The deciding test
We identify the test that actually decides whether the part works: millivolt drop across a joint, weld shear on a contact, hi-pot on a coil, load at deflection on a spring, plating thickness on a contact face.
Decide how the part is proved before the batch is made.
A drawing can describe a part without saying how it will be accepted. We turn the performance requirement into a test method, a sample plan and a record that tells you whether the batch is good, not just whether it was made.
- Test method agreed before production
- Results recorded against the limit
- Specialist tests through qualified partners
At a glance
- Stage
- Design, first article and serial
- Input
- Specification, drawing and acceptance limit
- Output
- Test method, fixture and recorded result
- Next step
- First article, PPAP or batch release
Why this service exists
The most expensive test is the one added after a failure. A millivolt drop limit, a spring load at a stated length or a weld shear value has to be defined before the process is set, because the process and the fixture follow from it.
We start with the decision the test has to support. Then we choose the method, the sample and the record. Where the test needs a specialist laboratory or a calibrated instrument outside our scope, we say so and arrange it through a qualified partner.
What test development covers
Method and fixture
The test method, the fixture, the test length or angle and the acceptance limit are written down. A result without a method is not a record.
Sample plan
The sample size, the frequency and the reaction to a failure are agreed. The plan covers the first article and the production batch, not only the sample.
Report and traceability
The result is recorded against the drawing revision and the batch. Where a test is destructive, the sampled unit and the lot are identified.
How a test is set
The test is designed with the part, not after it.
01
Define the decision
What does the test have to prove, and what happens if the result is at the limit? The acceptance criterion comes first.
02
Choose the method
The standard, fixture, instrument and test conditions are selected. Where no standard applies, we write the method and agree it with you.
03
Run the first article
The method is proven on the first part. The result, the conditions and the unit are recorded.
04
Put it in the plan
The test enters the production control plan with its frequency, sample size and failure route.
Typical tests and what they decide
Millivolt drop
What it proves
Joint resistance under current
Where it applies
Braids, busbars, terminal joints
Weld shear or pull
What it proves
Strength of a welded or brazed joint
Where it applies
Contacts, assemblies, braids
Hi-pot and inter-turn
What it proves
Insulation integrity
Where it applies
Coils and wound assemblies
Load at deflection
What it proves
Spring force at the working length
Where it applies
Compression and extension springs
Torque at angle
What it proves
Spring force through the working arc
Where it applies
Torsion springs
Plating thickness
What it proves
Finish thickness and coverage
Where it applies
Contacts, terminals, busbars
What you send
- The specification and the drawing, including the acceptance limit.
- The test standard, if your market or customer names one.
- The sample size and the frequency you need.
- The failure route: what happens to a batch that misses the limit.
What you get
- A written test method and fixture definition.
- First article and batch results against the limit.
- Traceability between the result and the batch.
- A control plan that carries the test into production.
Limits, stated plainly
- We are not an accredited calibration or testing laboratory. Where accreditation is required, the test is run through a qualified partner and the certificate is theirs.
- A test can prove a property; it cannot prove a design. The acceptance limit remains the buyer's specification.
- Destructive tests consume the sampled units. The sample plan accounts for that.
Where it fits
The service is used with these products and the tools that support the drawing.
Questions buyers ask
Can you write the test method if our drawing does not have one?+
Yes. We propose the test that decides the part, the fixture and the acceptance limit, and you approve it. The method is written into the control plan so the result is repeatable.
Do you have an accredited test laboratory?+
We do not claim an accredited laboratory. Routine dimensional and functional checks are run on the part, and specialist tests are run through qualified partners where accreditation or a specific capability is required.
What is a millivolt drop test?+
A known current is passed through the part and the voltage across it is measured. A low reading means low resistance through the joints. It is the usual acceptance test for braids, busbar joints and terminal assemblies.
Can you test every batch?+
Yes, where the test is part of the agreed control plan. The frequency and sample size are set with you; a destructive test is planned so it does not consume the whole lot.
What happens if a batch fails?+
The batch is contained, the result is checked against the method and the drawing, and the failure route agreed in the control plan is followed. The record tells us which lot and which process to correct.
Send the drawing
Email us at contact@qumek.com. We respond within 12 hrs.
Your enquiries are confidential with us and we proceed with manufacturing only after signing a NDA.