Project 02 / 3
Thermal test fixture
Fixture layout and test-protocol lead in a four-person course team
The challenge
A small materials lab concept required test coupons to return to the same position between runs. I owned the sample-location scheme and setup instructions; the wider team’s scope included the heating method and data recording.
My contribution
Fixture layout and test-protocol lead in a four-person course team
The decisions
I replaced two adjustable stops with a fixed datum edge and a removable end stop. That reduced the number of settings the operator needed to recreate. A shallow sensor channel kept the lead routing outside the sample contact area.
The evidence
The proposed layout defines a datum edge, end stop, coupon location, and sensor channel. A setup checklist records specimen ID, ambient temperature, sensor position, and clamp setting before each run. The stock photograph gives workshop context; it is not a built fixture or a fabrication drawing.
The outcome
The deliverable was a proposed fixture layout and a repeatable test sequence. No temperature stability or measurement accuracy is claimed without a built fixture and recorded trials.
Limits and next steps
Good instrumentation cannot rescue an inconsistent setup. Control the location and record the conditions first.
The next conversation
Let’s make something useful.
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