HALT/HASS testing

What is Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT)

Applying stresses to a product can help determine an item’s destruct limit and give the manufacturer the necessary information to make a product more durable. HALT is a cutting-edge approach to product testing that aims to push a product to its limits.

By identifying potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the product development stage, manufacturers can address these issues before bringing a product to market, resulting in products with unmatched reliability and performance.

Incorporating HALT into the design process boosts the entire product life cycle. Identifying and fixing defects early reduces warranty costs, minimizes recalls, and increases customer satisfaction.

What is the purpose of accelerated life testing?

Many industries benefit from Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) testing to ensure the durability of critical products.

For example, products being used in aerospace, in the maritime or offshore industries or components used in combustion engines must be capable of surviving harsh conditions, including vibration, extreme temperatures and rapid temperature changes.

How is HALT testing different from traditional testing methods?

HALT goes beyond traditional testing methods; instead of just simulating normal use, HALT pushes products way beyond their specified limits to test their durability. These tests expose products to extreme, combined stresses much faster than traditional methods.

By pushing products to their limits, HALT reveals weaknesses that traditional safety testing might miss. This helps engineers improve designs and enhance product quality.

It might sound intense, but HALT is essential for developing high-quality products quickly and reliably. If you're aiming to deliver superior solutions to the market faster, HALT is the way to go.

HALT vs HASS - What is the difference?

The terms HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Tests) and HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screen) are both used for accelerating testing.  There is differentiation in the terms based on the stage of development of the product. HALT testing is done earlier in development on bare components and sub-assemblies of a product, which is a functional sub-assembly.  There is an emphasis on rapid temperature changes as accelerate stress. Completed products ready for manufacturing, on the other hand, are subject to HASS testing, with greater focus on mechanical testing and more stable extreme temperatures, as the components within a product are less subject to rapid temperature changes.

What is the highly accelerated life testing (HALT) procedure?

HALT involves subjecting a product to extreme stresses to uncover its weaknesses quickly. The process starts by incrementally increasing stress levels—such as temperature, vibration, and voltage—until the product fails.

These stress levels are much higher than what the product would encounter in its normal operating environment. By pushing the product to its limits, HALT accelerates the time to failure and brings potential defects to light much faster than traditional testing methods.

HALT generally consists of five types of stresses, which are sequentially performed in order to determine the operating and destruction limits of the product with respect to temperature, vibration, and/or a combination of the two. This methodology is successfully used by automotive, computer, oil and gas instrumentation companies, etc., to release a more reliable product. 

The 5 steps include: 

• Cold Step-Stress Test 
• Hot Step-Stress Test 
• Rapid Thermal Transition Test 
• Vibration Step-Stress Test 
• Combined Environment Test 

The entire HALT process typically takes about 3 to 5 days. During this period, engineers can identify and address any vulnerabilities, leading to more robust and reliable products. This accelerated testing not only speeds up the development cycle but also ensures that the final product can withstand harsh conditions, providing superior performance and durability in real-world applications.

The Impact of HALT on product development and Life Cycle

HALT can be applied multiple times throughout a product’s lifecycle.

During development, it identifies design weaknesses when fixes are less costly. By addressing issues early, HALT reduces development costs and speeds up time to market. When introducing a product to the market, HALT can reveal problems from new manufacturing processes. Once a product enters the market, HALT audits reliability affected by changes in components, manufacturing, or suppliers.

How Nemko can help

Most R&D departments can benefit from incorporating HALT in their testing processes. Stress testing prototypes helps organizations identify weak points early, allowing for timely fixes or alternative solutions in the design phase, reducing the need for costly delays or redesigns down the line.

With advancing technology and rising consumer expectations, HALT testing is crucial. We urge companies to adopt this method for faster development, better reliability, and long-term cost savings. Embracing HALT will elevate your products and cement your place as an industry leader that customers can trust.

Contact us today to learn more about our stress testing procedures and see if your product could benefit from HALT testing.