Crystal Instruments Mechanical Endurance Testing Services

Mechanical endurance testing calculates how a product reacts to extreme stress under controlled conditions, with the core goal of emulating the repeated damage a product accumulates across its whole service life. Electronics, automotive parts and other heavily used items endure extreme daily stress levels, and the lab reproduces this repeated loading through a combination of vibration testing, shock stress testing and strain measurement; while conditions typical of daily use are simulated, engineers observe power consumption and performance quality to judge mechanical longevity.

Testing begins when specimens arrive at the CI mechanical endurance lab, where engineers run a variety of quality-control tests using gauges and vibration testing equipment. Different tests evaluate different aspects of a product's strength and endurance, and each program can be customized to meet individual industry standards. Testing lasts from days to weeks; after analysis the results are shared with the manufacturer, and testing engineers and clients work together to resolve any outstanding issues before the product is released.

Three test types are common. Fatigue testing determines the localized, progressive structural damage caused when a material experiences cyclic loading, measuring resistance to cyclic stress across several stress levels. Push-pull-press testing, also known as tensile, compression and impact testing, measures a material's resistance to heavy impact from tension or compression by determining the force required to pull, push or press an object to its breaking point, which sets the maximum tensile stress the material can undergo before failure. Open-close testing targets hinges, doors, windows, flip phones, garage door openers and many other products that need durability over years, using dedicated machinery to quickly simulate years of repeated use.

Targeted failure modes include adhesion and bond strength, flexural strength and fatigue, tensile strength and impact, flexibility, material toughness, functionality, flammability, mechanical wear and circuit shorts, power consumption and performance quality, and overall durability. CI also provides in-house custom fixture design and fabrication, tailoring mounting solutions to each specimen so the specified stress can be applied consistently and repeatably.