Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Why do I have to have my product tested? ››
With reviews at the tips of everyone's fingers - "Just Google it" - shipping quality products is critical to obtaining success in the marketplace. Nobody can afford bad press or costly recalls. In order to succeed, you must be able to deliver fully tested and proven products to customers around the world - quickly and cost-effectively. Even if your product performs flawlessly, it has to be fully certified for each country you plan to ship it to.
- Can I sell my product without doing any testing? ››
Not testing your product would be foolish and risky. Product performance must meet or exceed customer expectations or you face serious issues of losing your customers to your competition, receiving damage to your reputation and enormous warranty costs. Releasing a product that has been fully tested will only ensure your company's success and growth in the long run.
Additionally, if you plan to sell your product in other countries, there are complex regulatory and compliance certification requirements you will face. You will only benefit working with Percept, a company that specializes in understanding, pretesting and meeting those requirements.
Click Here For More information on Regulatory Compliance & Safety Certifications
- What types of products does Percept test? ››
Like the market has continually evolved, Percept has right along with it. We have experience in testing all types of electronic and technology products including but not limited to:
- Electronic Devices
- 3D Printers
- MP3 Players
- Audio/ Video
- Handhelds
- Input Devices
- Medical Equipment
- Wireless Equipment
- Cell Phones
- PDAs
- Bluetooth Devices
- Wi-Fi Devices
- Mobile Communication Devices
- Power Supplies
- Miscellaneous Equipment
- Infant/ Toddler seat with detachable tray
- 3D Glasses
- Thermal Blankets
- Thermostats
- Information Technology & Data Storage
- Servers
- Workstations/ PCS
- Disk Drives
- Backup Storage Devices
- Network Swi
- Why should I use an independent test lab rather than testing in-house? ››
Percept's objective isn't to take over the role of your engineers. We simply want to complement the job they are already doing.
- You may have a lack of expertise in all areas of development (such as HALT tests, Accelerated Life Testing, EMC requirements, Competitive Analysis and more)
- Most likely, there's a lack of equipment for the different product tests (such as environmental chambers, drop tables and electronic loads for power supply testing)
- Most importantly, you will have objective proof your product does what you say it will
- How do my engineers work best with Percept's engineers? ››
Simply put we become an extension of your team. Percept's team works closely with your engineers to fully understand your product testing needs and determine the most efficient and budget friendly way to meet your objectives. Sometimes, we implement a test plan you've already developed. While other times, we collaborate to create a custom test plan for you. Close communications throughout the entire process enable quick diagnosis of problems, along with creation and implementation of solutions.
- What is DVT and why is it important? ››
DVT stands for Design Verification Testing which verifies all product specifications, standards and OEM requirements are met. Because DVT identifies design flaws before your product is launched, it allows you to correct problems efficiently before your product reaches your customers.
- What environmental testing services does Percept offer? ››
Percept's environmental services include but are not limited to:
- What is power supply testing and why is it important? ››
Power supply testing involves evaluating and verifying a power supply you have chosen to use in your product. By determining the best power supply for your product, you are able to improve the product reliability and reduce warranty costs based on the power supply failures or shortcomings.
- Why is product reliability testing important? ››
Product reliability testing helps you discover if your product will perform reliably. In addition, it helps determine (and minimize) your warranty costs. Understanding your product's failure rate and lifetime allows you to find a healthy cost margin for your company.
- Why should I do a MTBF? ››
MTBF (or Mean Time Between Failure) predictions have many applications including:
- Sustaining a design requirement
- Identifying reliability drivers
- Making competitive product evaluations
- Determining warranty periods
- Marketing & Advertising
- How can I tell how long my product will last? ››
Determining product lifetime can be done by using an accelerated life test. This is a process that combines product quantities and acceleration factors to statistically calculate the lifetime of a product. By observing failure rates in this process, Percept can build a product life curve that shows how failures will occur over time.
- What product failure rate is acceptable? ››
No product has a zero failure rate. Additionally, a product that has a low failure rate didn't get there by accident. A company can determine its product failure rate by shipping a product to customers and learning from field failure data... Basically, letting your customer test it and give you the results. This is probably one of the most dangerous ways to have your product tested - could you imagine the damage to your company's reputation if your failure rate was extremely high? Therefore, most companies choose to purposefully test the product in a lab, like Percept, to statistically determine the failure rate.
- What is HALT? ››
A HALT (short for Highly Accelerated Life Test) test is not a life test as much as it is a "weak link" test. The concept of HALT is to use controlled stimulus (heat and vibration) to stress a product until it fails. This is a very good method of finding out if the design engineers have made the correct tradeoffs in their product design.
- Do you provide certified EMC & Safety testing? ››
Percept provides engineering prescans and safety evaluations. These tests are not intended to replace formal testing from certified labs, but to prepare you for them. Percept specializes in identiyfing design improvements which leads to a passed test.
Click Here for more information on EMC Diagnosis & Mitigation
- What certifications does my product need? ››
There are three main things that determine what certifications your product will need:
- Kind of product
- Where it'll be shipped to
- Unique customer requirements
Each group of countries have different requirements and some may be harmonized so that they can be accomplished in a single test. Percept will help develop a certification strategy, perform necessary prescans and mitigation, and support the process through formal certification.
Click Here for more information on Regulatory Compliance & Safety Certifications
- What is FCC Testing and when is it required? ››
All electronics products to be sold in the U.S. are required by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to obtain an FCC mark showing the product complies with the following standards:
- Emissions - the effect on other electronic devices of energy radiated from the product
- Immunity - the product's response to other electronic devices
There are two categories your product can fall into:
- Class A - products marketed for commercial or industrial use and is not intended to be used in a home
- Class B - products marketed for residential or in-home use. Class B requirements tend to be more stringent.
General Product Testing Questions
Product Reliability & Performance Questions
Regulatory Compliance & Safety Certifications
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