“Meaningful dataabout the reliabilityof a
product canonlybeobtainedunder
realistic conditions,”explains the testing
expert. “However, cautionshouldbe
exercisedwhenworkingwith time lapse
effects. Security takes time.”Thequestion
as tohow longanewproductwill remain
operational is investigatedbyThomas
Rittler,HeadofMechatronicsEndurance,
andhis team. “Tofindoutwhat kindof
performanceaproductwill deliver and for
how long takesagreat deal of skill and
technical expertise,”explainsRittler.
Theproduct specimensare testeduntil
theyhaveproven that theysuccessfully
meet the requirementswith respect to the
necessaryminimumservice life. Tosee
howmanyweeks,monthsor yearsa
product specimen lasts, Rittler andhis
teamcarryoutendurance tests.Thesecan
takea long time, asshown in the caseof
the ISOvalveMFH-5/2-D-1-C ISO. This
unrelentingperformer hasproven tobeso
resistant towear that ithasbeen tested
continuouslysince1992. In this time ithas
completedmore than1.6billionswitching
cycles. For products that have longsince
reached their target,wehaveset upa
special “veterans’ corner”.Thishasaround
70product specimens, all ofwhichhave
reachedover 200millionswitching cycles.
If aproduct specimendoesn’tmeet the
requirementsormeets themonly inpart,
itmust first beoptimised in the
development departmentsand then
testedagain. Allmeasuredvaluesand
observationsaredocumented in the
OASISdatabase.
Given thesheer volumeofdata,with
informationonmore than32,000
enduranceproduct specimens,OASIS is
an important knowledgebase for service
lifeassessmentsand futurenew
products. The reliabilitydatadetermined
isused todesignmachinesandsystems
and isacentral qualitycharacteristicof
Festoproducts. Especiallysince the
MachineryDirective2006/42/EC took
effect, customers frequently request this
characteristicdata.
Standardandspecial tests
WhileThomasHeubachandThomasRittler
are responsible for puttingnewproducts
through their paces, KatharinaSteinlein,
Headof AnalysisDiagnosticsandMater
ials, gets to theveryessenceof things.
Her team consistsofmaterialsexperts,
metallographers, physicists, chemistsand
measurement engineers, all ofwhomuse
their extensiveknowledge tosupport
development.Beforeaproduct cango into
production, they carryout IP
(International Protection) class tests,
corrosion tests (CRC) andPWIS tests
(verifying theproduct’ssensitivity to
paintwetting impairment substances).
“Because Festoproductsareoftenused
inhighlyspecificoperating conditions,
(E)Hot/cold continuousoperation:
Endurance test between–40 °Cand
+150 °C (ambient temperature).
(F)Drive testing:
Continuousoperation
at Festo isperformed inaccordancewith
international standardsand therefore
guarantees comparableservice lifevalues.
(G)Acoustic chamber:
Soundsource
locationwithacoustic camera.
(E)
(F)
(G)
