DOE for Ruggedness Testing
This presentation briefs technical professionals on design of experiment (DOE) tools aimed at developing systems that hold up when transferred to the field. As noted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, “the purpose of a ruggedness test is to find the factors that strongly influence measurement results, and to determine how closely one needs to control these factors”. This purpose holds up for any process or product development at the point of release—not just methods. The ASTM E1169 Standard Practice for Conducting Ruggedness Tests, which the presenter played a role in developing, provides a tried-and-true protocol. It features factorials geared for testing many variables in a minimum number of runs—just enough to reveal effects that may lead to failure.