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Environmental Testing

solar simulatorThe use of state-of-the-art technology in new products and the increasing requirements for product reliability have intensified the need for advanced environmental testing techniques. VIPAC's Environmental Testing Division, comprising laboratories in Melbourne, St. Marys and Adelaide, offers a variety of test facilities for a broad range of testing requirements - thermal testing, vibration, shock and drop testing, rain and moisture ingress tests, as well as dust testing. As a NATA accredited, fully independent company, VIPAC is contracted by many companies to provide confidential testing services for a wide range of products - motor vehicles, automotive components, aerospace and defence electronic equipment, general consumer goods (whitegoods, mobile phones, etc) and industrial components (controllers, actuators, etc). Testing can be carried out to a variety of Standards, including AS, ASTM, MIL (810F, 901), ISO/IEC and DEF. VIPAC's flexibility allows most tests to be carried out to individual specifications, whilst providing commercial response times to client schedule requirements.

Thermal Testing:
Testing facilities include three different Environmental Chambers in which temperature and humidity can be controlled to tight tolerances:Thermal Testing

  • The Large Environmental Test Chamber, measuring 14m long x 5.5m wide and 4.5m high, is certified to test through a temperature range from -5°C to +60°C and humidity from 40% to 95%. It incorporates a 30 lamp CSI solar simulator, allowing any sunlight condition to above 1120W/m2 to be reproduced. Diurnal cycling can also be conducted.
  • The Environmental Test Chamber measuring 5.4m long x 3.3m wide and 2.8m high, is certified to test through a temperature range from -30°C to +80°C and humidity from 15% to 95%.
  • The High Temperature Chamber (2.2mx2mx2m) provides for testing from ambient to 250°C.
  • The Balanced Temperature & Humidity Chamber (3mx3mx3m) allows testing from 20% to 95% relative humidity and from -80°C to +150°C.

    St. Mary's Testing FacilityA variety of smaller chambers are available for testing of smaller products or parts.

    Shaker Testing:
    VIPAC's shaker testing facilities include hydraulic and electrodynamic shakers for tests to 27kN capacity with sine vibration, random vibration and limited shock capability. Triaxial shaking, as well as testing under controlled environmental conditions is also available.

    Shock Testing:
    VIPAC's shock testing facilities include MIL-S-901D Medium and Light Weight shock machines, profile shock machines including the incline shock machine, Avco, Lansmount and MTS drop machines with a range of mass and G capabilities. Watch Shock Test Video

    Small Testing ChambersAll testing can be supported by analytical services such as dynamic audits, stress analysis, isolation design, FEM, modal analysis, fatigue analysis and structural models. Limited static test capability (to 150kN) is also available.

    Other Testing:
    • High Intensity Acoustic Tests - up to 145dB
    • Explosive De-Compression Tests
    • Rain & Moisture Leakage Tests
    • Salt Fog Test
    • Altitude
    • Cable
    • Sand & Dust Penetration Tests to most customer's requirements and for any product - small parts up to container size
    • Bounce Tests - for packaging & transport of goods
    Incline Shock Machine
    VIPAC's Aerospace testing expertise has been demonstrated on projects such as:

  • Nomad and Lear Jet ground vibration tests
  • Strain gauge installation P3-C aircraft
  • Aerodynamic damping and flutter measurements - Eagle aircraft.
  • Instrumentation trials - F27

    To find out more about these services, please email: