What Is Vibration?
The vibration test is a test in which the specimen is exposed on a shaker to vibration at a defined frequency, amplitude and duration, evaluating structural strength and continuity of function. Sine, random and mixed profiles are used.
Purpose of Vibration
The purpose is to represent, in an accelerated manner, the vibration the product will experience during transport and on its operating platform, and to verify its resistance.
Which Products Is Vibration Applied To?
- Battery cells, modules and packages
- Aerospace avionics units
- Defence and rail equipment
- Marine electronics
- Packaged shipment products
In Which Sectors Is Vibration Used?
Standards Related to Vibration
- IEC 60068-2-6sine vibration test test
- IEC 60068-2-64random vibration test test
- UN 38.3 T.3
- MIL-STD-810 Method 514
- RTCA DO-160 Section 8
- IEC 61373vibration and shock in railway vehicle equipment test
- ISO 16750-3mechanical loads on vehicle equipment test
- MIL-STD-810environmental engineering assessments and laboratory tests test
- MIL-STD-461electromagnetic interference in military systems test
- MIL-STD-202Testing methods in electronic parts test
- MIL-STD-883Test methods in microelectronic devices test
- MIL-STD-167mechanical vibration in ship equipment test
- MIL-S-901high intensity shock testing on ship equipment test
- MIL-STD-704aircraft electrical power characteristics test
- MIL-STD-127528 V electrical system in military vehicles test
- NATO STANAG TestsTests within the scope of NATO standardization agreements test
Vibration Conditions
- Profile
- Sine sweep, random, or sine-on-random; defined in the specification
- UN 38.3 T.3
- Sine sweep from 7 Hz to 200 Hz, three hours per axis
- Axis
- Generally separately in three perpendicular axes
- Time
- Duration per axis as defined in the specification
Equipment for Vibration
- Electrodynamic shaker and power amplifier
- Accelerometers and vibration control system
- Mounting fixture
- Explosion-protected arrangement (in battery tests)
- Function-monitoring system
Sample Requirements for Vibration
- The specimen must be mounted with a fixture representing the actual installation method
- Fixture resonance must lie outside the test band
- The specimen must be fully charged in battery tests
- Function must be checked before and after the test
Duration of Vibration
Owing to the defined duration per axis and three axes, the total duration is generally several days.
Vibration Procedure
- 1The specimen is mounted on the fixture and accelerometers are placed.
- 2A resonance search is performed to identify critical frequencies.
- 3The specification profile is loaded and control is verified.
- 4Vibration is applied for the defined duration in each axis.
- 5Function and physical condition are checked during and after the test.
- 6Voltage and temperature are monitored in battery tests.
Vibration Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: no structural damage, no loosening of connections, and continuity of function. In battery tests, the absence of leakage, fire and explosion is also required.
Evaluation of Results
The pre- and post-test resonance searches are compared; a frequency shift indicates structural loosening. Visual inspection and the function test are evaluated together.
Vibration Report
- Applied standard and profile
- Frequency range, amplitude/PSD and duration
- Axis information and fixture description
- Resonance search results
- Function status and visual inspection
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
- UN 38.3 (battery transport)
- UNECE R100
- Aerospace and rail equipment requirements
Savunma Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Vibration 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.
Defence testing shows that equipment keeps working in a military mission environment. What distinguishes it from civil testing is not only the severity of the levels; the ASSUMPTION ITSELF is different. The equipment must work on the first attempt, after months of storage, in an environment where maintenance is not available, inside a platform crowded with its own transmitters and receivers.
This assumption shapes the test plan. For a civil product "normal use" can be defined; for military equipment what is defined is the LIFE CYCLE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE: the exposure of every stage is listed — from manufacture to storage, from storage to shipment, to transport on a vehicle, to use in the field and to maintenance — and the testing is derived from that list.
