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.

Monday, May 3, 2021

9:30 - 11 a.m. Central Time
Practical Applications in Shock and Vibration Testing
Chair: Budy Notohardjono, IBM

In this session, we zoom in to consider the problems of running and understanding the test itself.  Topics include mechanical attachments (fixturing),  dealing with resonance and boundary conditions and gathering deeper insights into how the product is behaving on test, random vibration  screening for electronic equipment

• Live Networking
• Random Vibration Screening for Electronic Cooling Equipment — Budy Notohardjono, IBM
• Product Orientation During Vibration and Shock Testing: When Does it Matter? — Nick Clinkinbeard, Collins Aerospace
• Multi-Resolution Spectrum Analysis — Darren Fraser
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

11:20 a.m. - 12:50 p.m. Central Time
Development of Shock and Vibration Testing Criteria
Chair: Budy Notohardjono, IBM

This session covers aspects of shock and vibration testing beyond the running of the actual test.  Topics include the integration of field data and product experience into the testing regime and integration of test results into future development and product use.

• Live Networking
•  A Method for Generating Sine-on-Random Tests Using Recorded Data — Jade Vande Kamp, Vibration Research Corporation
• Vibration Control Techniques for More Realistic Shaker Testing — Nick Clinkinbeard, Collins Aerospace
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

 
1:45 - 3:15 p.m. Central Time
Instrumentation and Control Considerations
Chairs: Ben Shank, Thermotron Industries

Choosing the right sensors, the right number of sensors and (increasingly) the right number of drive inputs is critical to building and understanding a test regimen.  This session includes case studies and theoretical development in novel sensors, high channel counts and multi-dimensional testing.  This is also the place to compare costs and benefits for more complicated test setups.

• Live Networking
• Recent Advanced in DFAT Testing — Wes Mayne, MSI-DFAT Services
• MIMO Control Null on Three-Axis Shaker Systems — Aakash Umesh Mange, Crystal Instruments
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Central Time
Climatics Testing
Chair: Matt Lucas, U.S. Army Redstone Test Center

This session focuses on climatic testing methodology, considerations for chamber design, test instrumentation and control, and effects of climatic environments on products/fielded systems.   The session presentations may include case studies, implementation of new technologies, facility or chamber design, test tailoring recommendations, test standards
recommendations, and novel or non-standard test approaches.

• Live Networking
• Presentation: Application of PID Control to Temperature and Humidity Chamber Testing — Scott Zhuge, Crystal Instruments
• Real-time Measurement and Control of Hydrogen Peroxide Bio-decontamination Cycles — Justin Walsh, Vaisala
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

1:30 - 3 p.m. Central Time
Climatic Testing - Panel Discussion
Chair: Randy Patrick, U.S. Army Yuma Test Center

Session will provide forum a for discussion of problematic climatic environmental testing methods, laboratory procedures and audience questions. Discussion will include, as permitted by available time: Temperature-Humidity Testing, MIL-STD vs Commercial and Synthetic/Screening Test Methods, Sand and Dust Testing, Corrosion Testing, and Accelerated Aging.

• Dustin Aldridge - Raytheon
• Steve Brenner - Equipment Reliability Institute
• Robert (Andy) Anderson - Consultant
• Wayne Johnson - U.S. Navy
• Erick Acosta - US Army WSMR

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Central Time
Reliability Accelerated Testing — Practical Applications
Chair: Julio Pulido, Nortek

New ways to characterize and apply accelerated life testing (ALT) in real world domain will be covered.  Contemporary methods and related advances in accelerated life testing will be discussed in this session.

• Live Networking
• Software Requirements Flow and Design for Reliability —  Timothy Hinricher, Medtronic
• Accelerated Life Testing of Heat Exchangers — Julio Pulido, Nortek
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

2 - 3:30 p.m. Central Time
Reliability Methods and Applications for Product Assurance
Chair: Julio Pulido, Nortek

This session covers a range of reliability modeling and analyses of developmental systems. These include new methods of capturing failures in complex systems, quantitative analysis for Dynamic Fault Trees, and relationship between reliability and degradation.

• Live Networking
• Deep Neural Networks for All-Terminal Network Reliability Estimation — Alex Davila-Frias, NDSU
• Accelerated Life Testing in Data Centers — Julio Pulido, Nortek
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

Thursday, May 6, 2021

9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Central Time
Options for Product Qualification
Chair: Nick Clinkinbeard, Collins Aerospace

Prior to fielding in their end applications, products must be qualified to survive—and generally operate during—exposure to various environments, such as extreme vibration, temperature, and humidity.  Apart from conducting in-situ trials, the “tried and true” method for verifying such requirements is to test.  However, occasions arise where it may be more economical and timelier to fully or partially qualify a product by similarity through comparing past performance with modified requirements and/or hardware, or by analysis using mathematical or more qualitative approaches.This session will explore various options for product environmental qualification, focusing on novel approaches to address the ongoing need for attaining and maintaining such.

• Live Networking
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Central Time
Service Life and Performance Replication Panel
Chair: Julie Jennings, Lockheed Martin

This panel session answer questions that cover areas of product test design. What factors should I consider in the test design? What is the necessary test length ? Should I test at system or component levels? How do I know my test replicates the field performance? When should I select a field test vs a laboratory test? How do I design a test program for new technology? How do I replicate test environments for performance vs product life?

• Live Networking
• Live Q&A with the Presenters

1:30 - 3 p.m. Central Time
Testing Within the Organization Panel
Chair: Ben Shank, Thermotron Industries

In this continuation of our multi-year panel series on running a test lab, we discuss the organizational ecosystem surrounding the lab.  Labs often interact in complicated ways with other entities in the same command or corporation.  In this environment, turning data into corporate knowledge requires more than technical acumen.  Three experienced test directors will discuss their organizational experience.  Audience participation is encouraged.

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