Systems and methods for optimizing drop test configurations

1. A method for conducting a drop test of an article with one or more target parameters, the method comprising:

dropping the article and a drop carriage of a drop tower from an initial height with respect to a base of the drop tower for an initial drop test, wherein the article is coupled to the drop carriage;

detecting accelerometer data with respect to the article for an initial impact of the initial drop test between the drop carriage and the base of the drop tower;

determining a constant energy balance curve for at least one of a complex stiffness or a total weight of the article and the drop carriage with respect to a pulse duration of the initial impact, the complex stiffness being for at least one of the drop carriage or the base of the drop tower;

determining, based on the constant energy balance curve and a target pulse duration, at least one of a target complex stiffness or a target total weight for the article and the drop carriage;

adjusting, based on the target complex stiffness or the target total weight, the at least one of the complex stiffness or the total weight for a subsequent drop test; and

conducting the subsequent drop test after adjusting the at least one of the complex stiffness or the total weight for the subsequent drop test.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before dropping the carriage and the article for the initial drop test, determining initial drop conditions for the initial drop test based on one or more respective predetermined adjustment range for at least one initial drop condition of the initial drop conditions, the predetermined adjustment range describing at least one of an upper bound or a lower bound for the at least one initial drop condition.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the initial drop conditions comprise at least of one an initial drop height, an initial complex stiffness, an initial total weight of the article and the drop carriage, or a carriage weight of the drop carriage.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting, based on the target complex stiffness or the target total weight, the at least one of the complex stiffness or the total weight for the subsequent drop test comprises adjusting the total weight.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting, based on the target complex stiffness or the target total weight, the at least one of the complex stiffness or the total weight for the subsequent drop test comprises adjusting the complex stiffness.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the constant energy balance curve for the at least one of the complex stiffness or the total weight of the article and the drop carriage with respect to the pulse duration of the initial impact comprises automatically determining, by one or more computing devices, the constant energy balance curve.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the constant energy balance curve for the at least one of the complex stiffness or the total weight of the article and the drop carriage with respect to the pulse duration of the initial impact comprises:

determining local peak acceleration maxima of the detected accelerometer data; and

calculating an equivalent spring rate and an equivalent damping coefficient for the initial drop test; and

determining constant energy balance curve based on the equivalent spring rate and the equivalent damping coefficient for the initial drop test.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting, by one or more computing devices, a user input that describes the target pulse duration, and wherein determining, based on the constant energy balance curve and the target pulse duration, the at least one of the target complex stiffness or the target total weight for the article and the drop carriage comprises automatically determining, by the one or more computing devices and in response to detecting the accelerometer data, the at least one of the target complex stiffness or the target total weight for the article and the drop carriage.