Course Outlines
Short courses that can be held at your facility. Click on the subjects below in order to view course outlines:
Download ERI's complete course listing in PDF.
- Acoustics
- Calibration
- Climatics
- Cooling of Electronics
- Contaminants and Corrosion
- COTS (or commercial off the shelf)
- Data Acquisition
- Design
- Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
- Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
- Environmental Stress Screening (ESS)
- Fixture
- Highly Advanced Life Testing (HALT ) and Highly Advanced Stress Screening (HASS)
- Isolation
- Machinery Health Monitoring
- Measurement of Vibration and Shock
- Modal Testing
- Pressure
- Servohydraulic
- Spec (Specification, Test)
- Strain
- Stress
- Vibration & Shock
Acoustics
ACO 501 - Basic Acoustics
Basic acoustics, vibration and noise, instrumentation, measurement procedures and standards, test spaces, acoustic materials, laboratory demonstrations, data reduction, data analysis, setting up a test program, documentation and reporting.
NOISE 510 - Basic acoustics, vibration and noise, instrumentation, measurement procedures and standards, test spaces, acoustic materials, laboratory demonstrations, data reduction, data analysis, setting up a test program, documentation and reporting.
Calibration
PRE 501 - Dynamic Pressure Measurements and Calibration
There are many ways to get bad data. This short course details how to avoid these sources of error in static and especially dynamic (changing) pressure situations. Topics include sensor selection, location, calibration and signal processing.
PRE 510 - Pressure Calibration for the Standards Laboratory
The success of any calibration or metrology program, where calibrating pressure instrumentation is a major portion of the workload, depends on the calibration of instruments, on the documentation, on data management and retention, on quality systems, and on communications within the organization.
Climatics
CLI 501 - Climatic Environmental Testing
Some hardware (such as military) must be used in unfavorable climatic conditions of high/low temperature, high/low humidity, at altitude, underwater, in sand-and-dust conditions and other potentially damaging situations. Using special-purpose environmental test chambers, the survivability of hardware is assessed.
CLI 510 - Temperature, Altitude, Humidity Testing
Of the wide-ranging variety (perhaps 8) of harmful natural or climatic environments, test protocols most commonly focus on these three.
CLI 512 - Thermal and Random Vibration Stressing for HALT, ESS, HASS and COTS
Testing Of the tools commonly used for HALT, ESS and HASS of hardware (mainly electronic hardware), thermal-ramp stressing and random vibration stressing are most commonly employed.
CLI 540 - Fundamentals of Climatics Testing, ESS, HALT & HASS
Lectures and classroom discussion; factory or test lab visit. Live HALT/HASS demonstration, followed by close examination and discussion of the test equipment. Review of Climatics (specifically thermal) Testing. Today’s ESS/HALT/HASS requirements. Multi-axis random vibration. Equipment and instrumentation required, test set-up, conduct of test and data recording. Possible to add Humidity and Altitude (low pressure) testing, Solar Radiation, Acceleration, Explosive Atmosphere, Salt Fog, Rain, Sand and Dust, Fungus, Icing and Combined Environments, when desired.
Cooling of Electronics
COOL 508 - Liquid Cooling for Electronics
Participants in this wide-application course will learn about heat transfer and fluid dynamics; coolant selection, determine required coolant flow; estimate overall system flow impedance ΔP; evaluate pump characteristics and selection; determine system operating point; conditioning recirculated enclosure air in an air/liquid heat exchanger, conditioning enclosure recirculated liquid in an air/liquid heat exchanger; design and selection of liquid heat sinks and cold plates; determine when to consider immersion cooling, spray cooling, and evaporative cooling.
COOL 514 - POD Thermal Management
We commence with a cursory review of thermodynamic relationships associated with airborne platforms; static temperature, stagnation temperature, boundary layer temperature, cold/hot day environments; learn how to evaluate the performance of flush/scoop ram air inlets, pressure recovery, and over board “dump” loss; duct work, heat exchanger, and plenum flow impedance ΔP levels; maximizing useful volume when LRUs are liquid cooled; learn design features associated with various POD cooling systems….ram air cooling, vapor cycle, expanded ram air cycle, mold line surface.
