Driving point FRF fixture evaluation for shock testing

Abstract

Improved testing and modeling capability has provided more accurate environments definition for environmental testing. When those efforts expand the shock testing performance envelope at a production test lab, legacy testing processes may need to be updated to ensure efficient testing and accurate environment reproduction. If new specifications contain reduced shock pulse durations or resonant fixture-type tests, legacy fixtures and legacy fixture designs may no longer be adequate. Failure to properly evaluate legacy fixture designs may lead to increased setup times and dramatically increased testing costs if those designs are carried over into shorter-duration shock tests. This work will examine approaches for fixture evaluation, attempt to evaluate different fixture designs, and investigate the effect of shock machine choice on fixture performance.