IEC 60068 Vibration Testing

iec 60068 vibration testing equipment

IEC 60068 Explained: A Deep Dive into Vibration Testing Standards

What is IEC 60068 Vibration Testing?

IEC 60068-2 is a subset of the broader IEC 60068 series, which sets out international test standards for various environmental tests on products, equipment, and components. Included within the IEC 60068-2 series are the vibration test standards:

  • IEC 60068-2-6 Environmental testing Part 2-6: Test Fc: Vibration (sinusoidal)
  • IEC 60068-2-64 Environmental testing Part 2-64: Test Fh: Vibration, Broadband Random, and Guidance

DES has extensive experience performing many vibration tests to IEC 60068-2-6 and IEC 60068-2-64.  We are A2LA accredited to those standards. 

Why perform IEC 60068 Vibration Testing?

  • All products will likely experience some vibration during their lifetime from shipping and transportation.  Thus, some level of vibration testing is valuable. 
  • For items being sold outside of the USA, the results from vibration testing to IEC 60068-2-6 and IEC 60068-2-64 are accepted worldwide.  
  • IEC 60068-2-6 and IEC 60068-2-64 can be used to evaluate the reliability and performance of products that will be exposed to vibration environments.
  • They are useful to assess the durability and performance of connectors exposed to harsh conditions such as military, automotive, and space environments.  During the vibration, the connectors are monitored for intermittent electrical contact with specialized equipment provided by DES. 
  • Manufacturers can validate the structural integrity of items and identify possible degradation under different vibration conditions. 
  • Automotive and aerospace suppliers can evaluate the reliability, durability, and performance of their components that are subjected to intense vibration during their lifetime.
  • IEC 60068-2-6 and IEC 60068-2-64 can be used to investigate structural dynamic characteristics for items used in spacecraft programs.
  • Testing to these standards can simulate the stresses that occur during the life of a product giving confidence in its performance and longevity.
  • Products can be developed to function and withstand vibration exposures encountered during their life cycle.
  • Companies can evaluate the durability and performance of components, equipment, and articles during transportation and service vibration.

IEC 60068-2-6: Sinusoidal Vibration Test Standard

IEC 60068-2-6 is a test standard for Sinusoidal Vibration Testing.  It defines a procedure for testing specimens to sinusoidal vibrations over a specified frequency range for a given duration.  It is applicable (but not limited) to products or components that are subjected to harmonic vibrations such as rotating, pulsating, or oscillating forces that occur in ships, aircraft, land vehicles, rotorcraft, machinery, space applications, and seismic events. 

Much of the IEC 60068-2-6 specification deals with controlling the test parameters.  Other parts cover various test severities such as the vibration amplitude, frequency ranges, and durations.  It is up to the user to choose which test severities are applicable to their products.  Annex A in IEC 60068-2-6 gives some guidance on testing.  Annexes B and C provide examples of severities based on different applications.  The user must also specify whether the specimen shall be functional during the vibration test or whether it can be functionally tested before and after. 

IEC 60068-2-6 endurance testing can be accomplished either by endurance by sweeping or endurance at fixed frequencies.  Endurance by sweeping is performed by continuously sweeping or varying the sinusoidal vibrations from the lowest to the highest to the lowest frequencies for a chosen number of sweep cycles.  Endurance at fixed frequencies is completed by subjecting the specimens to a sine dwell at the product resonances for a fixed duration and vibration amplitude.

Contact DES today to discuss your IEC 60068-2-6 vibration testing requirements with one of our experts.

The Random Vibration Test: An In-depth Look at IEC 60068-2-64

IEC 60068-2-64 is a procedure for Random Vibration Testing of components, products and equipment.  Random vibration occurs in transportation environments, vehicles, aircraft, aerospace, military environments, etc.  Random vibration tests can also be useful for evaluating the general robustness and durability of products and components.  IEC 60068-2-64 defines requirements for subjecting specimens to broadband random vibration tests over a specified frequency range for a given duration.  It is primarily intended for specimens that are unpackaged, however, a packaged product can be tested using transportation vibrations. 

The first part of IEC 60068-2-64 covers controlling the test parameters.  Subsequent parts of IEC 60068-2-64 list various test severities such as the Grms value of acceleration, the frequency range, and the duration of testing.  Similar to IEC 60068-2-6, the user chooses what test severities to apply to their products and if the specimen shall be functional during the vibration test or whether it should be functionally tested before and after.  Annex A in IEC 60068-2-64 provides examples of severities based on different applications.  Annexes B and C provide information and guidance. 

