Reliability

Q: Is reliability testing the same as failure testing?

No. Reliability testing focuses on preventing failure by understanding performance limits, while failure testing investigates why failure already occurred.

Q: Can reliability testing predict service life?

Reliability testing can provide relative lifetime prediction and risk assessment , especially when combined with accelerated testing.

What Is Reliability Testing?

Reliability testing examines how a material or product responds to stress, environment, and time. Instead of focusing on a single property, reliability testing evaluates performance stability under combined conditions, such as temperature, humidity, mechanical load, chemical exposure, or electrical stress.

The goal is to understand when, how, and why failure may occur—and how to prevent it.

What Reliability Testing Evaluates

Reliability testing may assess:

Long-term performance stability
Resistance to environmental stress
Material aging and degradation
Durability under repeated or cyclic loading
Sensitivity to temperature, humidity, or chemicals
Failure initiation and progression

Results are often used to estimate service life and define safe operating limits.

Why Reliability Testing Matters

Unexpected failures can lead to:

product recalls
safety incidents
warranty claims
production downtime
brand and financial damage

Reliability testing helps you:

identify potential failure mechanisms early
compare materials, designs, or suppliers
validate design and processing changes
establish performance margins and specifications
reduce lifecycle cost and risk

Typical Application Scenarios

Product Qualification & Validation

Verification of product reliability before launch
Comparison of design or material options
Support for customer or regulatory requirements

Materials Selection & Development

Screening materials for durability
Evaluation of aging and environmental resistance
Optimization of formulations or treatments

Environmental Stress Testing

Temperature and humidity exposure
Thermal cycling and aging studies
UV, heat, and chemical resistance evaluation

Failure Prevention & Root-Cause Analysis

Identification of reliability-related failure mechanisms
Comparison of “new vs. aged” or “good vs. failed” samples
Correlation of degradation with real-world conditions

Quality Control & Supplier Qualification

Batch-to-batch reliability consistency
Supplier comparison and validation
Monitoring of long-term performance trends

Sample Types

Reliability testing can be applied to:

materials and raw components
coatings, polymers, and composites
assembled parts or finished products

Xinbodi designs reliability test programs based on application requirements and expected service conditions.

What You Will Receive

Each reliability testing project is delivered with a clear, structured report designed for engineering and management decisions. A typical deliverable includes:

test objectives and performance criteria
test design and environmental conditions
monitoring data and performance trends
failure observations (if applicable)
comparison summaries between materials or designs
interpretation of reliability risks
recommendations for design, material, or process improvements

Why Choose Xinbodi for Reliability Testing?

Application-driven test design focused on real service conditions
Experience across materials, components, and products
Integration with materials testing and failure analysis
Clear conclusions that support decision-making
Flexible testing strategies for R&D and production needs
Confidential handling of proprietary products and data