COOL 519 - Cooling Shipboard Electronics
We will learn how to cool shipboard electronics when packaged in totally enclosed and ventilated cabinets; We will learn how to calculate enclosure thermal profiles when naturally or forced air cooled; we will learn when/how to use shipboard water for cabinet thermal conditioning; learn to estimate cabinet flow impedance, when to use multiple air movers; estimating induced buoyancy flow when naturally cooled or during operating mode with fan failure; we will discuss how to limit enclosure acoustical signatures and to minimize risks during exposure to accelerated life MILSTD-810 humidity testing.
COOL 520 - Cooling of Electronic Assemblies
Introduction to electronics heat sources, temperature limits; standards and specifications, terminology: thermal resistance; convection, radiation, and conduction, circuit board cooling, forced air cooling of enclosures, naturally cooled non-vented enclosures, naturally cooled vented enclosures, natural/forced air cooled heat sinks, electronics cooling in vacuum aboard space vehicles, humidity considerations/Understanding psychometrics, fundamentals of flow/thermal network modeling, “Rules of thumb” for electronic cooling, Problem solving, laboratory visit.
Contaminants and Corrosion
CON 501 - Contaminants and Moisture can Disrupt your Electronics
This course examines the chemical root causes (surface contamination) of many poorly understood electronic failures. Conformal coatings, subject to in-service failure, must be tested realistically.
COR 501 - Avoiding Corrosion
Many naturally-occurring materials, as well as certain man-made materials, are known to attack man-made structures ranging from highway bridges to electronic hardware, particularly when moisture is present. We discuss how to avoid these problems.
COTS
COTS 510 - Shock and Vibration Isolation of COTS Equipment
Use of metallic or elastomeric cushioning (passive isolation) to protect commercial equipment against the rigors of military and naval transport and service.
Data Acquisition
DATA 501 - Environmental Data Acquisition
Basic measurement concepts, transfer functions, linearity, frequency content, waveshape reproduction, the Wheatstone Bridge, non-self generating sensors, self generating sensors, noise documentation and control, information conversion, sampled measurements, data validation.
DATA 512 - Fundamentals of Automotive Dynamic Instrumentation
Proper automotive measurements: position, velocity, acceleration, force and pressure. Sensors, cabling and signal processing all can contribute errors. This course helps you avoid those errors.
Design
DES 501 - Design for Vibration and Shock Testing of Telecommunications Equipment
For designers of products intended for harsh usage and transportation environments or whose prototypes will undergo accelerated stress testing (AST, ESS, HALT, HASS, etc.)
DES 512 - Ruggedizing of Military COTS/NDE (Commercial off the shelf, non-developmental hardware)
Helps designers and users of weapons systems to "toughen up" commercial equipment (mainly electronics) to withstand the rigors of military service.
Some hardware is used in conditions where vibration and shock threaten to shorten product useful life. Environmental vibration and shock tests verify strength. This course teaches practicing designers how to "ruggedize" their products to pass tests.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
ESD 501 - Electrostatic Discharge
Whenever and wherever electronic hardware (particularly microelectronics) units are handled (as for example during manufacture), electrical static charges build up. Improperly discharged, they can seriously damage electronic devices.
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
EMC 510 - Electromagnetic Compatibility
Course Goals:
- To present and explain the essential concepts of EMI (electromagnetic interference) phenomena and control.
- To explain the strengths and shortcomings of EMI control methods and components.
- To present a number of EMI prediction tools.
- To demonstrate in the classroom a number of EMI troubleshooting and measurement techniques.
Environmental Stress Screening (ESS)
ESS 501 - Optimizing Environmental Stress Screening (ESS)
Analysis of vibration-caused failures during HALT, ESS and HASS leads to significant savings in retest time and in design improvement.
Fixture
FIXT 501 - Vibration And Shock Test Fixture Design
Emphasis will be on sinusoidal and random vibration testing; shock testing, vibration and shock test equipment, test standards, and vibration and shock test fixture design.
HALT and HASS
HALT 511 - Step Stress for HALT, ESS and HASS
Stepwise increases of stress applied to developmental hardware, aimed at forcing weak elements to reveal themselves by failing, so that they can be strengthened. The goal is hardware that will not fail!
Isolation
ISO 501 - Isolating Shipboard Electronic Equipment
Vibration and shock, introduction and fundamentals, equipment in naval environments, Military Standard 167, MIL-S-901D requirements for the Navy light, medium weight hammer and barge shock qualification tests, the Floating Shock Platform (FSP). Shock response spectra (SRS), COTS applications, damage from ship's vibration, missile launch and gun firing, underwater explosions, other enemy action. Selecting and using shock and vibration isolators and isolation systems, analysis methods and response calculations. Selecting electronic enclosures. Installations describing isolators and isolation systems (details). Discussion of participants’ applications and projects. Design review by technical specialists.
