Case Study: Equipment Testing Chamber
Converting unused factory space into a controlled test environment is rarely a simple fit-out. In a live operational factory, every change must protect production, maintain safety, and still deliver accurate test conditions.
This case study covers a completed project to turn an existing empty chamber into a fully functioning equipment testing chamber. The project included removing an old testing chamber, installing new electrical and water services, building environmental control into the space, and validating performance with the client under real operating conditions.
The result was a test chamber capable of supporting equipment operation tests using differing world power voltages and frequencies, with controlled air temperatures from 5°C to 43°C, and a constant temperature water supply delivered at 3 bar and 15 litres per minute, across a water temperature range of 5°C to 38°C
The project objective was to create a controlled test environment inside an active factory
The client needed a dedicated equipment testing chamber that could replicate a defined range of operating conditions. The chamber had to support live equipment tests using differing world power voltages and frequencies while maintaining repeatable environmental conditions and a stable conditioned water supply.
The objectives were clear:
Remove the existing redundant testing chamber safely.
Install new electrical supplies suitable for the upgraded equipment.
Install new water services to support controlled product testing.
Convert an empty chamber into a working product test space.
Install a power / freqency invertor to provide, 90-254V, 50/60Hz
Achieve chamber air temperatures from 5°C to 43°C during product operation.
Air flow across the test article could not exceed 0.2m/s
Provide constant temperature water at 3 bar and 15L/min.
Validate the completed system against the client’s specification.
The main challenge was the setting. The work took place inside a live factory, where surrounding operations had to continue with minimal disruption. Access, isolation, lifting, waste removal, commissioning time, and safety management all had to be planned around an active production environment.
This meant the project could not be treated as a standard installation in an empty building. Each stage had to consider neighbouring processes, factory traffic routes, service availability, and the client’s production schedule.
The old testing chamber was removed before new services were installed
The first practical stage was removing the old testing chamber. This created the physical space needed for the new installation and allowed the team to inspect existing connections, routes, and constraints.
In a live factory, removal work often carries as much risk as new installation work. Redundant equipment may still have legacy electrical feeds, water lines, drainage points, controls, and fixings connected to the building fabric. The team worked through isolation, disconnection, dismantling, and removal in a controlled sequence.
Once the old chamber was removed, attention turned to the new electrical and water supplies.
The electrical installation had to support the chamber plant, controls, instrumentation, and ancillary systems required for equipment operation testing. This included planning cable routes, containment, distribution, isolation points, and safe access for maintenance.
The water system required equal care. The project called for a constant temperature water supply capable of supplying:
Requirement | Specification |
Water pressure | 3 bar |
Flow rate | 15L/min |
Temperature range | 5°C to 38°C |
Use | Equipment operation testing |
These figures were central to the design. If pressure, flow, or temperature drifted during a test, results could become unreliable. The water supply therefore had to be stable enough to support repeatable testing across the required range.
The empty chamber was rebuilt as a functioning test space
With the old equipment removed and new services available, the empty chamber could be turned into a working equipment testing chamber.
The chamber fit-out brought together several linked systems. None could be treated in isolation. Air temperature control, water temperature control, electrical supply, equipment connection points, monitoring, and safety functions all had to work as one complete test environment.
The installation focused on practical usability as well as technical performance. Equipment tests would need to be set up, run, monitored, and repeated by the client’s team. That meant the chamber needed clear service access, suitable connection points, reliable controls, and safe working space around the product under test.
Key elements included:
Environmental control equipment to manage chamber air temperature.
Water supply connections for controlled temperature testing.
Electrical services for chamber systems and equipment operation.
Monitoring points to support commissioning and validation.
Safe access for operation, inspection, and maintenance.
The transformation was not just about adding equipment to an empty room. It was about creating a controlled environment where the client could run meaningful repeatable equipment operation tests with confidence.
Environmental control was proven across the specified temperature range
One of the key success measures was chamber temperature control. The completed chamber had to maintain environmental conditions between 5°C and 43°C with air flow of 0.2m/s or below at the equipment while the product was operating and being tested.
This is a demanding requirement because live equipment operation adds heat load, airflow disturbance, and changing test conditions. The chamber system had to respond to these effects while keeping the environment within the agreed range.
The validation process focused on proving that the chamber could reach and maintain the required temperatures under realistic test conditions. This included running the clients equipment, monitoring temperature response, and confirming that control performance matched the specification.
The water system also had to perform across its own temperature range. The required supply conditions were precise: water delivered at 3 bar and 15L/min, with a controllable temperature range from 5°C to 38°C.
Together, the air and water systems allowed the client to test products under controlled thermal conditions. That was the value of the completed project. It gave the factory a repeatable test capability within its existing site, without needing to move testing to an external facility.
Testing and validation were completed in close collaboration with the client
Client collaboration played a central role during commissioning. The project team worked with the client to test the chamber against the real specification, not just a theoretical design target.
This stage included checking operation across the temperature range, observing system stability, and confirming that the water supply met the required pressure, flow, and temperature conditions. Where small adjustments were needed, they were made with the client present and the test requirements clearly understood.
This joint approach reduced ambiguity. The client could see how the chamber performed, while the project team could validate the system against the way it would be used in practice.
The result was a chamber that met the agreed requirements and was ready for product operation testing in a live factory environment.
Lessons from the completed project
Several lessons from this project apply to similar factory test chamber upgrades.
Plan removal as carefully as installation. Redundant chambers can hide service, access, and safety challenges that affect the whole programme.
Design around real operating conditions. A chamber that performs empty may behave differently when a product is running inside it.
Treat water control as a test-critical system. Pressure, flow, and temperature stability all affect repeatability.
Validate with the client using the actual specification. Shared testing helps confirm performance and gives the end user confidence in day-to-day operation.
This project shows how an unused chamber can be converted into a reliable equipment testing asset without disrupting wider factory operations. With careful planning, controlled installation, and collaborative validation, the client gained a working test chamber capable of maintaining defined air, power and water conditions for repeatable equipment operation testing.
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