Subcontract Testing
Precision testing without the investment, trusted prototype and pre-production facilities for every industry.
Subcontract Testing
When developing a new product, proving performance criteria can be challenging. How will it behave under pressure? What cycle times will ensure repeatable results? And once optimised, how do you meet pre-production requirements efficiently and reliably?
Subcontract testing with Curtis Assemble & Test Ltd provides the answers. Our dedicated test facilities allow you to validate performance, optimise cycle times, and assess repeatability without the cost, minimal lead time, or disruption of investing in new machinery. Your prototypes, samples, or production-run components can be tested under realistic operating conditions to help you refine designs and verify performance with confidence.
Subcontract testing is also invaluable for remanufacturing and service operations. With accurate, data-led test results, you can determine which components remain within specification, which require rework, and which should be replaced, helping reduce waste, extend service life, and improve cost efficiency across your processes.
Flexible, Cost-Effective Testing Support
Our team can support anything from early concept validation through to pre-production performance testing, providing the flexibility to adapt test routines as your design evolves. Whether you need hydraulic, pneumatic, flow, pressure, endurance, or functional testing, we configure our equipment to match your exact criteria.
By outsourcing your test requirements to CAT, you gain access to calibrated equipment, controlled test environments, and specialist engineering expertise, all without interrupting your production line or committing to new capital expenditure. We handle the test execution, data capture, and reporting, giving you clear, actionable insights that help accelerate your development cycle and improve product robustness.
Custom Test Programs & Performance Analytics
Every component behaves differently under real-world conditions, which is why standard test routines rarely provide the insight required for confident decision-making. At CAT, we create custom test programs tailored to your exact performance criteria, whether you need pressure decay profiles, endurance cycles, flow validation, or functional checks.
Our systems capture high-resolution performance data and generate clear, actionable test reports, helping you compare variants, refine designs, and make informed production or remanufacturing decisions.
Testing Facilities & Capabilities
⚙️ Hydraulic pressure testing: Up to 3000 bar, measurable from 0.01 cc/min up to 20 cc/sec and higher
⚙️ Back pressure testing: Up to 500 bar
⚙️ Temperature range: Ambient to 60°C
⚙️ Viscosity range: 0.8 to 120 cSt
⚙️ Pressure stability: Better than ±0.1 bar for steady-state conditions
⚙️ Flow rate: Up to 100 L/min depending on pressure
⚙️ Temperature control: ±1°C depending on fluid
⚙️ Evaluation criteria: Pressure decay/rise, timed pressure drop, measured flow, mass flow, blob growth
⚙️ Measurement media: Air, hydraulic oil (ambient to 150°C), calibration fluid, water
⚙️ Pneumatic pressure testing: Up to 250 bar
⚙️ Flow range (hydraulic): 0–500 L/min at pressures up to 3000 bar
⚙️ Leak detection methods: Pressure rise, pressure decay, mass flow, bubble detection
All testing services subject to final details, quantities, agreement and timescales.
With extensive subcontract testing facilities, Curtis Assemble & Test Ltd help manufacturers reduce development time, validate performance, and meet pre-production targets. Contact our team today to discuss how subcontract testing can support your next project.
COMMON APPLICATIONS
Subcontract testing plays a vital role across a wide range of industries where performance validation, repeatability, and accurate data are essential. Typical applications include:
Prototype Development & Design Validation
Subcontract testing allows you to validate early-stage prototypes under controlled conditions without investing in specialist equipment. CAT’s facilities help you assess performance, understand behaviour under load, and refine design decisions before committing to tooling or production.
Pre-Production Performance Testing
Before a new component enters full production, verifying performance and durability is essential. Our test routines provide accurate cycle, pressure, flow, and functional data to confirm that your product meets specification and is ready to scale.
Remanufacturing & Service-Life Assessment
Subcontract testing helps you determine which components remain within operational tolerance and which require refurbishment or replacement. This supports cost-effective remanufacturing while reducing unnecessary waste and extending the useful life of key parts.
Comparative Testing & Variant Evaluation
Whether you’re comparing supplier components, assessing material changes, or evaluating new design iterations, we generate consistent, repeatable results. CAT’s facilities allow like-for-like benchmarking to support confident procurement and engineering decisions.
Failure Analysis & Root-Cause Investigation
Accurately identifying why a part failed is essential for improving reliability. Our subcontract testing supports detailed failure analysis by replicating operating conditions, capturing performance anomalies, and helping pinpoint the root cause of breakdowns or inconsistencies.
Compliance, Certification & QA Verification
Many industries require components to pass specific performance or safety standards. CAT provides accurate test routines and clear reporting to support compliance, certification, and ongoing quality-assurance requirements across a wide range of applications.
Industries We Support
- Automotive – outsourced validation and performance testing for new or modified components.
- Defence – specialist testing services for components operating in demanding conditions.
- Aerospace – independent test support for prototype, development, and compliance programmes.
- General Manufacturing – cost-effective access to advanced testing without capital equipment investment.
WHAT WE CAN DELIVER
Custom test routines tailored to your performance criteria
Controlled, calibrated test environments
Accurate, repeatable data and clear reporting
Prototype and pre-production validation
Comparative and A/B testing for design variants
Failure analysis and root-cause investigation
Service-life and remanufacturing assessments
Fast turnaround for urgent testing requirements
Looking for a trusted partner to support
your subcontract testing needs?
Our engineers will assess your components, define the right test routines, and help you get the performance data you need.
Talk to our engineering team today, we’ll help define the right test approach for your components.
Why Choose CAT?
☑️ Independent, Accurate Results
Reliable, repeatable test data using calibrated equipment.
☑️ Faster Development Cycles
Accelerate prototyping, variant evaluation, and pre-production validation.
☑️ Avoid Capital Investment
Access specialist test rigs and expertise without new equipment costs.
☑️ Data-Driven Decision Making
Clear reporting to support design refinement, procurement, and remanufacturing.
☑️ Experienced Test Engineers
Practical support from a team who understand real-world performance challenges.
☑️ Trusted by Major Manufacturers
Used by automotive, aerospace, defence, and industrial engineering sectors.
Real-World Performance, Real-World Trust
Looking for a trusted partner to support your
subcontract testing needs?
Our engineers will review your components, define the right test routines, and provide the performance data you need.