Durability of washing machines under real life conditions: Definition and application of a testing procedure

One of the global challenges of our economy is to meet the demand of a growing population while reducing resource consumption and waste production. This means moving from a linear to a more circular economy model, in which the design of more durable products plays a key role. From a technical perspective, product design needs to be supported by sound testing methods. However, repeatable and reproducible methods for testing product durability under real-life stress conditions are often not available, as in the case of washing machines. The overall objective of this study is to make further progress in the know-how relating to the durability testing of washing machines. A procedure is developed which: 1) consists of washing and spinning cycles, thus imposing thermal and mechanical stresses typically occurring in household washing machines; 2) can be used to monitor the performance of the appliances over time with limited testing burdens. The procedure was applied in a trial with two washing machines for a simulated usage period of two years. Results imply that the procedure can be suitable for evaluating the occurrence of early failures in laboratory testing. The study also provides indications for the further analysis of the repeatability and reproducibility of the test procedure, as well as investigating the consequences associated with longer testing periods. However, a comprehensive assessment of these aspects was not possible in this study. All in all, this guidance could be used by manufacturers and consumer-focussed testing organisations for the assessment and verification of the durability of washing machines, as well as being used to develop standard testing methods for the potential implementation of ecodesign/labelling measures for washing machines.