In this series on Hardware Test Engineering, we've discussed how involving hardware test engineers early in the design phase prevents costly revisions and streamlines development. As your product transitions from concept to prototype, testing evolves beyond concept validation to drive design optimization throughout the product development (PD) life cycle.

By collaborating closely with clients and PD engineers from the outset, hardware test (HWT) engineers validate critical design elements, detect issues early, and keep development on track. This early integration accelerates the iterative process, ensuring efficient design refinement at every stage.

Top Goals of Test Engineering to Improve Product Design

Tailoring testing to the product’s core functions and development path

Each product’s unique requirements and constraints guide testing at every stage. By aligning test strategies with the product's use case, design goals, and limitations, HWT engineers prioritize core functionality, focusing on:

• Meeting design specifications by verifying prototype alignment with design specifications and identifying where tolerances can be improved.
• Testing reliability under real-world conditions by conducting tests for durability, thermal performance, and environmental stress to ensure optimal performance in its operational environment.
• Validating efficiency in functional performance by optimizing battery life, power consumption, latency, and bandwidth, even in compact or complex designs.

Read about solving haptic interference in small form factor devices:

Anticipating design and test issues created by “the tech squeeze”

As the demand for compact form factors grows, tighter error tolerances leave minimal margin for error. When developing systems like optical devices or densely packed electronics, involving test engineering early ensures that designs account for future testing needs, enabling better access to critical components and reducing the risk of costly redesigns or failures. This early integration also enhances the product’s Design for Test (DFT), streamlining later-stage testing even in compact, densely packed systems like optical devices or electronics.

This early integration also enhances the product’s Design for Test (DFT), streamlining later-stage testing even in compact, densely packed systems like optical devices or electronics.

Adjusting test strategies for soft-tooled prototypes

Soft-tooled prototypes, typically 3D-printed or machined, enable rapid iteration but often differ from final production materials, affecting performance under real-world conditions. HWT engineers adapt testing strategies as the design evolves from soft-tooled to production-quality prototypes to ensure that the insights gathered during earlier tests apply accurately to the final product.

Maximizing the use of limited prototypes in testing

Prototypes are essential for validating design assumptions and testing real-world performance but are often costly and limited in supply. To preserve each prototype for further testing and avoid premature waste, test engineers strategically sequence testing to maximize efficiency and ensure optimal use throughout the development cycle. Examples such as:

• Starting long-duration tests early, such as environmental or lifecycle tests, allowing them to run concurrently with other evaluations.
• Running distinct tests in parallel to shorten the overall testing schedule, while carefully planning to avoid overlapping failures that could necessitate retesting.

Leveraging test automation for greater speed and accuracy

Automation enhances speed, precision, and efficiency in testing, eliminating the need for manual monitoring while generating real-time data. This accelerates runtimes and increases testing capacity, enabling faster, more accurate results. Additionally, customized test equipment can be designed for reuse, increasing automation’s ROI.

USE CASE

Automated environmental testing to increase test speed and enable automatic performance inspections

To preserve each prototype for further testing and avoid premature waste, test engineers strategically sequence testing to maximize efficiency and ensure optimal use throughout the development cycle.

How Testing is Focused at Each Development Stage

At each stage of the PD life cycle, as the scope and scale of testing take on greater significance, our test team works to ensure a rapid test-and-iterate design process. Here’s how various test strategies are focused throughout the PD life cycle:

1. Proof of Concept (PoC) Test Strategies

In the PoC stage, the goal is to validate whether the core concept works. HWT engineers work alongside PD engineers to develop a focused test strategy to confirm the product’s initial design.

• Test Goals: With limited, early concept prototypes, testing is focused on verifying core functions.
• Early Risk Analysis: Limited prototype availability requires careful use, so test strategies prioritize high-risk or low-confidence areas of design. Destructive or damaging tests are delayed to preserve critical prototypes.

Find out more about the advantages of early testing: Integrating Hardware Test Early in the Design Phase

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USE CASE

Early key performance testing prevents unexpected redesign

Find out more about Design Validation within the PD life cycle.

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2. Engineering Validation (EV) Test Strategies

Once the product concept is proven, HWT and PD teams collaborate to refine the design and prioritize tests for improvements. System-level testing, such as module or board-level evaluations, helps guide rapid iterative design.

• Test Goals: As testing expands, the focus shifts to key performance characteristics and previously identified high-risk areas. Soft-tooled prototypes are tested, and configurations are adjusted for production-quality prototypes, accounting for material differences.
• Optimizing Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Designs that are easier to manufacture are also easier to test, so insights from testing help PD engineers make design modifications that improve DFM without compromising performance.

3. Design Validation (DV) Test Strategies

In the DV stage, the number of tests increases significantly as the product approaches production readiness. HWT engineers work to validate system-level performance and production feasibility.

• Test Goals: Comprehensive system testing, environmental assessments, and destructive evaluations are conducted to ensure the product meets performance and manufacturing criteria.
• Maximizing Prototype Testing: For a limited number of prototypes, test engineers execute the testing plan carefully to avoid unnecessary damage and ensure that prototypes last through multiple evaluations.

4. Production Validation (PV) Test Strategies

In the final stage of PV, the number of testable prototypes becomes critical, as a larger quantity of samples is needed to establish quality control and account for process variation.

• Test Goals: HWT engineers balance speed, quality, and cost to optimize testing volume, ensuring reliable results without delaying production.
• Testing Manufacturing Quality at Scale: As production deadlines approach, testing focuses on validating the manufacturing process and ensuring consistent product quality at scale.

AC Supports Your Product’s Success with an Expert Hardware Testing Strategy

Download our white paper on the stages of the Product Development Life Cycle.

Partner with Andrews Cooper to integrate a tailored HWT strategy that accelerates your product’s path to market. Our cross-discipline teams ensure seamless collaboration, strategic validation, and optimized performance at every phase of development. Engage with us early to drive innovation, reduce risk, and guarantee the highest quality in your final product.