Product category:
Electrical and Electronic Testing and PAT Equipment
News Release from: Clare Instruments | Subject: Clare Instruments test systems
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 January 2008
Testing system handles multiple products
Each power tool range includes different product models, creating different electrical compliance standards and performance test requirements.
A Surrey-based market manufacturer of decorating power tools has maximised productivity and ensured consistent quality control across a diverse product range following the installation of new dedicated electrical test systems Earlex was established in Guildford in 1987 with the introduction of the world's first DIY steam wallpaper stripper
Since then it has expanded its product range with a variety of domestic and professional decorating appliances and power cleaning equipment.
As a result of the introduction of these new products, the company has successfully expanded sales into 27 countries with offices in the USA, France and Spain.
However, the increasing diversity of its product range and the different technical specifications required for overseas markets has placed new demands on the company's production line testing requirements.
Included in the Earlex range of electrical products are steam wallpaper strippers, electric spray guns and spray stations and steam and vacuum cleaning systems.
Within each product range a variety of different product models bring different electrical compliance standards and performance test requirements.
To meet these complex test needs, Clare Instruments has developed a series of bespoke test systems to ensure full product testing for electrical safety compliance alongside various performance and function tests.
In particular, the end of production line systems developed by Clare not only eliminate all risk of electric shock to the operator, but also reduce the track time taken to test the products.
The customised test station designs developed for each product range feature special safety enclosures that reduce operator involvement to the simple loading and unloading of products in the test fixture.
Electrical tests are then automatically applied when the test enclosure lid is closed.
For Class 1 electrical products the testers apply earth continuity, flash (hipot) and insulation resistance to preset parameters to establish compliance with appropriate safety standards.
For Class II products the testers apply a flash (hipot) test.
In addition to electrical safety tests, the test stations are also configured to carry out special load and pressure tests to verify the performance specifications of the products.
For the load tests, wattage readings are displayed on a digital meter.
Each tester also has a dedicated fault simulator that is used to verify that the instrument's fault detection circuits are working and test instruments are checked for calibration accuracy twice daily for quality assurance purposes.
In addition, because of the requirement to test products destined for overseas markets, all test stations have a dual-voltage test capability to meet international operating conditions.
In recent years, Clare has successfully supplied Earlex with a number of test area installations as the company's product range has increased.
In this way, the installation of bespoke electrical test solutions has not only enabled Earlex to safely ramp up productivity to meet growing demand, but has also assisted in the diversification of the company's product range without any compromise to its quality assurance regime. Request a free brochure from Clare Instruments ...
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