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)
- ISTApackaging transport performance test series 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
Ambalaj 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.
Packaging testing examines two different functions separately: does the packaging protect the product during transport, and does the packaging material transfer harmful substances into its contents? These two questions require different laboratory infrastructure and must not be confused.
On the protection side, distribution simulation is carried out: drop, vibration, compression, stacking and, where needed, low pressure tests are applied in sequences representing the real shipping chain. These tests are meaningful as a SEQUENCE rather than individually; in real life too, packaging is exposed to successive loads and each load builds on the damage left by the previous one. Specifications such as ISTA and ASTM D4169 define these sequences by shipment type.
The shipment type determines the sequence itself. The exposure of a palletised load differs from that of a parcel shipped individually: the latter sees far more handling, more drops and impacts in a wider variety of orientations. The growth of e-commerce has brought this second scenario to the fore and turned parcel shipping simulation into a specification group of its own.
On the food contact side, MIGRATION is what counts: the amount of substance passing from the packaging material into the food is compared against overall and specific migration limits. For plastic packaging the list of permitted substances and the limits are defined in separate legislation; the declaration of conformity (DoC) rests on this assessment and is a document that every link in the supply chain must carry.
In a migration test the choice of SIMULANT is critical. Because testing with real food is not practical, liquids representing food are used: different simulants for aqueous foods, for fatty foods and for acidic foods. Choosing the wrong simulant invalidates the result; the choice depends on which food type the packaging will contact and at what temperature.
Barrier properties are a third axis. Oxygen and water vapour permeability directly determine the shelf life of the product; in pharmaceutical and food packaging these values are a design input. Barrier performance is sensitive to temperature and relative humidity, so the measurement conditions are part of the report.
Sterile medical device packaging is the most tightly regulated sub-body of this family. Here the packaging is a barrier maintaining sterility; seal strength, leak testing, distribution simulation and shelf-life studies run together as a validation package.
The packaging legislation side is becoming rapidly more demanding. Recyclability, recovered content ratio, packaging reduction and reuse targets must now be measurable and declarable; this turns packaging design from a material selection exercise into a conformity exercise.
Method groups in this field
Distribution simulation
Drop, random and fixed frequency vibration, compression, stacking, low pressure; as ISTA and ASTM D4169 sequences.
Mechanical strength
Edge crush (ECT) in corrugated board, bursting strength, box compression strength, tape peel adhesion.
Barrier measurements
Oxygen transmission rate (OTR), water vapour transmission rate (WVTR), permeability in film and sheet materials.
Migration
Overall and specific migration tests; simulant and temperature conditions are chosen according to the use scenario.
Seal and integrity
Seal peel strength, leak detection by dye penetration, bubble test, headspace analysis.
Shelf life
Real-time and accelerated ageing; part of the validation package in sterile packaging.
Commonly confused in this field
- A single drop test is not a distribution simulation; the tests are applied as the sequence defined in the specification.
- A migration test carried out with the wrong simulant or the wrong contact temperature is invalid.
- Accelerated ageing does not replace real-time ageing; a shelf life claim is supported by real-time data.
- Barrier values are valid together with the measurement temperature and relative humidity; an OTR/WVTR value given without conditions cannot be compared.
- A packaging change (film supplier, seal parameter, box design) may require the validation to be repeated.
- A food contact declaration of conformity is not a test report; it is a document that rests on reports but summarises a broader assessment.
Which decisions these results support
- Reducing shipping damage and verifying the packaging design
- Declaration of conformity for food contact packaging
- Supporting the shelf-life claim
- Validation of sterile device packaging
- Recyclability and content declarations under packaging legislation
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.