On the environmental side, MIL-STD-810 methods are applied: temperature, humidity, altitude, rain, sand and dust, salt fog, fungus, shock, vibration, explosive atmosphere and gunfire vibration. The standard itself sets no acceptance criterion; which method is applied at which level, and what is acceptable, come from the programme specification.
On the electromagnetic side, MIL-STD-461 requirements come into play and interference within the platform is controlled. It measures the same physics as civil EMC but with a different assumption: the equipment will operate on a platform crowded with its own radars and radios, and interference inside the platform puts the mission directly at risk. The limits are therefore far stricter.
Power quality is a separate body of work. MIL-STD-1275 for military vehicles and MIL-STD-704 for aircraft define the supply characteristics: voltage ranges, transients, ripple and interruption behaviour. This is where commercially derived equipment most often gets stuck when integrated into a military platform.
On the shock side, naval vessels carry their own regime: the MIL-S-901 high-impact shock test simulates the effect of an underwater explosion and tests the equipment on a real impact machine. This is an entirely different scale from classical laboratory shock testing.
The suitability of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment for military use is a growing subject in the field. Cost and lead time pressures encourage the use of commercial products; but a commercial product is not considered suitable unless it has been through the military profile, and a gap analysis plus additional qualification is required.
In this family the test plan comes from the PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION. The phrase "complies with MIL-STD-810" is therefore not a verifiable claim on its own; which method, which procedure, which level and which revision must all be answered.
Method groups in this field
Environmental
MIL-STD-810 methods: temperature, humidity, altitude, solar radiation, rain, sand and dust, fungus, salt fog, immersion, explosive atmosphere.
Mechanical
Vibration (random, sine, gunfire), shock, acceleration, free fall and transport simulation.
Electromagnetic
MIL-STD-461 CE/CS/RE/RS requirements; MIL-STD-464 at platform level.
Power quality
Conformity to the MIL-STD-1275 vehicle and MIL-STD-704 aircraft supply characteristics.
High-impact shock
The MIL-S-901 naval shock test; simulation of the effect of an underwater explosion.
Component qualification
MIL-STD-883 microelectronics and MIL-STD-202 electronic parts test methods.
Commonly confused in this field
- The phrase "MIL-STD-810 certified" is incorrect; the standard produces no certificate, the output is a qualification report.
- A conformity claim that does not state the method, procedure and level cannot be verified.
- The revision letter (F, G, H) changes the content of methods and the procedure numbers; the specification must state the revision.
- A civil EMC report does not replace MIL-STD-461; the limits, distances and set-ups are different.
- Power quality is the requirement most often skipped when integrating a commercial product into a military platform.
- Applying a method does not show that the equipment maintains its function in that environment; the functional acceptance criterion is defined separately.
Which decisions these results support
- Qualification under a supply contract
- Component verification before platform integration
- Suitability of commercially derived equipment for military use and gap analysis
- Specification compliance in NATO and export programmes
- Establishing the life cycle environmental profile
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Vibration
According to which standard is Vibration made?
Vibration is executed in scope IEC 60068-2-6, IEC 60068-2-64, UN 38.3 T.3, MIL-STD-810 Method 514, RTCA DO-160 Section 8, IEC 61373 and ISO 16750-3. 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 Vibration apply to?
Mainly applied to Battery cells, modules and packages, Aerospace avionics units, Defence and rail equipment, Marine electronics and Packaged shipment products. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Vibration done?
The determining parameters are: Profile — Sine sweep, random, or sine-on-random; defined in the specification, UN 38.3 T.3 — Sine sweep from 7 Hz to 200 Hz, three hours per axis and Axis — Generally separately in three perpendicular axes. 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 Vibration?
The specimen must be mounted with a fixture representing the actual installation method, Fixture resonance must lie outside the test band and The specimen must be fully charged in battery tests. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Vibration take?
Owing to the defined duration per axis and three axes, the total duration is generally several days. 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 Vibration result called "appropriate"?
The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: no structural damage, no loosening of connections, and continuity of function. In battery tests, the absence of leakage, fire and explosion is also required.