Test Plan Development Skill Skill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{
  "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

{
  "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

Agent Skills: Test Plan Development Skill

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