Accelerated Stress Testing

• Intertek is the only test lab in the world that has all the equipment available for a broad range of accelerated testing.
• Intertek has developed and patented the 6-axis FMVT (Failure Mode Verification Testing) Machine, which offers a frequency range of 5 - 2,500 Hz and total displacement of 102 mm, and can be used with any AGREE-style or walk-in chamber. The FMVT Machine can be used to test a variety of electro-mechanical products.

Our equipment accurately simulates real world conditions including simultaneous control of both amplitude and phase in 6 degrees of freedom and force ratings of 3,000 to 14,000 lbs. in each axis. For HALT/HASS testing of electronics we offer an air hammer table that uses an LN2 cooling system, a frequency range of 20 to 3,500 Hz and a vibration energy range of 3gRMS to 60gRMS.

Our capabilities include:

• Accelerated Reliability
  Accelerated reliability uses a simple premise and some complex math to achieve a reliability estimate of a product for particular conditions. As a particular source of stress is increased, time-to-failure exponentially decreases. This effect is used to design the accelerated reliability test. A simple example of this effect is the fatigue curves of steel.
  
• AST & RoHS Compliance (Accelerated Stress Testing and Restrictions of Hazardous Substances)
  The EU Directive 2002/95/EC on the Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment requires that manufacturers reduce or eliminate certain elements and compounds in their products by July 2006. (California is working toward the imposition of the same requirement) If you export any of your products to the EU, then you are likely aware of this requirement & have taken steps toward compliance through material changes, such as the elimination of Pb in solder in PCBs.
  
• Failure Analysis
  Intertek conducts failure analysis testing on a variety of products and materials including metals, non-metals, and metal and non-metal assemblies.
  
• FMVT (Failure Mode Verification Testing)
  FMVT is a patented process to employ highly accelerated test methods. FMVT reveals inherent design weaknesses first predicted by the FMEA (Failure Mode & Effects Analysis) process. By exposing a design to a combined set of amplified environments/ stresses, multiple failure modes (and their sequence and distribution) are produced in as little as one day.
  
• FSLT (Full System Life Testing)
  The information goal of FLST is to PASS (it's a Pass/Fail test). A Full System Life Test is very similar to a traditional reliability test. The difference is in the use of a full system and the application of all service stresses.
  
• HALT/ HASS (Highly Accelerated Life Test/Highly Accelerated Stress Screen)
  During the HALT process, a product is subjected to increasing stress levels of temperature and vibration (independently and in combination), rapid thermal transitions, and other stresses specifically related to the operation of the product. Once the HALT process has been completed, and the product has been ruggedized, Intertek can develop a custom production screen to identify process defects.
  
• MEOST (Multiple Environment Over Stress Test)
  Multiple Environment Over Stress Test is a test method similar to FMVT. MEOST takes multiple stress and applies it to the product in a short period of time and elevates those stresses towards two-thirds of the destruct limit. The primary objective of MEOST is to find the failure modes so they can be addressed.
  
• Step Stress Method
  Step Stress Method Testing is a combination of traditional reliability testing and overstress testing. The purpose of Step Stress Testing is to demonstrate one life of a product and then over stress the product in incremental levels to find failure modes.

Why Intertek?

Through accelerated testing Intertek will work with you to uncover design defects or weaknesses that may not have been realized during product design. Through simulated “real-life” conditions, accelerated testing will provide you with the data necessary to evaluate recent or proposed product changes, and ensure the reliability of your products. Intertek strives to show you how accelerated testing can save both time and money for various applications without making the setup and test execution complex.

To begin your testing project, contact us today.