RESOURCE / SPEC-01
Structure the functional requirement, test conditions and expected results before consulting a test-bench designer and manufacturer.
At a glance
A specification does not need to contain the complete design of the bench. Its first purpose is to explain what the equipment must test, under which conditions and with which expected result. Items that remain unknown can then be defined with SEM during the engineering phase.
Definition guide
Provide only what is already known. An unknown value does not prevent consultation: it simply becomes an item to define during the engineering phase.
Present the product before describing the bench. References, drawings, dimensions, mass, mounting points, connections, connectors and installation conditions identify the interfaces to reproduce and the tooling required.
State what the test must demonstrate: characterise performance, qualify a product, verify compliance, detect leakage, run in equipment or reproduce an operating sequence for a defined number of cycles.
Specify the action applied to the product: pressure, flow, temperature, vacuum, force, torque, displacement or speed. For fluid testing, provide the exact fluid reference and its compatibility constraints.
Separate nominal values, extreme values and transients. Accuracy, resolution, stability and response time should only be imposed where they are genuinely required by the expected result.
Describe the order of operations, ramps, dwell periods, stabilisation time, repetitions and stop conditions. For production equipment, add the target cycle time and number of parts to be tested.
List the variables to display, record or use for the verdict. Specify acquisition rate, product identification, operator permissions, export formats and the required test-report content.
State the installation location, available utilities, footprint, mobility, noise, ambient conditions and exposure to fluids or moving parts. Include any internal rules applicable at your site.
Define how the bench will be accepted: tests on a representative product, safety checks, performance verification and documentation. Also specify installation, training, maintenance and start-up support requirements.
Division of work
The specification should remain functional. Where an existing interface or internal rule does not impose the architecture, SEM can propose the mechanical, fluid, electrical and software solutions appropriate to the requirement.
Method example
This generic example shows the level of information needed to begin a discussion. It is not based on a customer project.
Numerical values, component selection and the final architecture would then be established during the engineering phase.Next step
