Drop Tests are an instrumental part in qualifying many of today’s products ranging from every-day consumer products to commercial and military-grade aerospace components.
It can often be found that a product ready to hit the market is being held back from qualification solely due to drop test requirements. This translates into a lot of time, effort, and resources being spent to ensure the passing of this crucial step in the qualification process.
Recent software developments in programs such as LS-Dyna have provided a way to accurately model and simulate the dynamic drop-test event. Looking at the dynamic events through an FEA model can provide a better understanding of the forces witnessed from high impact environments, and oftentimes identify an unexpected failure in a product before the actual test is conducted. These advantages can save time and money when qualifying a product.