Designing a Test Fixture with DFSS Methodology

Table 3

Current fixture design features.

Design feature	Advantages	Disadvantages	Opportunity for improvement
Multipurpose: can accommodate multiple line size and pressures	Only one fixture design needed for all the lines to be tested	By necessity fixture must be very large	If multiple fixtures are allowed for each line, fixtures can be made smaller and simpler targeted for each line
Self-contained: axial forces generated by pressure resisted completely by the test fixture	No functional advantage	Fixture must be designed large enough to handle all loads generated during testing	If some of the testing loads can be shared between the test fixture and line being tested, fixture may be able to be reduced in size
Integral: test fixture assembled as a complete unit	Allowing transportation of completed assembly and minimizing disassembly of complete fixture between tests	Complete assembly is very heavy and large requiring machinery for manipulation	If the new test fixture can be created as a modular design of smaller pieces, each piece could be manipulated by hand eliminating handling by machinery