What Is Shock?
The shock test is a test in which the specimen is subjected to shocks of a defined peak acceleration, duration and waveform (half-sine, sawtooth, classical, or SRS-based), evaluating function and structural integrity.
Purpose of Shock
The purpose is to verify that sudden accelerations arising from transport, use, impact or combat damage do not render the equipment non-functional.
Which Products Is Shock Applied To?
- Military and aerospace electronics
- Vehicle-mounted equipment
- Portable equipment
- Naval-platform equipment
In Which Sectors Is Shock Used?
Standards Related to Shock
- MIL-STD-810 Method 516
- IEC 60068-2-27mechanical shock test test
- RTCA DO-160 Section 7
- MIL-S-901 (naval heavy shock)
- 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
Shock Conditions
- Pulse shape
- Half-sine, terminal-peak sawtooth, or shock-response-spectrum (SRS) based
- Peak acceleration and duration
- Defined in the standard and the programme; for example, functional shock and transport shock are at separate levels
- Axis and direction
- In three perpendicular axes, in both directions
- Number of shocks
- A defined number per axis and direction
Equipment for Shock
- Shock test machine (free fall or hydraulic)
- Calibrated accelerometers and data logging
- Mounting fixture
- Function-monitoring equipment
Sample Requirements for Shock
- The fixture must hold the specimen in a way that represents the real installation
- Accelerometer locations must be defined
- The shock waveform must be verified within tolerance
- Function monitoring must be sustainable during the shock
Duration of Shock
Typically 1–2 weeks, depending on the number of axes and shocks.
Shock Procedure
- 1The specimen is mounted on the fixture and instrumented.
- 2The shock waveform is verified on the empty fixture.
- 3Shocks are applied in three axes and both directions.
- 4Function is checked after each series.
- 5A visual inspection is performed.
- 6Measured shock waveforms are reported.
Shock Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criterion is defined in the programme: continuity of function and absence of structural damage after the shocks.
Evaluation of Results
Fixture design can distort the shock waveform; shocks applied without empty-fixture verification can fall outside tolerance. For naval platforms, the MIL-S-901 heavy-shock test is a separate and much more severe requirement.
Shock Report
- Standard and method applied
- Shock waveform, peak acceleration and duration
- Axis, direction and number of shocks
- Measured shock records
- Function and visual-inspection results
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
- Defence and aerospace qualification specifications
Savunma Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Shock 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 Shock
According to which standard is Shock made?
Shock is executed in scope MIL-STD-810 Method 516, IEC 60068-2-27, RTCA DO-160 Section 7 and MIL-S-901 (naval heavy shock). 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 Shock apply to?
Mainly applied to Military and aerospace electronics, Vehicle-mounted equipment, Portable equipment and Naval-platform equipment. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Shock done?
The determining parameters are: Pulse shape — Half-sine, terminal-peak sawtooth, or shock-response-spectrum (SRS) based, Peak acceleration and duration — Defined in the standard and the programme; for example, functional shock and transport shock are at separate levels and Axis and direction — In three perpendicular axes, in both directions. 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 Shock?
The fixture must hold the specimen in a way that represents the real installation, Accelerometer locations must be defined and The shock waveform must be verified within tolerance. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Shock take?
Typically 1–2 weeks, depending on the number of axes and shocks. 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 Shock result called "appropriate"?
The acceptance criterion is defined in the programme: continuity of function and absence of structural damage after the shocks.