Thermal Shock Test Chambers
Rapid Hot/Cold Transition Testing to MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-883, and IEC 60068-2-14
Solder joints, encapsulation, and bonded material interfaces can survive gradual temperature cycling that would reveal a defect immediately under a rapid, extreme transition — which is exactly the gap thermal shock testing is designed to close. Rather than ramping temperature within one chamber, thermal shock testing transfers the test basket between separate hot and cold zones in seconds, exposing the product to a near-instantaneous temperature step that stresses interfaces and joints far more aggressively than a slow ramp would.
Sonacme's thermal shock chambers are available in two-zone and three-zone designs, across vertical, horizontal, and liquid-to-liquid configurations. The two-zone design covers standard hot/cold shock testing to MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-883, IEC 60068-2-14, and applicable JEDEC test methods. The three-zone design adds an intermediate temperature zone specifically to meet ISO 26262 (road vehicle functional safety) and IEC 61508 requirements — standards that call for a defined intermediate dwell as part of the automotive and safety-critical electronics qualification profile, which a standard two-zone transfer doesn't provide.
Liquid-to-liquid configurations extend thermal shock testing beyond air-to-air transfer, submerging the test article in temperature-controlled liquid baths for an even faster, more aggressive thermal transition — used where a component's actual service environment or qualification standard calls for liquid-medium shock testing rather than air.
Beyond the core shock mechanism, these chambers use LOW GWP R-449A refrigerant, cutting energy use by up to 40% compared to standard refrigerants, and DANFOSS and SAGINOMIYA solenoid valves for reliable refrigerant flow control across the repeated, high-cycle-count operation thermal shock testing typically demands.
