Tuz Atmosferi Testi — MIL-STD-810 Method 509 / RTCA DO-160 Section 14

What Is Salt Atmosphere?

The salt atmosphere test is one in which the sample is exposed to salt fog or salt-laden humid air to assess corrosion, electrical degradation and loss of mechanical function. It is applied at the product level.

Purpose of Salt Atmosphere

The purpose is to verify that equipment operating in marine and coastal environments maintains its function in a salt atmosphere.

Which Products Is Salt Atmosphere Applied To?

Marine electronics
Aviation and defence field equipment
Coastal outdoor equipment
Connector and cable connections

In Which Sectors Is Salt Atmosphere Used?

ElectronicsElectricalAutomotiveDefenceAerospace

Standards Related to Salt Atmosphere

MIL-STD-810 Method 509
RTCA DO-160 Section 14
IEC 60068-2-52series of environmental testing methods test
IEC 60068-2-11series of environmental testing methods test

Salt Atmosphere Conditions

Solution: NaCl concentration defined in the standard
Cycle: Defined duration of salt mist and drying phases
Temperature: Defined in standard
Time: Total time or number of cycles defined in the specification

Equipment for Salt Atmosphere

Salt fog chamber
Solution preparation and pH control
Insulation resistance measuring instrument
Function-monitoring rig

Sample Requirements for Salt Atmosphere

Sample should be tested with actual enclosure and connection arrangement
Insulation resistance and function must be measured before the test
Connectors must be in the assembled state
The number of specimens is set out in the specification

Duration of Salt Atmosphere

Ranges from 48 hours to a few weeks depending on the specification.

Salt Atmosphere Procedure

1Initial measurements are taken.
2Chamber conditions are verified.
3Samples are placed at the defined position.
4Salt fog and drying cycles are run.
5At the end of the exposure, samples are washed and dried.
6Insulation, function and corrosion are assessed.

Salt Atmosphere Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: continuity of function, insulation resistance meeting the limit, and no structural corrosion.

Evaluation of Results

Corrosion at electrical connection points and clogging of moving parts are specifically assessed. Whether cosmetic corrosion is acceptable is stated in the specification.

Salt Atmosphere Report

Standard applied
Solution, cycle and duration
Insulation resistance and function results
Corrosion assessment and photographs

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 authorisations

Related Regulations

Marine and defence equipment specifications

Environmental and Climatic Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Salt Atmosphere 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.

Environmental testing shows whether a product withstands ambient factors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, dust, water and corrosive atmospheres. The aim is not to break the product but to bring forward, in ACCELERATED form, the conditions it will meet over its life.

Test profiles are derived from the product's real exposure, and that derivation is the actual engineering work of the field. A device operating in an enclosed office and one mounted on a pole are not tested with the same profile. The IEC 60068 series defines general methods, MIL-STD-810 military profiles, RTCA DO-160 aviation profiles and the ISO 16750 series location-based automotive profiles. A test applied without a profile selection produces both unnecessary cost and false confidence.

Temperature tests simulate three separate phenomena and all three produce different failure modes. Steady high/low temperature tests whether the material can operate at that temperature. Temperature CYCLING creates fatigue at joints between materials with different expansion coefficients — solder cracks appear here. Thermal SHOCK intensifies this effect through an abrupt transition.

There is a distinction in humidity testing too. Steady damp heat shows the diffusion of moisture into the material and its effect on insulation properties. Cyclic damp heat creates condensation: water droplets form on the cooling surface, and this is far more aggressive than dry humidity. Water ingress into enclosures, increased leakage current and corrosion usually appear in the cyclic test.

Dust and water protection is a separate body of work and is expressed by the IP code. The point to note here is that an IP test is not a DURABILITY test: it shows that protection is provided under defined and short-duration conditions, not resistance to long-term immersion or pressure washing.

The most common mistake in this family is translating a test result directly into a LIFE PREDICTION. Accelerated tests are designed for comparison and design verification; a reliable conversion between hours in a chamber and years in the field can only be established with a material-specific acceleration model calibrated against field data.

Functional monitoring determines the value of the test. Keeping a product in a temperature chamber and then switching it on does not show what happened DURING the test. In critical applications the product is operated throughout the test and its parameters are monitored; intermittent faults that appear and disappear can only be caught this way.

Method groups in this field

Temperature
Dry heat, cold, change of temperature and thermal shock; steady and cyclic profiles.
Humidity
Steady damp heat and cyclic damp heat; cycles with condensation are more aggressive.
Water and dust
IP protection tests: dripping, spraying, jets, immersion and dust tightness.
Radiation and ageing
Accelerated ageing by xenon arc and fluorescent UV, solar radiation simulation.
Pressure and altitude
Low pressure (altitude) and rapid pressure change tests.
Corrosive atmosphere
Salt spray, mixed flowing gas corrosion (simulating industrial atmospheres), mould and fungus tests.

Commonly confused in this field

Test duration cannot be converted into field life; a conversion made without an acceleration model is misleading.
Temperature cycling and steady temperature produce different failure modes; neither replaces the other.
If the product is not operated during the test, intermittent faults remain invisible; functional monitoring determines the value of the test.
IP protection is not evidence of durability; it shows protection under defined and short-duration conditions.
A test applied without profile selection both increases cost and gives false confidence.
The mounting and orientation arrangement affects the result; the report must document it.

Which decisions these results support

Design verification and qualification
Declaration of the protection class and operating temperature range
Reproducing field failures in the laboratory and root cause analysis
Supplier component approval
Decisions on warranty period and storage conditions

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Salt Atmosphere

According to which standard is Salt Atmosphere made?

Salt Atmosphere is executed in scope MIL-STD-810 Method 509, RTCA DO-160 Section 14, IEC 60068-2-52 and IEC 60068-2-11. 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 Salt Atmosphere apply to?

Mainly applied to Marine electronics, Aviation and defence field equipment, Coastal outdoor equipment and Connector and cable connections. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.

Under what conditions is Salt Atmosphere done?

The determining parameters are: Solution — NaCl concentration defined in the standard, Cycle — Defined duration of salt mist and drying phases and Temperature — Defined in standard. 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 Salt Atmosphere?

Sample should be tested with actual enclosure and connection arrangement, Insulation resistance and function must be measured before the test and Connectors must be in the assembled state. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.

How long does Salt Atmosphere take?

Ranges from 48 hours to a few weeks depending on the specification. 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 Salt Atmosphere result called "appropriate"?

The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: continuity of function, insulation resistance meeting the limit, and no structural corrosion.