Impact Testi — IEC 62133-2 / ISO 179 / ASTM D256 · Automotive Testing

What Is Impact?

Impact test is a test in which damage, breakage or safety behavior is evaluated by applying a sudden impact to the sample from a defined mass and height. The order and acceptance criteria vary depending on the application area: for battery cells it is an abuse test, for plastics and glass it is a mechanical strength test.

Purpose of Impact

The purpose is to determine the product's resistance to impacts that may occur during use or an accident; In battery application, it is to evaluate the risk of internal short circuit and thermal events as a result of impact.

Which Products Is Impact Applied To?

Battery cells and modules (abuse tested)
Plastic sheet and injection parts
Automotive exterior trim and glass components
Furniture surface and structural elements
Packaging and protective enclosures

In Which Sectors Is Impact Used?

AutomotiveElectric VehicleBatteryPlasticsRubber

Standards Related to Impact

IEC 62133-2Safety in portable lithium cells and batteries test
UL 2580Safety in electric vehicle batteries test
ISO 179-1
ISO 180
ASTM D256
ISO 6603-2

Impact Conditions

Battery application: Mass and fall height defined in the standard; A rod is placed on the cell and a blow is applied.
Polymer application: Pendulum (Charpy/Izod) or falling weight arrangement
Specimen temperature: Room temperature or lower temperature according to specification
Safety: Battery tests are carried out in an explosion-proof cabinet

Equipment for Impact

Falling weight impact device
Pendulum impact test machine
Explosion-proof test cell (battery)
Temperature and voltage recording
High-speed camera

Sample Requirements for Impact

In the battery experiment, the sample is fully charged and disposable.
Polymer samples must be sized and conditioned in accordance with the standard
The number of samples is determined according to the applied standard
Impact location must be defined in the specification

Duration of Impact

The moment of impact lasts seconds. In battery experiments, a working day is planned along with the observation period.

Impact Procedure

1The sample is identified and the initial state is recorded.
2The mechanism to be applied (pendulum, falling weight or battery pulse) is established.
3Mass and drop height are set according to the standard.
4The blow is applied; force, temperature or absorbed energy are recorded.
5In the battery experiment, temperature and voltage are monitored throughout the observation period.
6The damage type and result are evaluated.

Impact Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria vary depending on the application area. The typical criterion in battery tests is the absence of fire and explosion; In polymer and glass tests, the minimum impact strength or fracture type is defined in the specification.

Evaluation of Results

In battery application, temperature increase, voltage drop and gas release are evaluated. Material application is based on the energy absorbed and the type of fracture.

Impact Report

Standard and layout applied
Mass, height or pendulum capacity
Sample description and impact location
Measured energy or temperature/voltage records
Damage type and observations

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 authorisations

Related Regulations

UN 38.3 (battery transport)
UNECE R100
Material product standards

Otomotiv Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Impact 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.

Automotive testing shows that a component keeps working under conditions representing the loads it will meet over the life of the vehicle. A vehicle is not a single product but an ENVIRONMENT: vibration, temperature cycling, salt water, stone impact, electrical transients and electromagnetic noise are all present at the same time and for years.

What distinguishes this family is that VEHICLE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS sit on top of the standards. ISO and SAE publications establish the common ground; but Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota and Renault define different severity levels, additional tests and different acceptance criteria in their own specifications. For a component, the phrase "complies with automotive standards" is not sufficient on its own; which manufacturer's specification, and which revision of it, must be answered.

The family carries three separate processes together and they are often confused. Homologation covers the type approvals a vehicle needs to enter traffic and runs under state authority. Supplier approval means passing the vehicle manufacturer's own quality and testing requirements and is a commercial relationship. The third is design verification: the engineering team demonstrating that its own design meets its targets.

At component level the test plan is built around the LOCATION OF USE. A module in the engine bay and a module in the boot do not go through the same temperature and vibration profile; a component inside a door and one in the roof console do not see the same water and dust exposure. The ISO 16750 series is the common framework for this location-based approach.

The shift to electric vehicles has reshaped the field. High-voltage safety, insulation coordination, battery safety, charging interface conformity and the electromagnetic behaviour of high-voltage components have been added to the classical automotive test set. In a quiet vehicle, acoustic and vibration expectations have changed too; sounds once masked by the combustion engine are now audible.

The quality system side cannot be separated from testing in this field. A manufacturer under IATF 16949 presents test results in the PPAP file; measurement system analysis, process capability study and the control plan stand around the test report. A single good result is not enough — the process must be shown to be able to repeat it.

Method groups in this field

Environmental and climatic
Temperature cycling, thermal shock, damp heat, salt spray, dust and water ingress (IP), solar radiation. Severity levels vary with the mounting location.
Mechanical
Sine and random vibration, shock, mechanical loads, fastener torque and durability cycles.
Electrical
Supply voltage variations, transients (ISO 7637), reverse polarity, overvoltage, short circuit and sleep current measurements.
EMC
Component emissions (CISPR 25), radiated and conducted immunity (ISO 11452 series), electrostatic discharge (ISO 10605).
Materials and emissions
Odour, fogging and VOC emissions from interior materials; flammability; UV ageing; coating durability and stone impact.
Functional safety and cyber security
Functional safety evidence under ISO 26262 and cyber security engineering under ISO/SAE 21434; these are tied to regulation through UNECE R155 and R156.

Commonly confused in this field

An automotive report without a specification reference is not accepted in the supply chain; which OEM specification and revision was applied must be stated.
Type approval and supplier approval are different processes. A component with E-Mark approval is not thereby considered to have passed the OEM's own acceptance tests.
A result obtained on a prototype does not carry over to series production; PPAP is done with series production parts.
On the EMC side, measuring emissions alone is incomplete; immunity is a separate body of work and is more critical in a vehicle.
On electric vehicle components, high-voltage safety is a distinct competence; classical 12 V test infrastructure is not sufficient.

Which decisions these results support

Supplier component approval and the PPAP file
UNECE type approval and E-Mark marking
Design verification and durability evidence
Root cause analysis of field complaints and warranty returns
Assessing the impact of a design or supplier change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Impact

Which impact test does this page describe?

The document lists impact testing in multiple families: battery abuse, plastics, automotive exterior trim, glass and furniture. That's why the page covers every context; Which layout to apply is determined by your product and specification.