Brigade has always prided itself on the quality, reliability and fitness for purpose of its products and processes. We actively seek to attain the highest levels of accreditation wherever possible. For example all our products are rigorously HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) tested. The range of standards and accreditations achieved by our products is extensive. Below are explanations of the customer benefits of these standards. Details of the standards met by each product are in the product section of this website.
HALT TESTING
Is an effective technique for engineering ruggedness and reliability into a product at the earliest stage in the development process. HALT helps decrease design time, decrease cost and increase reliability. The technique uses increased stresses beyond expected field environmental conditions to precipitate latent failures in components caused by design or process weaknesses. Stresses are usually increased in steps until the operating limits are found. These limits are increased through design improvements until the fundamental limits of technology of the design are reached and it is impossible to improve the design anymore.
A test plan will be used to determine the limits of operation and the limit of (premenant) damage.
A test plan will normally consist of:
Decreasing level of static temperature
Increasing level of static temperature
Increasing levels of cyclic temperature rate of change
Increasing levels of random vibration
Combinations of cycling temperature and random vibration
Other stress testing REVERSING ALARM (BACKALARM) TESTING
How do we test a BACKALARM ?
The standard we use is SAE J994, (Society of Automotive Engineers), the objective of this standard is to meet the functional, environmental, and life cycle test requirements for electrically operated backup alarm devices.
Brief Summary of how we test the our Back alarms
Sound level is measure and record by type i.e. Type A – 112 dB(A) and Type F – 77 dB(A). Sound level rating in dB(A) must be imprinted on the alarm. Or unless otherwise stated, the tolerance on sound level measurements is ± 4dB(A). Also the sound frequency must meet the acceptable frequency range of 700Hz to 2800Hz, with a cycles of sound level pulsations from the alarm should be in the order of 1 to 2 per second. With a duration of ‘on’ and ‘off’ equal interval within ± 20%.
The environmental testing is completed at both low and high temperatures- this means expose the component (non-operating) to minimum storage temperature -40°C, within 1 minute after removing the alarm for the chamber, the alarm must be operated, with a sound level with in ± 8dB(A) at extremes of voltage variation which for a 12Vdc(nom.) system is 9Vdc (min.) to 16Vdc (max.), and 24Vdc at 18Vdc to 32Vdc (max.). Then the unit is allowed to warm up to 25°C at which the alarm should meet the sound level requirements.
High temperature is the same procedure by exposed at 85°C for 2 hours.
And the test doesn’t stop there, rain test is carried out with alarm exposed all sides, to simulated blown rain for at least 2h with a rainfall rate of 2.5mm water per minute.
Vibration testing is a very important test for reliability of the BACK ALARM, this test involves the vibrating the BACKALARM, along each axis (x-y-z) at 10g (peak to peak) above 27 Hz for 30 minutes. The total cycling time for each axis is 3 hours the time spent on the axis.
Not for getting corrosion testing, the BACKALARM is exposed to a salt spray (fog), which consisting of two periods of 24 hrs exposure followed with 1 hr drying time.
We claim confidently that our BACKALARMs can be high pressure washed, knowing they have been tested to withstand a hot detergent solution at 85°C at 1000psi pressure at a flow rate of 5gal/min from a distance of 300mm.
Then dust protection is tested with dust blown intermittently at the unit over a 5 hours test period.
‘CE’ and ‘e’ Marks – Electromagnetic Compatibility
