Q 454. What is Burn-in testing and its advantages in new product development? Explain with the help of some examples.

 

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Hi  Benchmark six sigma forum,

 

"Burn-in testing" is actually  endurance testing of the product or service which has been designed for the customer.

In other terms this is also in-directly related to  "product validation".

 

Advantages :-

1. we can define the shelf life/ warranty/ life of the product or service.

2. Short & long term failures can be predicted before the product launch.

3. Severity of potential failures can be defined.

 

Thanks,

Burn-in Testing is the testing of the components of a system before it is put into service or before its assembly into the system. It is done to establish the load capacity of a component by forcing it into failure under supervised test conditions.

 

The plot of the Failure rate against time takes a shape of a Bathtub curve. This shows that the failure rate is high early in the product life cycle. The burn-in testing is done in a stressful and accelerated environment in order to determine the failure rate during this early stage of the product life cycle when the failure rate is high. The failed components would be improved upon and replaced thus preventing premature failure of the system. Since the Burn-in testing generally destroys the components, a trade-off needs to be made to ensure a high yield.

 

Cost Implications. Burn-in testing is not done for all components. It will generally depend upon the cost of the test, the cost of the component since it is damaged during the test, the cost of failure, the cost of warranty claims, and the cost of goodwill lost.

 

Advantages of Burn-in Testing

• Higher reliability of the product.
• Proactive prevention such as planned preventive maintenance.
• Fewer customer returns leading to fewer service and call centers.
• Better estimated lifespan of the product
• Examples of Burn-in Testing
  • Electronic Components testing is done at high voltage, current or temperature.
  • Audio Equipment is tested by leaving it on for a large number of days.
  • Stress testing of ropes, wires, and jigs is done to assess the safe working load.

 

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn-in

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/2161/burn-in-testing#:~:text=Burn-in%20testing%20is%20the%20process%20of%20increasing%20the,be%20replaced%20before%20the%20device%20reaches%20the%20consumer.

 

Burn in test is a process of evaluating components before it is placed for service. This testing process will force certain failure to occur before it is sold in the market. Also, to understand and establish the load capacity which the tool can handle.

 

During burn in test, it is usually necessary to give more pressure/stress which is above the stated capacity to check the capability of the product which has been designed. As a result of this test it becomes easy to define the lifetime of the product which it may last.

 

Advantages :

 

• Helps to determine the faulty rate of the product
• Helps to know the reliability of the product
• Helps to determine the estimated useful life of the product
• To identify the root cause of the manufacturing process
• Identify the faulty products before it gets marketed

 

Example:

 

Ensuring quality LED high bay lights, bulbs, and lighting fixtures require deploying rigorous quality control equipment and testing standards before it is put to use.

 

The LED light testing kit helps to run full operation tests under fluctuating voltages and ensures that LED products perform at their best even in excess voltage. The LED testing kit also helps in running dimming test which is vital to ascertain optimal performance.

Johanan has provided the winning answer to this question. He has also mentioned about the Bathtub Curve. You can read about it here.