and performance tests, as well as the compliance and certification tests, that will be performed on their products. In the majority of instances, we consult with the client regarding their requirements and develop the plan. After that, we either perform some of the work internally (when it comes to reliability) or we assist in finding laboratories that are appropriate.



You can get an idea of the typical reliability and durability tests that we conduct for customers by looking at the following examples, which include tests like the HALT test and package drop tests:

When it comes to product compliance testing, the kinds of tests that must be performed are determined by both the region in which the product is intended to be sold and the type of product. Because there are so many different kinds of products on the market, there is an almost infinite number of standards that need to be met by a product in order for it to be considered compliant. Take a look at this example product, which is a reusable water bottle made of stainless steel, so that you can get an idea of what is involved in the process of compliance testing:Testing of stainless steel bottles to ensure their safety and compliance with regulations. How is it carried out?

An example of the certification plan, as well as the samples that are necessary, in order for a consumer electronic product to be eligible for sale on the market in the United States.

To give you an idea of what is required, here is an example that is based on a real case of the samples that are needed for the various tests of an electronic device that is to be imported into the United States:

8 points for the FCC/CEE exam, which covers ionizing radiation and energy efficiency.

2 points for electrostatic discharge (also known as ESD).

23 units for an assortment of dependability assessments

5 additional samples are to be saved just in case the reliability test or the ESD needs them later on.

ISTA-2a transportation testing, also known as packaging reliability testing, will involve dropping, vibrating, and shocking the entire box. Therefore, there will be a total of 38 samples, plus however many are contained within the three boxes.

Are the tests destructive, or are there chances that the samples or products could be used once more in the future?

The FCC and CE compliance tests that are performed will not be destructive (there may be some cosmetic damage or marks), but the certifying labs may sometimes troubleshoot any failures by checking and handling PCBs or other internal components. In most cases, they don't affect anything at all.

However, they might check the electronic signals or emissions using different loads or filters, which might or might not have a destructive effect on the sample product. Therefore, for the samples that will be used for FCC and CE, we advise performing a full refurbishment on each product by putting ISO9000 Quality System Audit through the rework process. This will check the product's cosmetic integrity as well as its functionality according to its specifications, and it will also ensure that the product passes the final test and final quality assurance before it is returned to stock or shipped to customers.

Both the reliability and the ESD tests are destructive to the object being tested. After the tests have been completed, it is my recommendation that the products and parts not be used in any way, and instead that they be discarded.