Thermal Shock Testing

Thermal shock testing places rests at the most severe end of the scale in the group of temperature tests performed by NTS. Thermal shock refers to a very high rate of temperature change, typically 30°C per minute or higher and is appropriate for testing packaging, aircraft parts, military hardware or electronics destined for rugged duty. Because almost all products are subject to shipping, this test may be appropriate to any part that will have to withstand an abrupt temperature change in a short period of time, such as a transition from a warm warehouse to a freezing roadside while being loaded onto a truck.

Most test items undergo air-to-air thermal shock testing where the test product moves from one extreme atmospheric temperature to another via mechanical means. NTS employs a number of vertical two zone thermal shock chambers where an elevator moves small to medium sized parts almost instantaneously from one extreme to the other. The fully enclosed thermal shock testing chambers avoid unintended exposure to ambient temperature and help prevent the hazards of handling.

For very large items, ones that cannot be moved by an in-chamber elevator, NTS can provide fixtures and the right setup to meet applicable testing specification requirements while assuring the safety of the test item while being subjected to thermal extremes.

As military testing standards evolve to commercial applications, it is often required that the temperature of the test load itself (not just the air temperature in the chamber) be stabilized at each temperature extreme. NTS uses thermocouples to record and document temperatures at the center and each corner of the test item(s). Both soak and transfer times are recorded to comply with test requirements.

For a higher rate of thermal transfer of greater thermal energy, NTS can utilize a liquid-to-liquid system. The process works essentially the same as the air-to-air thermal shock, a basket mechanically transfers from one vat to another.

As a special type of thermal shock, NTS also performs cryogenic testing for launch vehicles, satellites, and related hardware. Two large capacity LN2 pits are available for testing that requires either simple atmospheric or highly pressurized sub-freezing temperature shock.

NTS performs to standard military and aeronautical thermal specifications including MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-883C, 202; RTCA/DO-160; Telcordia; ASTM; SAE and others.

Contact NTS today to find out how to get your product tested!

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