An optional low-level vibration response investigation (sometimes called a resonance scan or modal survey) can be performed before and after the random vibration in each axis.  The vibration response investigation can be either a sinusoidal vibration sweep or random vibration applied for a short duration.  In either case, the vibrations should be low level to avoid damaging the test specimen but high enough to excite resonances.  

Completing the Vibration Test

Once all the severities are chosen in either IEC 60068-2-6 or IEC 60068-2-64, the testing is performed along three perpendicular axes, one at a time.  Upon completion of the vibration test, DES will promptly deliver a detailed test report that includes the customer’s name and address, the test dates, a summary of the test procedure, chosen severities, equipment & measuring system calibration information, operational test data, test observations & results, color pictures of the vibration test setup and color pictures of any failures. 

Secure your product’s market success with DES’s comprehensive random vibration testing services. Contact us now and let’s get started.

DES Your Go-To for IEC 60068 Compliant Vibration Testing

Choosing the right partner for your vibration testing needs is crucial. At Delserro Engineering Solutions, we offer a comprehensive suite of services designed to ensure your products meet the stringent IEC 60068 standards. Here’s why DES should be your first choice:

  • Customized Solutions: We design and fabricate your vibration test fixtures tailored to your specific needs.
  • Precision and Care: Our test setup process is meticulous, incorporating control and response accelerometer placement, correct bolt torque application, and organized cable routing.
  • Quality Assurance: As an accredited laboratory, we adhere to IEC 60068-2-6 and IEC 60068-2-64 test standards, ensuring quality and compliance.
  • Advanced Facilities: With our state-of-the-art testing facilities and equipment, we are equipped to handle a wide range of vibration test requirements.
  • Extensive Experience: Our team has a broad range of experience in vibration testing, including products used in outer space, rockets, missiles, automotive and truck environments, military environments, and medical environments.

Contact DES today to discuss your vibration testing requirements with one of our experts. 

If you want to learn more about different types of vibration testing, please read these related blog articles:

Share This:

Extreme Combined Temperature & Vibration Testing

DES successfully completed a challenging combined temperature and vibration test which involved high G levels coupled with extreme temperatures!  The vibration conditions required for this test were 10 to 2000 Hz, 20G maximum sinusoidal acceleration.  These sinusoidal vibration tests were conducted during temperatures of -54°C and 200°C.

Continue reading Extreme Combined Temperature & Vibration Testing

Share This:

MIL-STD-810: Vibration Testing Category 4 – Truck/Trailer – Secured Cargo

This is part two of a series of blog posts concerning the MIL-STD 810 Vibration Section.  This blog was written with reference to MIL-STD-810G w/Change 1 dated 15 April 2014.  DES has the experience and expertise to help you determine what profiles are appropriate for your product and to run your MIL-STD-810 vibration test.  For more information, please check out Part 1 – MIL-STD-810 Vibration Testing Overview blog and our Vibration Testing services page.

Category 4 of Method 514.7 Vibration testing details the transportation random vibration environmental conditions from cargo interaction with vehicle suspension and structures with road and surface discontinuities.  “This environment may be divided into two phases, truck transportation over US highways, and mission/field transportation.  Mission/field transportation is further broken down into two-wheeled trailer and wheeled vehicles categories.”

 

Truck Transportation over US Highways Vibration Testing

This vibration test method is used when products or equipment will be transported by large trucks tractor-trailers commonly seen on US highways.  The truck transportation over US highways random vibration profile is designed to simulate 1609 km (1000 miles) on interstate highways.  The random vibration profile along each axis can be seen in the plot below in Figure 1.  The length of this profile is 60 minutes per axis for each 1000 miles of transportation.  For example to simulate 2000 highway miles, the vibration test duration would be 2 hours per axis x 3 axes = 6 hours total.

Vibration Testing MIL-STD-810G w/ Change 1
Figure 1. Figure 514.7C-2 from MIL-STD-810G w/ Change 1

Continue reading MIL-STD-810: Vibration Testing Category 4 – Truck/Trailer – Secured Cargo

Share This:

MIL-STD-810 Vibration Testing Overview

This is part one of a series of blog posts discussing MIL-STD 810 Vibration Testing.  This blog was written with reference to MIL-STD-810G w/Change 1 dated 15 April 2014.  DES has the experience and expertise to help you determine what profiles are appropriate for your product and to run your MIL-STD-810 vibration test.  Check out our vibration testing capabilities here.

