Investigation/Analysis Services

• Biomechanical Analysis
  Biomechanical Analysis is the study of the motion of the human body and the stresses placed on the body during an event or accident. Our staff will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the mechanical systems of the human body coupled with the physical properties of the materials of the body to determine the potential for injury.
• Fire Cause and Origin
  Fire cause and origin analysis is a difficult task since the fire tends to destroy the evidence. TEST, Inc. engineers have the training to conduct a thorough examination of the property using NFPA 921 standard techniques to discover the evidence that is left. Often, the area of highest heat is pointed to by novice investigators as the area of origin. On vehicle fires especially, the sources of energy like the fuel tank, the tires and interior upholstery are very concentrated and can lead to patterns that are classical burn origins, but the actual source may be more subtle and difficult to find. Battery cables make good scapegoats, but eventually, all vehicle fires turn into electrical fires. Arcing on copper wiring is not necessarily the origin of a fire. Care must be taken to preserve a burn site and the sooner that the engineer can get to the site for inspection, the better the chance of discovering the evidence that leads to positive identification of the cause and origin.
• Engineering
  TEST, Inc. has the resources to do design work for special machines for the agricultural market. Their years of experience can be a valuable resource to manufactures of machines, whether you manufacture one specialty crop machine, or thousands. TEST, Inc. can be an extension of your own engineering department. The engineers at TEST, Inc. have also developed strategic partnerships that accommodate design and proto-type machines via a network of shops and design houses. See www.DiedrichsAndAssociates.com
  
  They also can review designs and offer suggestion on improvements, particularly in the area of ergonomics, warnings and product safety.
• Mathematical Modeling
  TEST, Inc. engineers tend to see machines as a series of equations. They understand the effects that a change can have on the behavior and performance of a machine because they understand the science that makes the machine perform. You can trust TEST, Inc. to analyze your machine and make recommendations that will improve the machines performance and value to the customer.
• Airbag Control Module (Black Box) Analysis
  The airbag systems on cars are a complex array of sensors and pyrotechnical devices that can protect the vehicle occupants. The heart of the system is the airbag control module. It receives the input of the sensors and makes a split second decision based on the severity of the data. Choices of deployment include pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners, first and second stage airbag, passenger airbag, side airbags, side curtains and even pyrotechnic deployed head rests in some models. Decisions are based on severity anticipated from initial impact data, direction of impact and occupant belt usage.