Hardware Testing
Section 09: Hardware Certification (DO-254)
Definition
Physical testing of the manufactured hardware to verify that it meets its requirements and performs correctly under specified operating conditions. Hardware testing includes unit testing of individual components or modules, integration testing of assembled hardware, and environmental testing across the specified operating envelope.
Where This Shows Up
Hardware testing in the DO-254 context complements simulation and analysis by exercising the actual physical implementation. For programmable logic devices, lab testing on the target hardware may verify aspects that are difficult to assess through simulation alone, such as real-world timing behavior, power consumption, thermal performance, and interface compatibility. Testing is especially important for verifying robustness at environmental extremes and for validating the correlation between simulation models and actual hardware behavior. Test procedures must be traceable to hardware requirements.
Primary Sources
Section 6.1 — Verification Process, identifies testing as a primary verification method for hardware design assurance.
Artifacts Produced
Document defining the test setup, test cases, pass/fail criteria, and traceability to requirements for hardware verification testing.
Record of test execution results, including measured data, pass/fail status, and anomaly documentation.
Related Terms
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