Chamber Testing
What is Chamber testing?
Climatic chambers are used in many applications. Various chambers will have different capabilities with temperature ranges going as low as -78 ºC and as high as + 200 ºC. Some chambers will also allow for controlling the ambient relative humidity. Most chambers are programmable so that both the temperature and the relative humidity can be varied over time.
Chambers are often used to recreate, on an accelerated basis, harsh operational conditions. For example:
- operating a computer server at 65 ºC for a week to see how the server will fare under excessive temperatures.
- doing some fatigue testing at low temperatures on an automotive sub-assembly.
What are the benefits of chamber testing?
Chamber testing enables a manufacturer to get a very precise idea about how their products would perform in real world applications under either extreme uses or in different environments. Chamber testing also helps to better understand how products and their performance would age and deteriorate overtime when used in particular or extreme conditions.
Are all chambers identical?
There exist numerous types of chambers. The main differences are classified in 3 categories:
1. Size
Material testing chambers can come in numerous sizes ranging from small semi-desktop models to very big walk-in stand alone rooms. A vast range of products and sample sizes can be tested in a chamber. Items as small as circuit boards to motorcycles or multiple pallets can be placed in a chambre and exposed to climatic or thermal shock testing.
2. Controls
Controls and chamber options vary from one chamber to another. Different types of chambers have built in control panels that enable them to cary out specific instructions and set various testing parameters. The type of the machine and the size of the chamber will influence the maximum temperature and humidity ranges, the space and volume capacity as well as the accuracy of the results.
In addition, chambers can also have different visual controls ranging from basic analog panels with moving needles to full digital dashboards with LCD displays.
3. Additional features
Chamber can also have numerous build-in features such as peak-through windows in order to be able to observe the materials and samples during test. In addition, some chambers can be connected directly to the network and in order to be programmed and controlled remotely.
Who carries out the chambers tests?
Chamber testing is usually carried out either externally or internally.
Externally
Most companies and product manufacturers prefer to deal directly with third party material testing laboratories. This helps firms avoid expensive in-house laboratory set-up fees. In addition, an external lab provides an independent third party quality verification, objective performance review and recommendations.
Internally
On the other hand, some corporations prefer to have their own internal material testing department. The material testing staff can work directly with the R&D, Manufacturing and Quality Control departments. This can speed up the internal material testing processes, but this option is also subject to potential data manipulation and subjective reporting.
What conditions can be tested in chambers?
Chambers are very versatile. Numerous real world environmental conditions can be replicated inside chambers.
Some of the popular conditions include:
- Exposures to either hot or cold temperatures ranging from -78 ºC to +150 ºC.
- Thermal shock testing including fast temperatures changes (within 20 seconds) from extreme hot +200 ºC to extreme cold - 78 ºC conditions
- Humidity and moisture testing. This enables a better understanding about how products behave in wet and outdoor conditions.
- Pressure and Altitude testing up to 50,000 feet. These tests enable manufacturers to test how products react in very low or very high pressures such as deep underwater or very high in the atmosphere or in space
- Corrosion (using Salt Spray Testing) can test the efficiency of various coatings in order to improve the corrosion resistance of metallic parts. Corrosion Testing is often done using the ASTM B117 test.
- UV Testing enables to better understand how products degrade when continuously exposed to ultraviolet light coming from the sun.
- Accelerated weathering is used to test the degradation in polymer systems
What products can be tested in chambers?
Numerous products can be tested in chambers. Depending on the type and the size of the chamber some can accommodate smaller objects while big drive-in chambers can accommodate full vehicles, numerous palettes, and much more.
- Transportation including Motocycles, Cars, ATVs, Skidoos, Snowmobiles, aircraft parts, etc
- Electronics including servers, circuits, screens, phones, tablets, etc.
- Military equipment including gear, weapons, airborne and naval equipment, etc
- Packaging including palette wrapping, packaging material
Technically, any physical non perishable goods can be tested in a chamber environment.
Who manufactures chamber testing equipment?
Here are the leading chamber testing equipment manufacturers:
- Cincinnati Sub-Zero
(CSZ) is an American based manufacturer of chamber testing equipment. CSZ is based in Sharonville, Ohio, USA and has been operating for over 75 years.
- Thermotron Industries
has been manufacturing numerous types of chambers and other material testing equipment for over 50 years. Thermotron is based in Holland, Michigan, USA.
- ESPEC is a Japanese manufacturer of environmental testing chambers. The Global headquarters are based in Osaka, Japan. The North American headquarters are based in Hudsonville, Michigan, USA
How long do chamber tests take?
Depending on the products being tested as well as the overall test requirements, chamber tests can take anywhere from few hours to few months.
Longer duration chamber tests enable to simulate material degradation over longer periods of time.
However, depending on the scope and budget of the testing project, the average chamber test typically lasts one week.