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
- ISTApackaging transport performance test series 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
Ambalaj 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.
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 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.