ARC-CSI Boot Camp Experience

This forum is for topics related to the ARC-CSI Crash Conference, the CDR Summit and other AR/Crash Testing conferences.
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sbaker
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Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 9:39 pm
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Baker

ARC-CSI Boot Camp Experience

Post by sbaker »

Crash Team Boot Camp
Instructors: Rusty Haight and Bob Anderson
June 2-7, 2012
Palace Station Hotel
Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $1999.00 (includes attendee registration for the ARC-CSI Crash Conference)
http://www.crashteambootcamp.com

This is an opportunity to learn what goes into crash testing. The Boot Camp will be limited to about 10 people and is a first-come, first-serve basis. The Crash Team Boot Camp attendees receive:

- Registration to the ARC-CSI Crash Conference
- Classroom instruction learning about testing equipment, planning a crash test, developing a plan and testing goals
- Working with instructors to implement the plan, conduct the crash test and "crunch the data"
- The Boot Camp Team will be given two cars to plan their test and parameters to work within and then set about developing that plan for crash day at the Conference.
- The Team will conduct a live, fully instrumented crash test at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the conference crash day
- Using the data collected, the Team will present the findings on Crash Data Review day
-The Team will then be given the opportunity to develop an article for publishing in Collision Magazine
-Each Boot Camp attendee will also receive an ARC-CSI Boot Camp Crash Team track shirt

About Crash Team Boot Camp
A feature added to the ARC-CSI Crash Conference in response to the interest expressed by those who have attended in the past is "Crash Team Boot Camp." Every year, we hear back from those who attend the conference that they'd like an opportunity to learn more about what goes into the crash testing conducted at the conference. They want an opportunity to be involved in the testing directly, learn more about the instrumentation, better understand the outward appearance of "down time" between tests and then see what goes into the "data crunching" after the crash day. They look at the "organized chaos" and want to better understand what's really happening.

This year will mark the second year we offer the Crash Team Boot Camp. The goal of the Boot Camp is to allow a small group of those interested to learn about the instrumentation available and then plan and conduct one of the tests at the ARC-CSI Crash Conference. Then the Team would be responsible for analyzing the data and presenting the crash data and their analysis on the last day of the conference.

"Crash Team Boot Camp" starts the morning of June 2 with classroom time learning about the various pieces of equipment we'll be using, going through the ins-and-outs of planning a test, developing the plan and testing goals and then working with Bob Anderson and Rusty Haight - both veterans of literally thousands of crash tests of varying types and levels of complexity - to implement the plan, conduct the test and then "crunch the data." The "Boot Camp Team" will then present their test analysis at the end of the conference and follow that up with an article in the next issue of Collision Magazine.

We'll look at how the accelerometers, string pots, load cells, etc work, go over data acquisition theory, principles and practices, and we'll look at how to operate specific data collection systems commonly encountered in crash tests.

Get some hands on time on those instruments, hardware and software and then go over camera and video availability and operation. The Team will be given two cars to plan their test with and parameters to work within and then set about developing that plan for crash day at the Conference. On Sunday, June 3, they'll join the ARC-CSI Crash Crew at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to prep the area where we'll be crashing, prep their cars and do any pre-test activity their plan calls for. Monday the 4th is crash day and the Boot Camp Team will be on the track with the ARC-CSI crash crew and will conduct their test as part of the day's crash sequence. Over the next day and a half they'll see what goes into "crunch time" and will get an opportunity to crunch their own data toward developing a crash test data review presentation on their own crash for a presentation on Thursday the 7th at Conference end. Over the following weeks, they'll work together and develop an article - or two - on the experience and test for publishing in Collision Magazine.

This is a rare opportunity indeed to peek "behind the curtain" and see why there's "so much downtime between tests" (or is there by comparison?) and then learn more about the complexity of testing and benefit from the experience of being there first hand from planning to implementation to analysis to being published. The Crash Team Boot Camp will be limited to about 10 participants this year. Are you up to the challenge? You can be one of them?

http://www.crashteambootcamp.com
Scott Baker
Crash Data Group
(800) 280-7940

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wredfairn
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First Name: William
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Re: ARC-CSI Boot Camp Experience

Post by wredfairn »

As one who participated in the first boot camp, I highly recommend the experience to anyone who wants to further their education in crash investigation/reconstruction. The experience was a real eye opener for me and I have actually used my new knowledge in some of my cases. I would be happy to speak to anyone who may be on the fence about spending the money, just send me an email here on the forum.
William Redfairn
William Redfairn & Associates, Inc
(702) 281-9744
wredfairn@WilliamRedfairnAndAssociates.com

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dmhallman
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Re: ARC-CSI Boot Camp Experience

Post by dmhallman »

I also participated in the boot camp last year. I second Bill's recommendation. It was a great experience and well worth the investment. Planning and executing a crash along with spending time crunching the data gives a unique insight into working a reconstruction case. I am also willing to discuss the experience with anyone contemplating whether or not it's worth it, IT IS!

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