presented by
Wayne Tustin 

December 5-7, 2006
Detroit, Michigan

December 5-7, 2006
Orlando, Florida
(presented by Steve Brenner)

February 5-7, 2007 
Santa Barbara, California

March 6-8, 2007 
Boxborough, Massachusetts

April 10-12, 2007 
Santa Clarita, California

June 12-14, 2007 
Tinton Falls, New Jersey

June 20-22, 2007 
San Jose, California

July 10-12, 2007 
Bellevue, Washington

Course description
Lectures, supported by projected visuals and video clips, commencing with a review of basic vibrations, then vibration measurements, analysis and calibration; sinusoidal and random vibration testing; ESS; HASS and HALT; vibration and shock test fixture design; shock measurement, shock response spectrum (SRS) and shock testing. Review of modal testing.

Objectives
Upon completion of this short course, the participant will be able to measure vibration and shock, calibrate vibration and shock measurement systems, convert measured data into a test program, interpret vibration and shock test requirements, conduct vibration and shock tests, design suitable vibration and shock test fixtures.

• Purpose of environmental testing, particularly vibration and shock
• Purpose of environmental stress screening (ESS)
• Types of vibration tests: resonance search/dwell, fatigue, specification
• Approximate scheduling so managers can audit special topics
  
  

• Introduction: terminology, structural resonant behavior, passive and active isolation
• Sinusoidal vibration measurements: units, sensors, readouts, errors
• Calibration of sensors and systems; traceability to NIST
  

• Electrohydraulic and electrodynamic shakers; theory, tradeoffs, limits
• Power amplifier theory, operation, limitations, distortion effects
• Controls for sinusoidal vibration testing
• Sinusoidal vibration test practice
  • Interpretation of standards; e.g. MIL-STD-810
  • Controversial test methodology: tracking filters, switching and averaging among sensors

• Sources of random vibration in service and transportation
• No possible equivalence to sinusoidal vibration
• Terminology and definitions
• Spectral density measurement and analysis - the frequency domain
• Probability density - the time domain
  

• Interpreting and implementing standards, e.g. MIL-STD-810
• Equalization before testing; methods and limits
• Controls
• Electronic protection for test items and shaker system
  
  

• Single vs. multi-axis vibration
• Pneumatic repetitive-shock machines

• Single vs. multi-axis vibration.
• Pneumatic repetitive-shock (RS) machines.
• Acoustic excitation of printed wiring boards (PWB).
  
  

• Sensors, readouts, errors
• Calibration

• Shock testing machines; limitations
• Use of shaker
  

Hours
8am to 4pm

Fee
Fee is $2,095

• I instrument land, sea and air vehicles as well as fixed-based equipment, in order to measure mechanical vibration and/or shock in service and during transport

• I analyze dynamic responses to mechanical vibration and shock inputs during normal and abnormal transport.

• I design (ruggedize) products that must withstand factory handling + transport + normal and abnormal usage. I design products to dynamic requirements, which I don't fully understand. Then I send a prototype to our lab for testing. I really don't understand what our lab does. I'd better find out.

• I work in an environmental test lab. We perform vibration and shock tests on prototype hardware. These tests may be part of developing a new product, of determining vibration levels for future production ESS (environmental stress screening) or production tests, or of investigating in-service or transport failures.

• I calibrate various vibration and shock sensors (including accelerometers) and analyze vibration and/or shock.

• I control (reduce) the intensity of vibration and/or shock, which otherwise may damage equipment that cannot be made sufficiently rugged to survive all inputs.

• I maintain machinery whose vibration signature can warn of approaching failure.

If you thought, "aha - that's what I'm supposed to do" to any of the job descriptions listed above, then instructor Wayne Tustin says, "This course is intended for you." It will help you move up your own "learning curve."

A smaller group, for whom Wayne also intends this course: supervisors of any of the above listed activities. Perhaps you were thrust into this responsibility without adequate training. Maybe your predecessor had no opportunity to alert you to potential difficulties. You certainly need to know what your people are talking about. Possibly you had no formal training for your present responsibilities. You need to explain your department's activities to your superiors in the technically correct language. Perhaps you need to decide between "in house" and "outside" testing.