What Is Icing?
The icing test is an environmental test in which an ice layer is formed in a controlled manner on the sample surface, to assess mechanical function, jamming, and structural loading.
Purpose of Icing
The purpose is to verify that equipment operating in cold climates maintains its function under ice formation and withstands ice loading.
Which Products Is Icing Applied To?
- Aviation exterior components and antennas
- Rail and automotive exterior equipment
- Outdoor antennas and sensors
- Wind turbine components
- Defence field equipment
In Which Sectors Is Icing Used?
Standards Related to Icing
- MIL-STD-810 Method 521
- RTCA DO-160 Section 24
- IEC 60068-2-1low temperature (cold) test test
Icing Conditions
- ice thickness
- Defined in the specification; typically 6, 13 or 19 mm
- Creation method
- Low temperature deposition by controlled water injection
- Temperature
- Low temperature to cause ice formation
- Assessment
- Function in icy condition and check after defrosting if necessary
Equipment for Icing
- Low-temperature chamber
- Controlled water-spray setup
- Ice thickness measurement
- Function and force measurement setup
Sample Requirements for Icing
- The sample must be placed in its actual mounting orientation
- Function must be checked before the test
- The operating range of moving parts must be specified
- Surfaces where ice will form must be defined
Duration of Icing
Typically one to two working days including ice formation and evaluation.
Icing Procedure
- 1The sample is placed in the chamber and brought to the low temperature.
- 2Ice of the defined thickness is formed by controlled water spray.
- 3Ice thickness is measured.
- 4Function is tested in the iced condition; opening force is measured if required.
- 5Function and damage are checked after thawing.
Icing Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: continuity of function while iced, or operability with the defined force, and no structural damage.
Evaluation of Results
Ice thickness reaching the target value is verified. Whether functional loss is due to ice or to low temperature must be distinguished.
Icing Report
- Standard applied
- Ice thickness and formation method
- Temperature and duration
- Functional results while iced and after thawing
- Photographs
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Aviation and defence equipment specifications
Environmental and Climatic Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Icing test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Environmental testing shows whether a product withstands ambient factors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, dust, water and corrosive atmospheres. The aim is not to break the product but to bring forward, in ACCELERATED form, the conditions it will meet over its life.
Test profiles are derived from the product's real exposure, and that derivation is the actual engineering work of the field. A device operating in an enclosed office and one mounted on a pole are not tested with the same profile. The IEC 60068 series defines general methods, MIL-STD-810 military profiles, RTCA DO-160 aviation profiles and the ISO 16750 series location-based automotive profiles. A test applied without a profile selection produces both unnecessary cost and false confidence.
Temperature tests simulate three separate phenomena and all three produce different failure modes. Steady high/low temperature tests whether the material can operate at that temperature. Temperature CYCLING creates fatigue at joints between materials with different expansion coefficients — solder cracks appear here. Thermal SHOCK intensifies this effect through an abrupt transition.
There is a distinction in humidity testing too. Steady damp heat shows the diffusion of moisture into the material and its effect on insulation properties. Cyclic damp heat creates condensation: water droplets form on the cooling surface, and this is far more aggressive than dry humidity. Water ingress into enclosures, increased leakage current and corrosion usually appear in the cyclic test.
Dust and water protection is a separate body of work and is expressed by the IP code. The point to note here is that an IP test is not a DURABILITY test: it shows that protection is provided under defined and short-duration conditions, not resistance to long-term immersion or pressure washing.
The most common mistake in this family is translating a test result directly into a LIFE PREDICTION. Accelerated tests are designed for comparison and design verification; a reliable conversion between hours in a chamber and years in the field can only be established with a material-specific acceleration model calibrated against field data.
Functional monitoring determines the value of the test. Keeping a product in a temperature chamber and then switching it on does not show what happened DURING the test. In critical applications the product is operated throughout the test and its parameters are monitored; intermittent faults that appear and disappear can only be caught this way.
Method groups in this field
Temperature
Dry heat, cold, change of temperature and thermal shock; steady and cyclic profiles.
Humidity
Steady damp heat and cyclic damp heat; cycles with condensation are more aggressive.
Water and dust
IP protection tests: dripping, spraying, jets, immersion and dust tightness.
Radiation and ageing
Accelerated ageing by xenon arc and fluorescent UV, solar radiation simulation.
Pressure and altitude
Low pressure (altitude) and rapid pressure change tests.
Corrosive atmosphere
Salt spray, mixed flowing gas corrosion (simulating industrial atmospheres), mould and fungus tests.
Commonly confused in this field
- Test duration cannot be converted into field life; a conversion made without an acceleration model is misleading.
- Temperature cycling and steady temperature produce different failure modes; neither replaces the other.
- If the product is not operated during the test, intermittent faults remain invisible; functional monitoring determines the value of the test.
- IP protection is not evidence of durability; it shows protection under defined and short-duration conditions.
- A test applied without profile selection both increases cost and gives false confidence.
- The mounting and orientation arrangement affects the result; the report must document it.
Which decisions these results support
- Design verification and qualification
- Declaration of the protection class and operating temperature range
- Reproducing field failures in the laboratory and root cause analysis
- Supplier component approval
- Decisions on warranty period and storage conditions
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Icing
According to which standard is Icing made?
Icing is executed in scope MIL-STD-810 Method 521, RTCA DO-160 Section 24 and IEC 60068-2-1. The limit values and acceptance criteria to be applied are defined in the product standard; The version valid for your product is confirmed in writing at the offer stage.
Which products does Icing apply to?
Mainly applied to Aviation exterior components and antennas, Rail and automotive exterior equipment, Outdoor antennas and sensors, Wind turbine components and Defence field equipment. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Icing done?
The determining parameters are: ice thickness — Defined in the specification; typically 6, 13 or 19 mm, Creation method — Low temperature deposition by controlled water injection and Temperature — Low temperature to cause ice formation. The full terms are in the "Test Conditions" section on the page and vary depending on the product standard.
What kind of sample is needed for Icing?
The sample must be placed in its actual mounting orientation, Function must be checked before the test and The operating range of moving parts must be specified. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Icing take?
Typically one to two working days including ice formation and evaluation. This duration belongs to the experiment itself; sample preparation, queuing and reporting are also evaluated. A realistic schedule for your product is given in the offer.
What is the Icing result called "appropriate"?
The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: continuity of function while iced, or operability with the defined force, and no structural damage.