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Shock/Vibration - RTCA/DO-160 Summary
The standard line of ECS trays is designed to conform to the operational shock, crash safety, and vibration requirements specified in RTCA/DO-160. In addition, ECS offers tray designs with shock/vibration solutions that withstand more rigorous environments where shock and vibration issues are a common occurrence. The following is a summary of the functional tests of the RTCA/DO-160 specifications that are the primary considerations in every ECS tray design.
Tray pictured on left: Specialized Shock Design. Tray pictured on right: MIL-STD-810 Shock Tray designed for airborne, shipboard, tank and ground vehicle applications.
Operational Shock Test (DO-160 Chapter 7):
The purpose of the operational shock test is to verify that the equipment will continue to function after exposure to shocks experienced during normal aircraft operations including taxiing, landing, or when the aircraft encounters sudden gusts in flight. This test applies to trays installed on fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. The operational shock test is performed by applying three shocks on the tray (with the LRU or dummy load installed) in each orientation, with an acceleration peak value of 6G.
Crash Safety Test (DO-160 Chapter 7):
The purpose of the crash safety test is to verify that the tray will not detach from the aircraft shelf in a hazardous manner during an emergency landing. This test applies to trays installed in compartments and other areas of the aircraft where trays detached during emergency landing could present a hazard to occupants, fuel systems, or emergency evacuation equipment. The appropriate test acceleration to be applied on the tray is determined based on the following:
- Aircraft Type (Fixed-wing Transport, Helicopter, etc.)
- Orientation of Tray on Aircraft (Fixed or Known, Random or Unknown)
Vibration Test (DO-160 Chapter 8):
The purpose of the vibration test is to verify that the tray will perform satisfactorily when subjected to specified vibration levels. This test applies to trays installed on fixed-wing propeller aircraft, fixed-wing turbojet, turbofan and propfan aircraft, and helicopters. The appropriate vibration test curves to be applied for testing are selected by identifying the following:
- Aircraft Type (Turbojet, Turbofan, etc.)
- Category (Standard Vibration, Robust Vibration, Random Vibration, etc.)
- Aircraft Zone Location (Equipment Rack, Instrument Panel, Fuselage, etc.)