The repair process is more than just troubleshooting and fixing items. Without testing the control, it’s impossible to know if all defects have been identified and fixed. Testing is a critical part of the control repair process that verifies your control is functioning properly before it’s returned to you. We often spend more time testing the unit than we do actually fixing the unit. Creating the appropriate test plan requires experience that our technicians possess and is necessary to ensure a quick and affordable repair process.
Categories of Testing
Our repair specialists have tested, and repaired thousands of controls and we are skilled at creating comprehensive test plans. All electronic testing falls into one of the following categories:
- Category 1: Component Check - An unpowered component check is performed to individually identify board-level components such as capacitors, resistors, and semiconductors that have failed or are out of specification.
- Category 2: Bench Test – Open Loop- An open loop bench test is performed to individually test the components to identify board-level components that have failed or are out of specification. Functions of the unit are also tested to determine whether they are operating properly.
- Category 3: Bench Test – Closed Loop- A closed loop bench test uses a fixture that drives the unit’s inputs and loads the unit’s outputs to recreate the operating conditions of the system to ensure proper functionality.
- Category 4: In-System Test- An in-system test is performed by installing the unit in a working system and running through a normal range of operations.
Choosing the Right Category
Every repair shop you might consider has to make a choice as to what category of testing will be performed for every control. Our goal is to perform closed loop testing on every control but sometimes due to the lack of information on the system, this is not always possible because it could be too cost prohibitive. Our experienced technicians understand this and will develop the appropriate test plans for your controls. We advise our customer to always ask their repair shops what type of testing they do on your repairs. Without the proper category of testing, the control you receive may not work leading to further hassle and downtime of your equipment.
Guaranteed Results
Regardless of the type of testing, we stand behind every single control repair that’s completed by Control System Labs. We offer a one-year warranty on all repairs including defective parts, failed parts, and labor issues so you’re confident that your equipment and production lines are in good hands.