Test requirements for smoke detectors vary by country but fall broadly into two categories:
Functional (or Operational) Testing
Functional checking is accomplished by introducing a smoke, or simulated smoke, stimulus from the protected area through the vents of a detector to the sensor (s). It is required by all national standards around the world and testing by electronic means that do not involve this test is not sufficient to comply.
Calibration (or Sensitivity) Testing
Sensitivity testing confirms whether the detector’s performance is within the acceptable parameters. Although some countries’ codes accept field sensitivity tests of smoke detectors by electronic means it can only be properly done by introducing a quantified source of smoke or surrogate smoke to the detector from the protected atmosphere.
