A smooth market entry with early phase testing

It is a matter of fact that delays in product introduction have a negative effect on profitability. Hence, keeping your product on schedule or even exceeding it can lead to competitive advantages and more profits both in the long and short term. Unfortunately, a big portion of product development projects run late. One reason for this is late detection of faults and compliance issues that can significantly push your go-to-market schedule backwards.

Rapid R&D is one of the building blocks of a strategically agile company. By introducing early-phase testing you will ensure your R&D is running rapidly as the process will be optimized and lead time reduced. You will mitigate the risk of market changes as you minimize your time-to-market. Running the right tests is also critical. Too little testing leads to faults and over testing means more costs.

There are many testing and compliance aspects one should take into account when preparing to launch a product. These include safety, compliance, environmental, and software safety and security. Testing is always an investment, so it makes sense to put effort into planning and choosing the right tests.

Product safety testing should always be a priority. Safety-related issues in your products design or even components can lead to additional costs if you end up doing new prototyping rounds or retesting. A key aspect of safety testing is to have an appropriate block diagram and review it with a product safety engineer at an early stage.

Compliance requirements are also often taken into account too late. This leads to additional costs as well. Worst case scenario: you have to redesign the product. However, if you take compliance requirements into account at the start of the product development process, you can be prepared for the regulations, standards, and other applicable norms set for the product based on its intended use and target countries.  

The need for environmental testing is usually dictated by safety requirements and product standards of several industries. However, even if environmental testing isn’t obligatory, there are advantages to doing it in any case. Environmental testing can reduce the risk of warranty claims and reputational risks. Therefore, testing in environmental conditions similar to real-world use makes sense.

There is a growing need for software-related testing and certification, as software safety and security requirements are being included in a growing number of industry standards and regulations. There are already mandatory safety and cybersecurity requirements concerning, for example, control system components in industrial automation, road vehicles and medical devices that require 3rd party assessment or accredited certification.

To find out more about the forthcoming regulations and secure product development, read our guidebook on Secure Embedded Development.

Our offering covers software testing and test automation for application development as well as testing of a wide range of products in EMC, RF, Safety, and Environmental laboratories, accredited by FINAS. These laboratories will help you to meet regulatory requirements and performance targets.

Etteplan’s R&D department will solve EMC and RF product performance problems with its expertise, automated measurement equipment, and test environments. We can also provide support with electronics, mechanics and simulations if needed. Our professionals will help you reach your targets both during the R&D phase and after the actual compliance measurements.  

In addition to testing, we offer compliance and certification consultation services.

For a deeper dive into testing and compliance, download our guidebook ‘Taking the fast lane to market with early phase testing’.