Vibration test tailoring for vibration testing : Development of a MATLAB GUI for vibration testing with MRS and FDS

Sammanfattning

This master’s thesis focuses on the automation of vibration test tailoring, also known as mission synthesis, which is an alternative to standardized vibration tests for testing products exposed to complex environments. Conventional testing methods, such as broad-spectrum random vibration or swept-sine profiles, often lead to over- or under-testing. Mission synthesis instead creates tailored test profiles based on real-world field data, aiming to replicate actual damage conditions more accurately and efficiently. The work presents a complete mission synthesis workflow, including fatigue damage (FDS), maximum response (MRS), and spectral density (PSD) calculations. These are computed from measured acceleration data using established formulations such as the equation of motion for base-excited single-degree-of-freedom systems, rainflow cycle counting, and Miner’s rule. The workflow includes acquiring field data, computing the life mission, and defining a test profile by selecting user-defined PSD breakpoints. These breakpoints are then used to program an electrodynamic shaker, enabling accelerated testing that matches real-world fatigue and shock responses. The core contribution is a MATLAB-based graphical user interface (GUI) that integrates existing company functions into a structured and user-friendly tool. The GUI automates spectral processing, damage estimation, and test profile generation, and allows users to iteratively compare test profiles against the life mission. This enables reproducible and efficient test development without requiring coding expertise. Validation was carried out by comparing the GUI’s results with established company calculations, focusing on the accuracy of FDS and MRS curves. The results confirm that the synthesized test profiles provide equivalent damage without excessive over-testing. To conclude, the developed interface effectively automates the mission synthesis process, providing engineers with a resource-efficient and accessible tool for vibration qualification testing. Future work could extend the method to non-Gaussian and multi-axial environments.