Test Plan Development Skill

Purpose

The Test Plan Development skill provides comprehensive capabilities for developing mechanical test plans including objective definition, test configuration, instrumentation planning, and data analysis procedures.

Capabilities

•Test objective and success criteria definition
•Test configuration specification
•Instrumentation and data acquisition planning
•Load and environmental condition specification
•Safety analysis and risk assessment
•Test procedure development
•Data analysis plan creation
•Test report template generation

Usage Guidelines

Test Planning Framework

Test Objective Definition

•
Verification vs Validation

Type Question Purpose
Verification Built correctly? Meets specifications
Validation Built the right thing? Meets user needs
•
Test Categories
- •Development testing (design iteration)
- •Qualification testing (design approval)
- •Acceptance testing (production verification)
- •Certification testing (regulatory compliance)

•

Success Criteria

code

Pass/Fail criteria must be:
- Measurable and quantitative
- Traceable to requirements
- Unambiguous
- Defined before testing

Test Configuration

Test Article Definition

•
Configuration Control
- •Part number and revision
- •Serial number
- •Manufacturing records
- •Deviations from design
•
Pre-Test Condition
- •Dimensional verification
- •Surface condition
- •Prior test history
- •Environmental exposure

Test Setup

•

Boundary Conditions

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Fixture requirements:
- Simulate actual mounting
- Minimize artificial constraints
- Allow access for instrumentation
- Safe for failure modes

•
Load Introduction
- •Point loads vs distributed
- •Static vs dynamic
- •Load path verification
- •Fixture compliance effects

Instrumentation Planning

Strain Measurement

Type	Application	Accuracy
Foil gage	General purpose	+/- 1%
Rosette	Unknown principal direction	+/- 1%
Clip gage	Large strains	+/- 0.5%
DIC	Full-field	+/- 2%

Displacement Measurement

Type	Range	Accuracy
LVDT	+/- 50 mm	+/- 0.1%
String pot	0-2000 mm	+/- 0.5%
Laser	0-500 mm	+/- 0.01%
Dial indicator	0-50 mm	+/- 0.02 mm

Force/Load Measurement

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Load cell selection:
- Capacity: 1.5-2x expected maximum
- Accuracy: Class 0.1 or better for critical
- Type: Tension, compression, universal
- Environmental: Temperature, humidity range

Acceleration Measurement

Type	Range	Bandwidth
Piezoelectric	+/- 500 g	1 Hz - 10 kHz
MEMS	+/- 50 g	DC - 1 kHz
Capacitive	+/- 10 g	DC - 100 Hz

Data Acquisition

Sampling Requirements

code

Nyquist criterion: f_sample >= 2 * f_max

Practical guideline: f_sample >= 5-10 * f_max

For transient events:
- Sample at 10x highest frequency content
- Include anti-aliasing filter

Channel Planning

•
Channel List
- •Channel ID
- •Measurement type
- •Sensor type
- •Location
- •Expected range
- •Calibration requirements
•
Data Management
- •File naming convention
- •Storage requirements
- •Backup procedures
- •Archive policy

Test Procedures

Procedure Structure

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1. Scope and applicability
2. Reference documents
3. Safety requirements
4. Equipment and materials
5. Pre-test setup
6. Test execution steps
7. Data recording requirements
8. Post-test procedures
9. Acceptance criteria
10. Reporting requirements

Safety Considerations

•
Hazard Analysis
- •Energy sources
- •Failure modes
- •Personnel exposure
- •Environmental impact
•
Risk Mitigation
- •Barriers and shields
- •Emergency stops
- •Warning systems
- •PPE requirements

Data Analysis Plan

Analysis Methods

Data Type	Analysis Method	Output
Static load-displacement	Linear regression	Stiffness
Stress-strain	Offset method	Yield strength
Fatigue	S-N curve fit	Life equation
Vibration	FFT, modal fit	Frequencies, damping

Uncertainty Analysis

code

Combined uncertainty:
u_c = sqrt(sum(u_i^2))

Expanded uncertainty (95%):
U = k * u_c (k = 2 for 95%)

Sources:
- Calibration uncertainty
- Resolution
- Environmental effects
- Repeatability

Process Integration

•ME-021: Test Plan Development

Input Schema

json

{
  "test_article": {
    "part_number": "string",
    "description": "string",
    "quantity": "number"
  },
  "requirements": {
    "specifications": "array of requirement IDs",
    "success_criteria": "array"
  },
  "test_type": "development|qualification|acceptance|certification",
  "test_conditions": {
    "loads": "array of load cases",
    "environments": "array of conditions",
    "duration": "string"
  },
  "resources": {
    "facility": "string",
    "equipment": "array",
    "personnel": "array"
  }
}

Output Schema

json

{
  "test_plan": {
    "document_number": "string",
    "revision": "string",
    "test_matrix": "array of test cases",
    "instrumentation_list": "array",
    "schedule": "object"
  },
  "test_procedures": "array of procedure references",
  "safety_analysis": {
    "hazards": "array",
    "controls": "array",
    "approval_required": "boolean"
  },
  "data_analysis_plan": {
    "methods": "array",
    "acceptance_criteria": "array"
  },
  "resource_requirements": {
    "cost_estimate": "number",
    "duration": "number (days)",
    "personnel": "array"
  }
}

Best Practices

•Define success criteria before testing
•Verify instrumentation calibration
•Document all deviations from plan
•Include margin in load capacity
•Plan for potential failure modes
•Review procedures with test team

Integration Points

•Connects with Requirements Flowdown for test requirements
•Feeds into Test Correlation for model validation
•Supports Design Review for verification evidence
•Integrates with FAI Inspection for first article

Type	Question	Purpose
Verification	Built correctly?	Meets specifications
Validation	Built the right thing?	Meets user needs