Why Test?
Long term durability of photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbine blades is one of the key factors in their cost competitiveness. Whether you assemble panels, manufacture modules or blades, or produce other components or materials, it is imperative that you understand the factors that degrade energy output over time. Electronic components need to withstand degradation over prolonged outdoor use and function properly at an elevated temperature due to solar thermal loading.
Will your PV product last outdoors? Will your carbon-fiber composite blade survive in the North Sea? For how long? Does your new raw material supplier have the same quality as your previous one? Is your warranty backed by reliable durability data? Don't guess when you can test.
Q-Lab serves customers in multiple industries related to electronic components, including:
- Photovoltaic Modules
- Photovoltaic Components
- Wind Turbines
- Electronic Displays
- Mobile Phones
- Tablets
Finished products up to 20 × 100 cm can be tested in the QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester. Photovoltaic backsheets and other components are commonly tested in the QUV weathering tester because of its accurate representation of sunlight's most damaging UV energy and harsh - yet realistic - moisture simulation. The Q-SUN xenon test chamber is another popular choice because of its accurate full spectrum sunlight simulation and versatile, easy-to-use flat specimen tray, which can also accommodate complete assemblies up to 35 × 70 cm.
Our Exposure Testing Services for Electronics
Florida & Arizona Natural Outdoor
While accelerated weathering chambers are a key weapon in the fight against the forces of sunlight, heat, and moisture, nothing beats the real thing: outdoor testing in one of Q-Lab's benchmark outdoor weathering facilities. Q-Lab's South Florida and Arizona Desert sites provide the ultimate test of your electronic product's outdoor durability using natural conditions.
Accelerated Laboratory Weathering
Accelerated laboratory weathering testing is an efficient and effective way to evaluate the durability of electronics and photovoltaics, designed to accelerate your weathering testing process to provide you with accurate and reliable answers.
Q-Lab's accelerated weathering and corrosion testers simulate the primary weathering conditions that degrade electronic components, including:
- Yellowing
- Cracking
- Crazing
- Delamination
- Loss of Elastic Properties
- Warping
- Blistering
- Degradation in Power Output
- Solder Bond Failures
- Broken Interconnects
Several test standards exist to ensure an electronic product’s durability and performance, notably IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and MIL (United States Defense) standards. Visit Q-Lab’s Standards Search page to browse standards and find the right test for your product.
Additional Testing for Electronics
Corrosion Testing
Weathering isn't the only concern for electronic components. Corrosion is responsible for billions of dollars of damage to materials and infrastructure each year. For testing against the forces of corrosion, the Q-FOG cyclic corrosion chamber is the perfect tool for recreating realistic industrial or marine corrosion in the laboratory. When you alternate Q-FOG and QUV tester exposures, you obtain the most reliable and realistic weathering and corrosion results available today.
Q-TRAC Natural Solar Concentrator
The Q‑TRAC natural sunlight concentrator combines the benefits of outdoor and accelerated testing, delivering five times the annual solar energy of an exposure in South Florida.