Drop Shock Testing

Test Software and Controllers

Many products will experience shock vibration during shipping and handling or in use. Engineers use drop shock testing to simulate these conditions in the lab and confirm the structural integrity of the device.

Shock Software

VibrationVIEW Shock multigraph

Shock Testing Software

Perform drop shock testing with the intuitive Shock software. It includes the standard classical shock pulses and the option to vary pre/post-pulse compensation amplitude and shape. Select the user-defined transient option to build a pulse from a recorded waveform.

    • Enter up to 200 separate levels and loop to repeat sequences
    • Select pre-defined tolerances from common test standards
    • Use the shock response spectrum (SRS) for complex pulses

Drop Shock Standards

VibrationVIEW includes pre-defined test profiles to meet common shock test standards. Save a new test profile for quick repeatability.

    • IEC 60068-2-27, IEC 60068-2-29, and IEC 60068-2-31
    • ISTA 6-Amazon-Over Box and ISTA 6-Amazon-SIOC
    • SAE J1455
    • MIL-STD-810
    • DO-106
    • EN 60068-2-27

Test Types

    • Freefall
    • Rotational edge drop
    • Incline/horizontal impact
    • Pyro-shock
    • and more

Electric Vehicle Battery Drop Shock Test

Drop shock testing is standard in the packaging industry but is applicable to many. Electric vehicle batteries (and other lithium-ion batteries) must meet international standards before shipment.

transient capture software in VibrationVIEW

Record Transient Events

Record a transient waveform during data acquisition to use post-process with the Transient Capture software.

Define the triggering and data capture settings pre-test and allow the software to handle the rest. Use the captured waveform(s) alongside the acquired data or for analysis with the shock response spectrum (SRS).

    • Record 524,032 (64-bit version) or 65,280 (32-bit version) samples
    • Set a hold-off period to ignore triggers after the captured event
    • Apply digital filters to the input waveforms
    • Enable MIL-STD constraints on the pulse
    • Set tolerances outside the range of the pulse definition

Shaker Compatibility

Vibration Research controllers are compatible with all shakers, including:

    • Electrodynamic
    • Servo-hydraulic
    • Mechanical
    • Drop shock
    • Piezo-electric
    • Linear

VR9500 I/O UNIT

Vibration Research’s best-selling control hardware for vibration and shock testing. Scalable to 128 channels; features include up to 200kHz sample rate and 2 outputs.

VR10500 I/O UNIT

Vibration Research’s high channel count control hardware for vibration and shock testing. Scalable to 512 channels; features include up to 256kHz sample rate and 4 outputs for multi-shaker testing.

Elite drop shock machine

What is the difference between a drop shock machine and an electrodynamic shaker?

A drop shock machine can arrest movement using a mechanical method. A shaker cannot, so pre-/post- pulse compensation must be used instead. Moreover, a drop shock machine is capable of large changes in velocity and displacement.

While most classical shock pulses are defined in units of acceleration, the purpose of a shock test is to generate a delta-velocity and then determine its effect on the product. Drop tests were designed to generate a unipolar acceleration shape and a set delta-velocity.

When do I need to add pre-/post-pulse compensation?

Shakers can only generate a fixed amount of velocity and displacement, and continuous velocity and displacement can be dangerous and lead to damage. Therefore, pre-/post- compensation pulses must be added to stop the generated signal.

Compared to a mechanical shock machine, a shaker can be a reliable and efficient option for routine shock testing. To run a classical shock test on a shaker, however, the pulse must start and end at zero acceleration, velocity, and displacement. Pre-/post- compensation pulses are used to drive the shaker to these zero parameters.

Get Started Today

Download Demo