Machinery Health Monitoring
MHM 501 - Machinery health monitoring (condition monitoring) of rotating machinery
For plant maintenance personnel (engineers and technicians) striving for highest plant reliability.
Measurement of Vibration and Shock
DATA 501 - Environmental Data Acquisition
Basic measurement concepts, transfer functions, linearity, frequency content, waveshape reproduction, the Wheatstone Bridge, non-self generating sensors, self generating sensors, noise documentation and control, information conversion, sampled measurements, data validation.
Modal Testing
MOD 501 - Fundamentals of Modal Testing
Modal testing involves deliberate exciting (shaking or bumping) a structure (or a model of a structure) such as a bridge, an airplane, an automobile. During and immediately after that excitation, we monitor the motion at numerous response points on the structure. Aided by a computer, we seek to understand the many patterns (modes) in which the structure responds easily. Hopefully, modal testing precedes production and avoids problems. Or modal testing may explain an observed misoperation.
MOD 502 - Introduction to Modal Testing
"What is a mode?" and "Why do I need to either calculate or measure our modes?" Do your engineers think they know the answers to these questions? Misconceptions abound. Calculating or measuring modes cost time and money; the course presents trade offs that assist leader decision on amount of modal testing required.
Pressure
PRE 501 - Dynamic Pressure Measurements and Calibration
There are many ways to get bad data. This short course details how to avoid these sources of error in static and especially dynamic (changing) pressure situations. Topics include sensor selection, location, calibration and signal processing.
PRE 510 - Pressure Calibration for the Standards Laboratory
The success of any calibration or metrology program, where calibrating pressure instrumentation is a major portion of the workload, depends on the calibration of instruments, on the documentation, on data management and retention, on quality systems, and on communications within the organization.
Servohydraulic
SHT 501 - Servohydraulic Testing Technology
Test methods and practices used with servo-hydraulic testing during land vehicle product development; includes test design, setup and operation.
Spec (Specification, Test)
SPEC 501 – Developing Random Vibration Tests from Field Data
This course guides engineers who are given field vibration data (spacecraft, launch vehicles, aircraft, land vehicles, sea vehicles) and who are tasked to develop a random vibration test.
Strain
SGAGES 501 - Strain Gages
Change in physical dimension, at particular locations on structures, tells us what the structure is doing, how it is responding to static or dynamic loading. Gages must be properly selected and properly attached. Gages, cabling and readout can contribute to errors. This course helps you to avoid these errors.
Stress
STRESS 501 – Introduction to Stress Analysis
This course leads mechanical designers of such structures as buildings, vehicles and machinery to an understanding of structural requirements and how to insure that those requirements are met. For practicing stress analysts, it provides a review. For recent engineering graduates it provides understanding of “the real world”.
DEV 501 - Reliability Improvement through Step Stress
Stepwise increases of stress (most commonly random vibration and temperature) are applied to developmental hardware. The goal is to force weak elements to reveal themselves by failing. Once revealed, they can be strengthened. The goal is hardware that will not fail!
Vibration & Shock
V&S 510 - Aerospace vibration and shock testing
For test personnel and designers in military, aircraft, satellite and missile fields, launch vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.
V&S 511 - Automotive vibration and shock testing
For test personnel and designers in automobile, motor truck, bus and railway fields, vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.
V&S 516 - Shipboard Vibration and Shock Testing, Measurement, Analysis and Calibration also HALT, ESS and HASS
For test personnel and designers of shipboard equipment.
V&S 518 – Space Vehicle Vibration and Shock Testing, Measurement, Analysis and Calibration also HALT, ESS and HASS
For test personnel and designers of equipment to be installed aboard space vehicles and there to survive launch and maneuvering.
V&S 520 - Fundamentals of Vibration and Shock Testing of Military COTS/NDE (Commercial Off The Shelf, Non-Developmental Equipment) hardware
Aimed at environmental test laboratory personnel faced with testing of non-military equipment that has been ruggedized for shipment and use in military environments. MIL-STD-810F is often followed.
V&S 522 – HALT, ESS and HASS with emphasis on Random Vibration
For test personnel and designers of equipment that must be made reliable.
Download ERI's complete course listing in PDF.