MIL-STD-810 is a public military test standard that is designed to assist in the environmental engineering considerations for product design and testing.  For the purposes of this blog series we will focus on Method 514.7, titled Vibration.  This section defines the environmental vibration conditions a material or product may experience during the product life cycle and translates these conditions into replicable test procedures.  Unfortunately, unless you’re familiar with this document, this section or any section for that matter may seem a little daunting.  This blog will hopefully provide some guidance into navigating your way through it.

vibration testing standard MIL-STD-810
Figure 1. Table 514.7-I from MIL-STD-810G w/ Change 1

Continue reading MIL-STD-810 Vibration Testing Overview

Share This:

Qualification Testing on Aerospace Connectors

DES recently performed qualification testing on aerospace connectors which involved combined temperature and sinusoidal vibration testing, random vibration testing and shock testing.  Combined temperature and sinusoidal vibration tests were performed per EIA 364-28F EIA 364-28F required test conditions of 10-2000 Hz, 20G maximum acceleration sweeps at temperatures of -54°C and 200°C over the course of 4 hours per axis.  Random vibration tests were also performed per EIA 364-28F.  Random vibrations at 50-2000 Hz, 46.3 Grms were applied to the connectors for 8 hours per axis.  The random vibrations were applied at room temperature.  Finally, the connectors were subjected half sine shocks per EIA 364-27C.  The shock requirements were three shocks per polarity, per axis at 300G over the duration of 3msec.  A sample shock plot can be seen in Figure 1.

Sample Shock Testing Chart
Figure 1 – Sample Shock Test Plot

Continue reading Qualification Testing on Aerospace Connectors

Share This:

Fastener Vibration Testing

fastener vibration testing servicesDES recently performed fastener vibration testing per MIL standard, MIL-F-25173A.  MIL-F-25173A is a military specification aimed at determining qualification criteria for aircraft fasteners and equipment.  In this case, DES focused on the vibration testing of a particular fastener to be used in aircraft applications.  Tests were conducted on DES’s Unholtz-Dickie Electrodynamic Shaker.  The MIL-F-25173A standard requires specimens to be subject to sinusoidal vibration testing, cycled between 10 and 55 Hz uniformly and with a constant 0.06 inDA displacement.  Tests shall span the course of 90 minutes over three perpendicular axes.

Continue reading Fastener Vibration Testing

Share This:

Choosing A Vibration Test Lab Part 2

Part 2 – Selecting a Lab and Performing Your Test

If you have not done so yet, please check out Part 1 – Defining your project and  Obtaining a Quote.

You obtained quotes from a couple of vibration test labs.  Your next task is to select a vibration test lab to perform your vibration test.  Your selection should not be based upon price alone.  Factors that should affect which lab you choose are capability, cost, timing, location, quality, and other special requirements.

Continue reading Choosing A Vibration Test Lab Part 2

Share This:

Choosing A Vibration Test Lab Part 1

Part 1 – Defining your project and Obtaining a QuoteVibration Test Equipment

Vibration testing is a very specialized field, not very well understood by many.  There are different types of vibration and there are an enormous number of vibration test specifications.  Vibration testing equipment is very expensive to purchase forcing many companies to hire a vibration test lab to fulfill their vibration testing requirements.  So what should you expect when Choosing A Vibration Test Lab?

Continue reading Choosing A Vibration Test Lab Part 1

Share This:

Mixed Mode: Sine on Random Vibration Testing, RoR, SoRoR

random vibration testing

Mixed Mode Vibration Testing is less common than Sinusoidal and Random Vibration Testing.  However, it does have a special purpose for simulating specialized helicopter vibration or vibration from tracked vehicles such as tanks.

The three mixed modes of vibration testing are:

  • Sine-on-Random (SoR)
  • Random-on-Random (RoR)
  • Sine-on-Random-on-Random (SoRoR)

Some common test standards that have specifications for Mixed Mode Vibration Testing are:

  • MIL-STD-810 Department of Defense Test Method Standard for Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests
  • RTCA DO-160 Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment

Continue reading Mixed Mode: Sine on Random Vibration Testing, RoR, SoRoR

Share This: