Complete Guide to Electronics Testing
Everything you need to know about consumer electronics testing
From TVs to tablets, consumer electronics make up a huge part of our lives. Customers rely on their technology for entertainment, work, safety and much more – and they expect their electronics to keep up with their fast-paced lifestyles.
Consumer electronics testing is that all essential step that lets manufacturers know their products have the kind of integrity the marketplace demands.
Dive on in for more must-know information and consumer electronics testing facts and processes.
What sorts of products can be tested?
The range of consumer electronics products that can be tested is huge – ranging from compact, high-spec pieces like smart watches or noise-cancelling earbuds all the way to large TVs or state-of-the-art home speaker systems.
Anyone manufacturing the kind of electronics that are enjoyed by today’s active and discerning consumers can benefit from a thorough testing and quality assurance process. From mobile phones and tablets to headsets or speakers, there are targeted electronic testing solutions that help ensure the best possible performance.
The most essential consumer electronics tests
Air leak testing
This is a method of testing that lets you find out if there are any microscopic holes or weak spots in a sealed product or part. Leak tests allow you to check for defects like cracks, insufficient sealing or holes.
Air leak testing uses pressure to determine the location of any defects. It works by creating areas of low and high pressure, with the object that is being testing situated between the two.
Substances like gas, air and liquid will always seek to move to a lower pressure environment, if it is accessible. Leak testing uses this fact by creating pressure that will flow towards a lower pressure environment. This flow this then closely monitored and measured to determine if there are any leaks and, if so, where they are located.
Air leak testing is useful for any products that are meant to be air tight or water tight and can range from burst testing and bubble testing to pressure and vacuum decay testing.
Sound leak testing
Leak testing can also be used to check on the acoustic integrity of a product, making it popular for speaker systems, headphones and portable speakers. It is typically used to check the integrity of the product’s housing or the speaker’s connections.
A defect that allows sounds to leak from an unintended source can cause distortion in the sound – the last thing audio manufacturers want. While there are testing methods that involve “listening” for distortions and locating links that way, at Industrial Physics we know that we don’t need to use microphones to detect leaks. We can measure air flow instead.
Sound travels via air and if we use tried and tested air leak detection solutions, we will be able to identify any potential issues. Our mass flow or pressure decay testing is able to accurately and definitively pinpoint any problems with connections or product housing, easily achieved with our TME leak testing equipment.
Ingress testing
Today’s consumer electronics have to be able to withstand all sorts of everyday use and abuse. From answering a smart phone on a rainy day to using a tablet in a messy kitchen, there are lots of ways our personal technology is put through its paces. Ingress testing is an excellent way to work out just how water resistant expensive electronics are, before they end up in the hands of the consumer.
Ingress testing can be carried out through submersion in water or, even more cost efficiently, through air leak testing. This can be particularly useful for sealed devices, which traditionally would be immersed in water and then opened up, so that the any damage could be assessed.
While this method gets results, it can also cost a lot of money in ruined tech. Our air leak testing solutions can get you the data you need without damaging stock in the process.
Humidity testing
Changes in temperature can also affect delicate electronic components and humidity is a particular worry. Two of the main types of humidity testing involve placing electrical products into a humidity chamber and then subjecting them to either a constant state of humidity or one where the application of humidity is intermittent. The products are then examined for signs of failure.
For sealed electronic devices, leak testing can also prove useful when testing for damage caused by humidity, as it will show whether there is a point of ingress for condensation or moisture.
Meeting IP67 consumer electronics testing standards
The industry agreed testing standard for testing electronics and sealed devices is IP67. This is essential to making sure that today’s tech can withstand the rigors of everyday life. An IP67 testing process determines whether the components in an electronic product or device meets the requirements needed to receive an ingress protection (IP) rating. Find out more in our handy IP ratings chart.
Consumer electronics testing with us
Drawing on our years of experience, we have devised an IP67 equivalency test method suitable for testing sealed electronic devices. Our method involves creating a closed space (the “chamber”) around the device before pressure is applied. The resulting pressure differential across the non-porous product walls and seals means that, once stabilized, we can measure the air movement from the higher pressure (inside the chamber space) to the lower pressure (in the test part). This indicates the presence of a leak path, providing a quantitative measure of leak integrity in a non-destructive manner.
TME Solution: Leak or Leak Flow Test System
This efficient and reliable machine with touchscreen controls offers testing such as burst, occlusion, vacuum, and pressure decay, crack, and differential pressure or vacuum – helping you cover a wide range of electronics testing needs.
An intelligent leak test flow testing instrument that makes programming, testing, downloading, printing, storing, accessing, reviewing test results exceptionally straightforward.
We also cover a full range of testing and application for consumer electronics, including compression and strength testing, appearance and coatings testing, impact testing, hardness testing, corrosion testing, film applicators and much more. Check the strength, durability, rigidity, scratch resistance alongside other essentials, with a fully integrated testing solution.
Find out more about how we can help with your electronics testing
Our experienced global team can support you throughout the manufacturing process – all the way from R&D and product conception through to testing and validating manufactured products. We’re happy to join you at any part of the process, offering expert guidance, advice and testing solutions. Interested in hearing more? Get in touch with our experts.