No electronic product can be successfully placed in global markets if it does not conform with international standards. This typically requires extensive testing of product prototypes. In the project, eight universities from the Baltic Sea region set up an innovation support network to provide testing and consultation for small and medium sized enterprises in the electronics sector during early product development.

TEST-4-SME initiates an innovation support network in the Baltic Sea region to provide testing and consultation for electronics SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) during early product development. Tests and consultations focus on how to demonstrate conformity with international standards. All electronic products need to prove conformity to standards, which requires testing of product prototypes. Early stage testing can help avoid failures in later stages and can thus save costs.

The network members advise and train enterprises’ staff in conforming to standards and share knowledge across the network to improve the quality and efficiency of testing in order to speed up the process of product development for electronics enterprises.

In the scope of the project, seven enterprises test the network’s services. The project compiles a list of electronics testing labs, creates governing rules for the network and analyses demand for existing testing services in the region. The network is open to other electronic testing labs. Some investments into testing equipment are planned. Laboratory staff is to be trained. Testing services are evaluated and the long-term sustainability strategy planned.

TEST-4-SME is made up of 15 partners, 7 of which are research organisations that operate labs capable of carrying out a wide range of testing in 12 categories relevant for electronics SMEs.

The labs and their testing competences are:

  • Climatic testing: TU, Centria
  • EMC testing (Electromagnetic Compatibility): TU, Centria
  • Material and compositional characterization, testing and analysis: RTU, Centria
  • Electroconductivity/resistivity of materials: TU, Wismar, RTU, ProTech, Centria
  • Manufacturing processes verification: RTU, Centria
  • Characterisation and testing of batteries, solar cells and electrical systems: Wismar, RTU, ProTech, Centria
  • Sound and noise characterisation and modelling: RTU
  • Thermal characterisation and testing: TU, Centria
  • Mechanical and structural characterisation and testing: TU, RTU, Centria
  • Spectral responsivity of radiometric sensors: TU
  • Calibration, characterization and measurements of optical systems: TU, Wismar, RTU, ProTech
  • Bioelectromagnetic characterisation and testing: LU

Project partners

Project coordinator
ESTONIA
UNIVERSITY OF TARTU
t-uni-partner

Town: Tartu
Region: EESTI
Country: Estonia

Representative: Tiia Lillemaa
Phone: +372 737 45 02
E-mail: tiia.lillemaa@ut.ee
Web: www.kosmos.ut.ee

Other partners
LATVIA
RIGA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
RTU-partner

Town: Riga
Region: LATVIJA
Country: Latvia

Representative: Julija Gusca
Phone: +371 67 089 908
E-mail: julija.gusca@rtu.lv
Web: www.rtu.lv
www.videszinatne.lv

LATVIA
UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA
lu-partners

Town: Riga
Region: LATVIJA
Country: Latvia

Representative: Dace Grauda
Phone: +371 67 944 988
E-mail: dace.grauda@lu.lv
Web: www.lu.lv

LATVIA
VENTSPILS UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
v-kol-partners

Town: Ventspils
Region: LATVIJA
Country: Latvia

Representative: Liva Blauduma
Phone: +371 63 628 303
E-mail: liva.blauduma@venta.lv
Web: www.venta.lv

LITHUANIA
APPLIED RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
protech-partner

Town: Vilnius
Region: LIETUVA
Country: Lithuania

Representative: Martynas Bertasius
Phone: +370 67 024 082
E-mail: martynas@protechnology.lt
Web: www.protechnology.lt

FINLAND
CENTRIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES LTD
centria-partner

Town: Kokkola
Region: MANNER-SUOMI
Country: Finland

Representative: Egidija Rainosalo
Phone: +358 447 250 264
E-mail: egidija.rainosalo@centria.fi
Web: www.centria.fi

GERMANY
HOCHSCHULE WISMAR, UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES: TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS AND DESIGN
applied-partner

Town: Wismar
Region: MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN
Country: Germany

Representative: Laima Gerlitz
Phone: +49 38 417 537 297
E-mail: laima.gerlitz@hs-wismar.de
Web: www.hs-wismar.de

LITHUANIA
JSC MODERN E-TECHNOLOGIES
met-partner

Town: Vilnius
Region: LIETUVA
Country: Lithuania

Representative: Vaidvile Ulbikaite
Phone: +370 52 500 616
E-mail: vaidvile.ulbikaite@met.lt
Web: www.met.lt