Hello,
Following is the minutes from the Test Plan meeting #1. The minutes are
based on my notes as well as faxed input from Frank Woodbery, Bill Kipp,
and Robert Lancaster. The comments/conclusions, from the meeting, will
follow the original outline sections and be labeled with Roman Numerals.
I have made no conscious effort to not include all comments, so if you
see any voids or mistakes please do not hesitate to provide
comments/additions.
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John Bridges has graciously volunteered to take over as Chair of this
Test Plan Committee. John will be incorporating all the comments,
developing a first draft of a Test Plan, and scheduling the next Test
Plan meeting.
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Attendees:
John Cornell
John Bridges
Kevin Griese
Dennis Traynor
Scott Wilson
Frank Woodbery
Bill Kipp
Mark James
Korte Lee
Joshua Larson
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A) Scope/Objective
1) Measure a fairly specific distribution environment
i) One package size and weight
ii) 2nd Day Express shipment
iii) (2) Carriers (UPS and Federal Express)
iv) Multiple routes
v) Record Acceleration, Temperature, and Humidity
2) Test the process for collecting data
I) (2) recording instruments (Saver and EDR3 with the latest hardware and software)
II) State what the study IS and what it IS NOT
III) Calculate/Interpret Velocity Change, Drop Height, Impact Orientation, Impacts vs. Tosses
IV) Describe all the variables and limits
V) Intended as a pilot project, not a comprehensive assessment of the environment
VI) Paraphrasing Bill Kipp on the Test Plan Scope: "This test plan
describes a pilot project to measure the small parcel, second-day
shipping environment. The concept is to ship instrumented packages via
both UPS and FedEx from various origins to various destinations.
Acceleration, temperature, and humidity will be recorded and used to
calculate/interpret Velocity Change, Drop Height, Impact Orientation, and
Impacts vs. Tosses. One size/weight dummy package will be shipped, and
recorders from both IST and Lansmont will be used as the instrumentation.
This is NOT intended to be a comprehensive assessment of the second-day
shipping environment, but a pilot program to demonstrate feasibility and
process."
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B) Statistical Significance
1) This information will be provided by the Statistical Group
I) A separate E-mail needs to go out to the Statistical Group to assure
they are aware of our expectations
II) The end product, of the Statistical Group, should drop into the Test Plan
III) The information should state the number of shipments per each
variable needed to obtain a given percentage of confidence. (i.e. 10
shipments would result in an 80% confidence)
IV) The information should be presented in any or all of the following ways:
a) As statements: "90% confidence level = 8 round trips, 95%
confidence level = 20 round trips, 99% confidence level = 60 round trips
b) An actual formula for calculating either the percent confidence
given the number of shipments and/or the number of shipments necessary to
get a desired percent confidence.
c) A graph showing the number of shipments vs. the percent confidence.
d) A table showing the number of shipments vs. the percent confidence.
V) The above may be difficult due to the increased variability for
different routes. A larger spread of data, or standard deviation, exists
for the longer routes. These would need a larger sample size to get the
same confidence level. (i.e. Seattle to Portland easier to define than
Seattle to Miami)
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C) Sample
1) The packaging must be replaced every time a shipment is sent out
2) The weights of each component (box, interior packaging
medium,...) and the Gross Packaged Product must be recorded for every
shipment
3) An assembly drawing/packout procedure will be included in the test plan
i) The placement of the materials in the box should be keyed
off a constant (i.e. box manufacturer's joint, 1st length panel,...)
ii) The original address label position must be indicated
4) Box
i) The test plan must include the box specification
a) The Equipment Committee will define the box (style, size, burst, i.d.,...)
b) The box should be a stock RSC box
c) The box must be appropriately sized for a 25 lb. (Gross Weight) packaged computer
d) The box must be a Kraft box with no printing
5) Interior packaging medium (Foam?)
