We know why a design will work…and why it won’t
Inherent in the ROBRADY design philosophy is an appreciation for the synergy between design and mechanical aspects of a product. It’s not enough to look good if it doesn’t meet (or exceed) performance standards. From the beginning of the design process, through certification to production, we constantly evaluate our designs and work closely with applicable testing agencies to insure we meet or surpass all standards. Among the tests we perform:
- Finite Element Analysis using COSMOSDesignSTAR
- Highly Accelerated Life Testing/Highly Accelerated Stress Testing (HALT/HASS)
- Compliance Testing for Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC part 15)
- Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- Sound and vibration analysis
- Load / Force measurement
- Temperature measurement
In addition to measuring sound pressure levels, loads, and temperatures, recording those values in real time is a critical tool in the evaluation process. ROBRADY has the ability to accurately record data at rates ranging from once every 9 hours (for more than a year) to 1/25,000 of a second.
We can also conduct Forensic Engineering Investigations (FEI) for those circumstances when products don’t perform as expected. These investigations are particularly valuable for locating the cause(s) of failure to improve a component’s performance or lifespan, or to assist a court in determining the facts of an accident. FEIs can also involve investigation of intellectual property claims, especially patents.
And when a project calls for better understanding of the variables affecting the components and/or systems and the right test doesn’t exist, we create one by developing a scientifically sound test process that incorporates the proper equipment and techniques to evaluate the outcomes and factor them into the design process.