What testing methods do you use to validate long-term part performance?

Long-term part performance is a critical benchmark for components in demanding environments such as transportation, aerospace, industrial automation, consumer electronics, and energy systems. Neway applies a comprehensive suite of mechanical, environmental, and accelerated testing methods to ensure that die-cast and machined parts retain their structural and functional integrity over time. These tests are essential for verifying compliance with application-specific durability standards and ensuring product lifecycle reliability.

Our validation process spans material-level analysis to full assembly fatigue and environmental simulations. Each test is selected based on the part’s intended application, material, geometry, and service conditions.

Why Long-Term Testing Matters

Mechanical and environmental loads such as cyclic stress, temperature variation, moisture, UV exposure, and corrosion can degrade materials over time. Parts may suffer from fatigue cracking, dimensional drift, coating delamination, or corrosion pitting without proper validation, leading to premature failure.

At Neway, long-term performance testing supports:

• Product qualification and certification

• Failure mode identification and prevention

• Predictive maintenance planning

• Regulatory and customer specification compliance

For example, aluminum components used in exterior automotive die casting applications must be validated for both vibration and salt spray resistance to ensure years of exposure durability.

Key Testing Methods Used at Neway

Mechanical Fatigue and Lifecycle Testing

Fatigue is one of the primary failure modes in metallic components. Neway performs uniaxial and multiaxial fatigue tests to simulate real-world loading cycles:

• Sinusoidal or block spectrum loading

• Load range up to 50 kN, frequency up to 100 Hz

• Evaluation of high-cycle fatigue life (>10⁶ cycles)

This testing is commonly integrated into casting design optimization to properly reinforce structural areas near bosses, ribs, or thin-wall transitions.

Redesign recommendations may include wall thickness balancing, improved filleting, or more fatigue-resistant alloys such as A356-T6.

Corrosion and Environmental Stability Testing

Neway validates corrosion resistance through controlled environmental exposure to simulate long-term service conditions. These include:

• Neutral Salt Spray (NSS) per ASTM B117

• Acetic Acid Salt Spray (ASS) for decorative finishes

• High-humidity chamber testing (85% RH, 60 °C for 1000 hours)

Coatings such as powder coating, anodizing, and electroless nickel plating are tested on cast aluminum substrates like A380 or AlSi12 to evaluate resistance against oxidation, blistering, and delamination.

This is particularly critical for electronic enclosures used in coastal or industrial installations.

Thermal Cycling and Creep Tests

For components exposed to thermal gradients or prolonged static loads, such as die-cast brackets in HVAC or EV systems, Neway simulates:

• Repeated thermal expansion and contraction across -40 °C to 150 °C

• Stress-induced deformation monitoring over extended durations

• Material stability testing on heat-prone alloys such as AlSi12 and A413

Creep tests help ensure that cast aluminum housings will retain form and fit in engine compartments or high-heat assemblies over time.

UV and Weathering Resistance

For exterior components, UV and environmental resistance are essential. Neway conducts:

• Accelerated UV exposure with UV-A/UV-B lamps per ISO 4892-2

• Cyclic humidity tests for finish breakdown and adhesion retention

• Colorfastness and chalking resistance evaluation

These methods are commonly applied to architectural aluminum castings and powder-coated outdoor lighting fixtures.

Vibration and Shock Testing

For assemblies used in transport, appliance, and industrial systems, Neway verifies mechanical stability through:

• Sinusoidal and random vibration simulation (20–2000 Hz)

• Drop, impact, and shock pulse tests per IEC and MIL-STD protocols

• Combined modal and fatigue testing under vibration + thermal cycles

Components such as zinc alloy die-cast motor housings undergo vibration endurance testing to prevent crack propagation and fastener fatigue.

Conclusion

Validating long-term part performance requires a multi-faceted approach combining fatigue testing, corrosion analysis, thermal cycling, UV stability, and dynamic mechanical stress simulations. At Neway, we tailor each test protocol based on material, geometry, and application environment. Whether your part is used in offshore, automotive, or high-heat industrial settings, our validation capabilities ensure reliability across the product lifecycle.

From surface treatment durability to precision machining validation, our testing framework supports performance-driven manufacturing from prototype to mass production.