Guidelines for conducting environmental engineering tasks to tailor environmental tests to end-item

equipment applications.

Test methods for determining the effects of natural and induced environments on equipment used in
military or commercial applications.

Environment MIL-STD 810F Method

Altitude Method 500.3
Temperature Method 501.3(high), 502.3(low)
Rain and Dust Method 506.3
Humidity Method 507.3
Cold Storage Method 510.3
Vibration Method 514.4
Shock Method 516.4
Drop Method 516.4

MIL-STD 810F 500.3

High Altitude Operation

These tests are carried out in low pressure (altitude) chambers to determine if the test item can withstand and operate in a
low pressure environment. The test apparatus and auxiliary instrumentation used must be capable of maintaining and
continuously monitoring the specific conditions of low pressure. Two test procedures are used:

Primary Factors: 15,000ft, 8.29 psi, 572mb, 1 hr

This procedure is used to ensure that the Getac computer can be stored at high ground elevations or transported in its
shipping/storage configuration at high altitude. The procedure tests for storage survival at low pressure (equivalent to transit
in unpressurized aircraft). Testing to the 15,000ft equivalent altitude ensures that the equipment shipped by air will
successfully withstand the low pressure environment. The computer is subjected to low pressure for a period of 1 hour, after
which functional tests are performed to validate the unit's survival.

MIL-STD 810F 500.3 II - High Altitude Operation

Primary Factors: 10,000ft, 7Mb operating

This procedure is used to determine the product's performance under low pressure conditions. This test is designed to
simulate land operation at high altitudes (when used in passenger aircraft low pressure should not be experienced). The
computer must operate normally throughout this test.

MIL-STD 810F Method 501.3

High Temperature
These tests are carried out in high temperature chambers to determine if units can withstand, and operate in, hot climatic
conditions without experiencing physical damage or deterioration in performance. The test apparatus and auxiliary
instrumentation used must be capable of maintaining and continuously monitoring the required conditions of high temperature
throughout an envelope of air surrounding the equipment being tested. To prevent unrealistic heat transfer in the test item,
the air velocity in the vicinity of the test item must not exceed 1.7m/s (325ft/min). Two procedures are used:

MIL-STD 810F 501.3 I - Hot Storage

Primary Factors: 71 deg C for 7 days

This test determines how storage at high temperature affects the computer's safety and performance. The test procedure
includes exposure to high temperatures that may be encountered in storage. The computer is stored at a constant
temperature of 71 deg C for 7 days, after which period functional tests are performed to test for survival.

MIL-STD 810F 501.3 II - Hot Operation

Primary Factors: 71deg C operating

This test procedure determines the computer's performance during exposure to high temperature conditions. The operational
test differs from the storage test in that the computer is conditioned to temperatures determined to be applicable to, or
resulting from, exposure in its operational configuration. This test is performed after the computer has stabilized at 71 deg C.
Keyboard operation is tested manually and other unit functions, including communications and software/data integrity, are
tested automatically using a software test program. Screen contrast and visibility are visually checked.

MIL-STD 810F 503.3

Thermal Shock

Primary Factors: -33 / +71 deg C and 71 / -33 deg C

Temperature shock tests are conducted to determine if an item can withstand sudden changes in the temperature of the
surrounding atmosphere without experiencing physical damage or deterioration in performance. The test apparatus consists
of two chambers in which the test conditions (temperature extremes) can be established and maintained. The chambers are
equipped with auxiliary instrumentation capable of maintaining and continuously monitoring the test conditions throughout an
envelope of air surrounding the test item. The two objectives of the temperature shock test are set to determine whether the
test item can satisfy its performance requirements and be safely operated after being exposed to sudden changes in
temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. Units are stabilized at -33 deg C then immediately placed into a chamber where
the temperature is +71 deg C and vice versa, after which functional tests are carried out for unit survival and software/data
integrity. The method used is chamber to chamber transfer with up to 5 minutes maximum dwell time, but typically just a few
seconds. The computer is subjected to one shock in each direction between the temperature extremes

MIL-STD 810F Method 510.3

Cold Storage

These tests are carried out in low temperature chambers to determine if test units can withstand and operate under pertinent
low temperature conditions without experiencing physical damage or deterioration in performance. The test apparatus and
auxiliary instrumentation used must be capable of maintaining and continuously monitoring the required conditions of low
temperature throughout an envelope of air surrounding the equipment being tested. To prevent unrealistic cooling (heat
transfer) in the test item, the air velocity in the vicinity of the test item must not exceed 1.7m/s (325 ft/min). Two procedures
are used :

MIL-STD 810F 510.3 I - Cold Storage

Primary Factors: -33 deg C for 72 hrs

This procedure is used to determine how storage at low temperature affects the computer's safety and performance. The
computer is stored at a constant temperature of -33deg C for a period of 72 hours, after which time functional tests are
performed to test for survival.