i) The test plan must include the specification
a) The Equipment committee is responsible for this specification
6) Instrumentation/Hardware
i) The test plan must detail the exact product used for each shipment
a) The Equipment committee is responsible for providing
all the details for the instrumented products. A sheet for each product
should be included in the test plan that captures the following
information:
i) Product Serial Number
ii) Dimensions
iii) Weight
iv) Center of Gravity - must be in the center of the product
v) The type of recorder
vi) The recorder manufacturer
vii) The recorder accelerometer type
viii) The recorder serial number
ix) The fixturing of the recorder
I) A separate E-mail needs to go out to the Equipment Committee to
assure they are aware of our expectations
II) A lab experiment needs to be conducted to correlate data between
instruments as well as train analysis people
III) The latest hardware and software must be used for the study
IV) Need to describe the process for downloading the information
V) The end product of the Equipment Committee should drop directly into
the Test Plan
VI) The end product of the Equipment Committee should be a calibration
certificate for each system
VII) The end product of the Equipment Committee should describe the
calibration program
VIII) The system may include both types of recorders
IX) Each test package shall be fabricated as a cushioned wood block,
with the instruments attached, sized to fit a standard stock corrugated box
X) The package cushioning shall be designed to limit transmitted
g-levels to the wood block to 100g or less when dropped from 60" in any
orientation
XI) The recorders will be set up to measure and report information in
such a way that their data may be compared.
XII) After downloading data each recorder's memory shall be cleared and
the units restarted with the same setup.
XIII) The recording instruments should report events relative to one Time Zone
XIV) Packaging will be replaced for each round trip shipment
XV) John Bridges has agreed to document the assembly such that all
systems are packed out consistently
XVI) John Cornell will solicit M.A.D.E. members on appropriate package
weight and size
XVII) The box will be a #3 white stock box instead of kraft
XVIII) No handling icons will be used
XIX) No Hand Holds will be used
XX) The BMC will be the only printing on the box
XXI) The M.A.D.E. members will be solicited to find out who has
recorders. (This is currently being done by the Equipment committee.)
XXII) John Cornell will ask M.A.D.E members if they would be willing to
be an intermediate receiver.
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D) Routes
1) Service Level - 2nd Day Express shipment
2) Carrier - UPS or Federal Express
3) Test Plan Committee will define origins and destinations
4) Test Plan Committee will define the known handling points within a route
5) Each route will be detailed in the test plan and assigned a route number
I) Record process for getting tracking information
II) Carriers are an important element for defining the details of each route
III) The route will be a round trip shipment from the owner of the
recorder to a defined destination and back to the owner of the recorder.
IV) The system must not be opened up during the round trip shipment
V) The intermediate receiver may or may not record comments on the
condition of the exterior of the packaging
VI) For this particular study the carriers will be limited to UPS and FedEx
VII) Describe the actual process of sending and returning recorders
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E) Raw Data Reporting Format
1) This format will be provided by the Analysis Committee
2) The data from each shipment should be assigned a smart filename
3) The specifics to consider for each shipment are:
i) Gross packaged product weight
ii) Box weight
iii) Packaging medium weight
iv) Product Serial Number
v) Route Number
vi) Carrier
vii) Carrier's Tracking Number
viii) Notes
a) Subjective exterior package condition (Good, Bad)
b) Carrier's shipping label location
4) A traveler sheet should be included with each shipment
documenting the variable information
I) A separate E-mail needs to go out to the Analysis Group to assure
they are aware of our expectations
II) The most efficient way to communicate expectations may be to
actually send a proposal
III) Need to take Dennis Young's/ISTA's protocol into consideration
IV) No analysis is to be made prior to sending the information to the
Analysis Committee
V) The times of shipment, receipt, and locations at intermediate points
shall be determined from independent means (not from the recorders)
insofar as possible, to compare to recorded data.
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F) Analyzed Data Reporting Format
1) This format will be provided by the Analysis Committee
I) A separate E-mail needs to go out to the Analysis Group to assure
they are aware of our expectations
II) The most efficient way to communicate expectations may be to
actually send a proposal
III) Need to take Dennis Young's/ISTA's protocol into consideration
IV) Each event should be tied to the TYPE of drop, SURFACE dropped on,
VELOCITY CHANGE, DROP HEIGHT, TIME, and COMMENTS
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G) Miscellaneous
I) John Bridges is the new Test Plan Committee Chair
II) A specific agenda needs to be sent out prior to the teleconference
III) John Bridges will schedule the next teleconference for 10:30 a.m. (EST)
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end of minutes