What is EVT for AI hardware?

Engineering validation on integrated prototypes: power, thermal under inference load, sensing, RF, and firmware/model integration before design freeze.

What is DVT for AI hardware?

Design validation across multiple units and stresses to prove the frozen design meets requirements before pilot production (PVT).

Hardware Form / Build guides / EVT & DVT

Build guide

EVT / DVT checklist for AI hardware

AI products fail validation for boring reasons: a throttle looks like bad inference, or a camera flex cracks after ten thermal cycles.

EVT (engineering validation test) proves the integrated system works on bench and in targeted environmental tests. DVT (design validation test) proves the design meets requirements across units, orientations, and stress. For AI hardware, both stages must include thermal-soak with inference load, camera calibration drift, and OTA rollback, not just electrical continuity.

EVT gates

Power and sequencing under GPU/NPU peak load
Thermal steady state in worst-case enclosure orientation
Vision pipeline latency and dropped frame budget
RF pre-scan for antenna keepouts and cable routing
Model version pinned in firmware with rollback path

DVT gates

Multi-unit spread on camera color and exposure
Vibration and drop per product class
Manufacturing test coverage matches field failure modes
BOM alternates qualified without re-tuning models

Next step: NPI + scale and Jetson carrier manufacturing.

EVT / DVT FAQ

How many EVT units do we need?

Often 5–20 for bench, plus environmental samples. AI vision products may need more for camera lot variation.

Should we run ML accuracy tests in DVT?

Yes, on production-representative hardware with frozen datasets. Treat accuracy regression like any other spec.