MIL-STD 810F 510.3 II - Cold Operation

Primary Factors: -33 deg C operating

This test determines the performance of the computer during exposure to low temperature conditions. The operational test
differs from the storage test in that the computer is conditioned to temperatures determined to be applicable to, or resulting
from, exposure in its operational configuration. This test is performed after the computer has stabilized at -33 deg C.
Keyboard operation is tested manually and other unit functions, including communications and software/data integrity, are
tested automatically using a software test program. Screen contrast and visibility are checked visually

MIL-STD 810F Method 510.3

Blowing Sand and Dust

This test is divided into two procedures. The small particle (dust) is used to ascertain the ability of equipment to resist the
effects of dust particles which may penetrate into cracks, seals, keyboards, etc. The blowing sand test determines whether
the computer can be stored and operated in blowing sand (149-85um particle size) conditions without experiencing
degradation of its performance, effectiveness, reliability and maintainability due to the abrasion/erosion or clogging effect of
large, sharp-edged particles. The test chambers used, together with all necessary air conditioning and circulation equipment,
with its auxiliary control instrumentation, particle storage and moving equipment, must be capable of maintaining and
continuously monitoring the required conditions throughout an envelope of air surrounding the test item.

MIL-STD 810F 510.3 I - Blowing Dust

Primary Factors: 8.9m's nominal for 6 hrs

Tests for sealing of the unit to prevent the ingress of dust and against keyboard clogging. Humidity is kept low at less than
30%. This test also provides conformity to IP6X (totally protected against dust). The BS5490 test is also carried out to prove
conformity with IP6X standards.

MIL-STD 810F 510.3 II - Blowing Sand

Primary Factors: 18 to 28m/s for 1.5 hrs x 3 faces

This test is used to assess the unit's resistance to general abrasive environments

MIL-STD 810F 514.4 1.8

Random Vibration

Primary Factors: 0.04g2/Hz, 20-1000Hz for 3 hrs

Vibration testing is performed to determine equipment's resistance to vibration stresses expected in shipment and application
environments. The test procedure covers use of the equipment in ground mobile vehicles where broadband random vibration
results from the interaction of vehicle suspension and structures with road surface discontinuities. In general, the vibration
spectrum of wheeled vehicles and trailers is predominantly random with peaks and notches considerably higher and lower
than the mean level. The environment is simulated using a wide band random vibration test similar to the minimum integrity
spectrum defined for aircraft. The tracked vehicle environment is characterized by the strong influence of the track laying
pattern. The unit is subjected to random vibration within the parameters indicated. This test is used to prove the unit will
function correctly when used in wheeled vehicle applications where varying degrees of vibration are experienced.

MIL-STD 810F 516.4

Free Fall Drop

MIL-STD810E 516.4 IV - Free Fall Drop

Primary factors: 48", 26 drops

Free fall drop tests (shock) are performed to ensure that equipment can withstand the relatively infrequent, non-repetitive
shocks or transient vibrations encountered in handling, transportation and service environments. Field data research has
shown that a typical piece of man-portable equipment will be dropped from heights of up to 122cm (48") an average of 4 to 6
times during its life cycle. The 26 drop requirements of this test exist to ensure that each vulnerable place (faces, edges and
corners) of a typical test item receives an impact. Drops are made from a quick release hook or drop tester onto 2" thick
plywood backed with concrete. The test item is so oriented that, upon impact, a line from the struck corner or edge to the
centre of gravity of the case and contents is perpendicular to the impact surface.

EN50082; IEC801-2 - ESD Immunity

This test is the opposite of that for EMC emissions in that the unit should operate normally when in the vicinity of other
electronic devices/apparatus.