Environmental Test and Reliability Conference Sessions


Conference sessions are comprised of technical papers, panels, and case studies on the latest issues impacting the industry. Get the most up-to-date information from leading industry experts in your fields.

Program subject to change. More session presentations will be added below as they are approved.

 

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Requirements Development Panel Discussion
9:30 - 11:20 a.m.

Although often an afterthought during the design process, a thorough understanding of environmental requirements is critical to successful product development.  It is crucial that environmental requirements are decomposed early in a program, and verification methods established.  This moderated panel session will introduce four industry experts in environmental requirements development.  Discussion will center around different techniques of requirements decomposition, along with the pitfalls that are commonly encountered throughout the process and the consequences of bad specsmanship.  Time will be given at the end of the session for the audience to pose questions to the panelists.

Panelists:

  • Joseph Hentz - V2X
  • Matt Lucas - Redstone Test Center
  • Chris Parsons - Northrop Grumman

 

Climatics Testing
1 - 2:50 p.m. Central Time
Co-chair: Randy Patrick
Co-chair: Erick Acosta

Presentations:

  • Large Chamber Testing at WSMR's Temperature Test Facility - Bobbylee Jaramillo, White Sands Test Center
  • Blowing Rain Test - Matt Lucas, Redstone Test Center
  • Insensitive Munitions Testing, Slow Cookoff - Erick Acosta, White Sands Test Center

 

NEW DAY/TIME: Complex and Non-Standard Environments
3:10 - 5 p.m. Central Time
Chair: Ron Merritt, Saalex Solutions, Inc.

Presentations:

  • Aspects of Laboratory Vibration Test Specification Development Based Upon Analysis of Field Measurement Information - Ron Merritt, Saalex Solutions, Inc.



Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Vibration Controller Panel Discussion
8 - 9:50 a.m. Central Time

Panelists:

  • Darren Fraser, Crystal Instruments
  • Thomas Reilly, Data Physics Corporation
  • Ben Shank, Thermotron
  • Jade Vande Kamp, Vibration Research Corporation
     

Reliability Risk Assessment
10:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Central Time
Chair: Julio Pulido, Phononic

Presentations:

  • Application of FMEA in Developing Design and Reilability Verificiation Plan - Pankaj Shrivastava, Halliburton
  • A First Dive into Software Reliabliity - Dustin Aldridge, Raytheon
     

Reliability Testing Using Accelerating Life Testing, HALT, and HASS
3 - 4:50 p.m.
Chair: Julio Pulido, Phononic

Presentations:

  • Using FDS to Improve the Validation of the Vibration Portion of HALT - Cherie Stoll and Jade Vande Kamp, Vibration Research Corporation
  • Reliabliity and Failure Mechanisms of Thermo electrics - Julio Pulido, Phononic

 

Thursday, May 11, 2023
 

Development of Shock and Vibration Test Criteria
8 - 9:50 a.m. Central Time
Chair: Abdallah Ramini, IBM

This session covers aspects of shock and vibration testing to provide innovative testing techniques enabling our decisions to be more reliable and trustworthy to meet the needs of today and drive industries to the possibilities of tomorrow. Topics include integrating field data, product experience, multi-degree of freedom, experimental modal analysis, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the testing regime and incorporating test results into future development and product use.

Presentations:

  • Linear and Angular Displacement Protection for Multiple-Exciter-Single-Axis Testing - James Zhuge and Jeff Zhao, Crystal Instruments
  • Performing Four Distinct Test Types On One Simultaneous 3-Axis Vibration Testing System - Mark Holland, Sentek Dynamics

 

Applications of Shock and Vibration Testing
10:10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Central Time
Chair: Abdallah Ramini, IBM

This session covers aspects of shock and vibration applications to provide innovative solutions enabling our industries for the possibilities of tomorrow. Topics include integrating actuators, neural networks, machine learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the product solutions  and incorporating the generated signals into future developments and products.

Presentations:

  • Dual Shaker Vibration Testing: Advantages, Challenges, and Analytical Tools - Logan McLeod, NTS
  • Mainframe: Seismic Standards Trend  - Abdallah Ramini, IBM


Real Life Fixturing Challenges and Principles 
1 - 2:50 p.m. Central Time
Chair: Ben Shank, Thermotron Industries

How a product is held on test can radically affect its dynamics and alter the ability to deliver realistic climatic environments.  Talks in this session showcase fixturing challenges and principles using specific examples.

Presentations:

  • Attachment of the DUT to a Vibration Shaker: The Vibration Testing Blind Spot - Tony Araujo, Paragon Systems Testing
  • Open Discussion: Real-world Test Fixturing Examples and Stories - Ben Shank, Thermotron Industries

 

Management of a Test Lab Panel Discussion
3:10 - 5 p.m. Central Time

As with simulating the actual test conditions, management of an environmental test laboratory can be extremely complex due to scheduling, resource prioritization, introduction of new test requirements and standards, and hiring/training of qualified personnel.  During this moderated panel session, four leading environmental test management professionals will discuss the dilemmas they have encountered throughout their careers, highlighting the steps they have taken toward solving the difficult issues that arise in this ever-evolving field.  Time will be given at the end of the session for the audience to pose questions to the panelists.  

To submit an abstract for one of the above topics, please click here.