IEC 60068 environmental testing

IEC 60068 environmental testing
Standard	IEC 60068
Title	Environmental testing
Organization	International Electrotechnical Commission
First published	1963
Status	Active
Scope	Testing of electrotechnical equipment under environmental conditions

IEC 60068 environmental testing is a suite of International Electrotechnical Commission standards that define procedures for subjecting electrical equipment and electronic equipment to simulated environmental stresses to evaluate performance, reliability and durability. The standards harmonize laboratory practices across International Organization for Standardization partners, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization stakeholders and national bodies such as British Standards Institution, Deutsches Institut für Normung, and Underwriters Laboratories to support product certification, procurement and regulatory compliance. Practitioners in telecommunications, aerospace, automotive industry, defense industry and medical device sectors apply the standards alongside specialized regimes from MIL-STD-810, RTCA DO-160, and SAE International guidelines.

Overview and Scope

IEC 60068 addresses testing for environmental influences including temperature, humidity, vibration, shock, corrosion, sand, dust and climatic sequences, and is intended for use by manufacturers, test laboratories and acceptance authorities such as European Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Defense (United States), and European Union procurement agencies. The scope covers general test methods and definitions, linking to product standards from bodies like International Telecommunication Union, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Consumer Electronics Association, and sectoral frameworks from International Civil Aviation Organization. The standard suite is structured into parts that specify basic procedures, severities and verification criteria used by Intertek, SGS, TÜV Rheinland, and national test houses.

Test Series and Procedures

IEC 60068 is organized into test series and procedures identified by part numbers and codes, enabling cross-reference with product standards from IEC, ISO, EN and national committees; examples include cold, dry heat, cyclic humidity, vibration and combined environment sequences codified for reproducibility by European Commission conformity assessment schemes. Test procedures reference climatological and mechanical profiles used in trials accepted by Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce Holdings, Siemens, and General Electric for type approval and qualification. Accredited laboratories implement procedure parameters consistent with accreditation bodies like International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation and European co-operation for Accreditation.

Environmental Conditions and Test Methods

The standard defines environmental conditions and test methods for extremes and transients such as low temperature, high temperature, temperature cycling, damp heat, salt mist, fog, sand and dust; these methods are aligned with environmental data sources including the World Meteorological Organization and regional databases used by NASA, European Space Agency, JAXA, and Roscosmos. Test methods specify conditioning, dwell times and transition rates referenced by procurement frameworks used by NATO, UK Ministry of Defence, French DGA, and German Bundeswehr. Methods for mechanical stress — vibration, shock, and explosion hazard simulations — are applied in certification projects for Thales Group, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies.

Test Equipment and Facilities

IEC 60068 details requirements for test equipment and facilities including thermal chambers, humidity cabinets, salt spray cabinets, shaker systems and climatic corrosion rigs; manufacturers and suppliers such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Weiss Technik, ESPEC, LMS Test Labs and Bruel & Kjaer provide compliant instrumentation used by test centers accredited by UKAS, ANAB, and DAkkS. Facilities that host combined-environment tests integrate vibration systems from HBK and environmental control from Pfeiffer Vacuum to satisfy safety and traceability expectations of International Electrotechnical Commission conformity assessment and client auditors from Siemens Healthineers and Philips.

Test Specification, Sampling and Sequencing

The standard prescribes how to write test specifications, choose sample sizes and define sequencing of tests for reproducible qualification, drawing on statistical guidance used by International Organization for Standardization committees and sampling plans referenced by American National Standards Institute and ASTM International. Specification drafting often involves representatives from European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization, CENELEC, national standards bodies and industrial consortia such as 3GPP or JEITA to harmonize requirements across supply chains. Sequencing of climatic and mechanical tests is coordinated for lifecycle simulation in programs led by Airbus Defence and Space, Ford Motor Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Siemens Energy.

Interpretation of Results and Conformance Criteria

IEC 60068 provides frameworks for interpreting test outcomes, defining pass/fail criteria, allowable degradation modes and repairability benchmarks used by certification authorities like Underwriters Laboratories, CSA Group, and ETL SEMKO. Conformance assessment integrates with regulatory approval processes overseen by European Medicines Agency for medical devices, Federal Communications Commission for telecommunications equipment, and type-certification bodies such as EASA and FAA. Test reports prepared under the standard incorporate traceability, uncertainty analysis and non-conformance handling consistent with quality systems from ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025.

Applications and Industry Adoption

IEC 60068 is widely adopted across industries for design qualification, reliability growth testing, supplier verification and regulatory compliance; major adopters include Siemens, ABB, Schneider Electric, Honeywell International, and consortiums in rail transport projects such as International Union of Railways programs. The standard informs procurement specifications for infrastructure projects financed by institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and underpins test protocols used in defense procurements by NATO members and national armed forces. Ongoing maintenance and revision of parts are coordinated by technical committees within the International Electrotechnical Commission and national mirror committees from BSI, DIN, ANSI, and JISC to reflect advances in materials, sensors and test technologies.

Category:International Electrotechnical Commission standards