Virtual and Physical Environmental Testing (VPET) is a project proposal of BESTPRODUCT-TENEEST.

The goal of virtual testing is to avoid development testing of test set-ups, test fixtures, etc. and to use physical testing for validation and verification only.
To improve the test set-ups and to reduce the influence of the test fixtures on the test results, the use of virtual simulation methods and/or advanced control techniques is possible.

Beside modelling techniques (CAE, FEM,…), the estimation of reliable environmental input loads and the definition of representative test profiles for the expected product usage are also important issues for virtual and physical environmental testing.

The project will be focused on “Refining modelling techniques for virtual vibration testing”. In order to refine the modelling techniques following topics will be examined in this study:
- the state of the art in virtual testing
– inventory of “applicable technologies”;
- dynamic modelling in view of virtual environmental testing
- shaker, head expander, sliptable and fixture modelling for more accurate virtual environmental testing;
- dynamic assembly and disassembly – interface modelling – correct way to “attach” a virtual product model on a virtual shaker installation;
- test profiles definition – test tailoring – statistical validation of load data measurements;
- derivation of test specifications from measurements and simulation results;
- accelerated testing with methods to reduce the available data to one testprofile;
- guidelines for when and how to apply virtual testing and/or physical testing.