Environmental Testing
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center) Test, Reliability and Evaluation Branch can determine how products and materials perform under extreme environmental conditions. DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center personnel can simulate any environmental stress condition that today’s warfighter would experience using the laboratory test methods in accordance with the Military Standard 810G Test Standards. Methods include low pressure (altitude), high and low temperatures, temperature shock, solar radiation, rain, icing/freezing rain, humidity, salt fog (corrosion), sand and dust, and immersion. Various conditions include temperatures from -80°F to 350°F, humidities from 2% to 98%, blowing rain up to 6 inches of rain per hour with wind speeds up to 45 miles per hour, blowing sand at air velocities of 18 to 29 meters/second (3540 to 5700 feet/minute, 40.2 to 64.7 miles/hour), blowing dust at air velocities of 1.5 to 8.9 meters/second (300 to 1750 feet/minute, 3.4 to 19.9 miles/hour), low pressure altitudes to 30,480 meters (100,000 feet) and rapid decompression within 15 seconds. Personnel can perform on-line data acquisition and analysis of tested components using Agilent VEE Pro© Graphical Instrumentation Programmer and Data Acquisition Program. Products can be manipulated to operate while exposed to a threat representative test environment. Instrumentation and data acquisition equipment are used to control the product and capture data on its performance during environmental stress in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Design defects can be identified early, resulting in robust designs and reliable products.
Capabilities
- Simulate extreme climatic and environmental conditions
- Develop specialized test setups
- Develop computerized analog & digital data acquisition and control
Equipment
- Salt Fog/Corrosion Chamber
- Altitude Chamber
- Data acquisition and analysis of environmental factors such as temperature, pressure, flow (liquid & gas), humidity
- Sand/Dust Chamber
- Solar Radiation/Blowing Rain Chamber
- Video test documentation
- Temperature Humidity Chambers
- Five Walk-in Temperature Humidity Chambers
- HP3852, HP34970A, HP34980A, & Fluke Hydra data acquisition systems
Requirements
- American Society for Testing of Materials Test Standards
- Military Standard 810G Test Standards
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center) Environmental Testing Facilities consist of several buildings housing specialized test equipment to perform shock, vibration and rough handling tests on various military and commercial products in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. A two-building setup provides remote control capabilities that allows for a greater range of test items to include munitions such as smoke and non-lethal riot control grenades. Simulated transportation test profiles for various modes of transportation are possible and include wheeled or track vehicles, and helicopters. Test items can be subjected to various temperature and humidity conditions during vibration simulations by utilizing two piggyback environmental chambers that provide a cost effective way to expose test items to most global transportation scenarios. Packaging Tests are performed to ASTM D4169, Distribution Cycle 18. ECBC’s personnel use Agilent VEE Pro© Graphical Instrumentation Programmer and Data Acquisition equipment to develop specialized test setups, capture required data, and document test results with photos and video tapes to enable identification of design defects early to ensure robust designs and reliable products.
Capabilities
-
- Perform Secured Steady State or Transient Vibration in various modes including Sine, Random,
Random on Random, and Sine on Random
- Perform Loose Cargo Transportation Vibration
- Perform Shock Tests – including Functional Shocks, Transit Drops,
- Crash Hazard, Bench Handling, and Rail Impact
- Perform Packaging Tests
- Develop specialized test setups
- Develop computerized analog & digital data acquisition and control
- Video taping for test documentation
- Temperature conditioning of test items
Equipment
- 2 Unholtz Dickie Vibration System
- Unholtz Dickie VWIN II 16 Channel
- Vibration Control Systems
- Loose Cargo Transportation Simulator
- 6-foot & 5-foot Drop Testers
- Compression Tester
- Side Impact Tester
- HP3852, HP34970A, HP34980A, & Fluke Hydra data acquisition systems with various sensors
Requirements
- American Society for Testing of Materials Test Standards
- Military, Federal and Commercial Test Standard
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center) Test, Reliability and Evaluation Branch perform packaging tests in accordance with (IAW) ASTM D4169. Distribution Cycle 18- “Non-Commercial Government shipments” is used extensively for military equipment to subject packaging to a sequence of anticipated hazard elements experienced during a military distribution cycle. Packages are subjected to mechanical or manual handling tests depending on package size and weight. Drop tests are conducted using 6-foot & 5-foot drop testers for manual handling and drop mechanisms attached to an A-Frame Hoist for the mechanical handling of larger items. Mechanical handling also includes tip and tipover tests, fork lift truck handling, side/lateral impacts, grabhook and sling handling conducted on the A-Frame Hoist, the side impact tester and fork lift operated on a test course. Warehouse and vehicle stacking tests are conducted on a compression tester; a transportation simulator is used for loose-load vibration. The Environmental Hazard Test is conducted in various environmental chambers and a rain chamber with temperature capabilities from 45 to 200F and rainfall rates to 6 inches/hour.
Capabilities
- Perform Packaging Tests – including Distribution Cycle 18 Non-Commercial Government shipments
- Perform Manual & Mechanical Handling (Schedule A) Tests
- Perform Warehouse & Vehicle Stacking Tests (Schedule B & C)
- Loose & Secured Load Transportation Vibration
- Perform Shock Tests – including Functional Shocks, Transit Drops, Crash Hazard, Bench Handling, and Rail Impact
- Videotaping for test documentation
- Temperature conditioning of test items
Equipment
- A-Frame Hoist with Drop Test Release Mechanism
- Grab hooks, slings and straps
- 6-foot & 5-foot Drop Testers
- Compression Tester
- Temperature and Humidity Environmental Chambers
- Rain Chamber with Temperature Capabilities
- Loose Cargo Transportation Simulator
- Side Impact Tester
- Fork Lift
Requirements
- American Society for Testing of Materials Test Standards
- Military Standard 810G Test Standards
