Experimental Testing and Failure Investigations
There are any number of reasons to conduct tests on products or systems as well as conducting tests to support root cause findings as part of a failure analysis. This includes
- Demonstrate functionality as designed.
- Determine worst case operating modes.
- Analyze how a product may have failed.
- Demonstrate the ability to meet a set of standards.
- Verify a hypotheses relating to the failure of a product.
- Verify or determine maximum operating temperatures.
- Plus many more bases for testing and verifying engineering systems.
In conducting any test the purpose and anticipated outcomes need to be understood before the start of the test. Then, the proper amount of instrumentation needs to be selected for the given accuracy you desire. Sometimes, the testing may be go or no-go (did it ignite and burn or not?). Other times flow rates, temperatures, operating times, etc. need to be known to calculate certain performance factors.
Do you need to test the complete system? Or are you just focused on one aspect of the system? Let us help you decide what impact other components or systems might have on a given test.
