🔨 Hammer tests (test Eh) — resistance of a product to impacts with energies from 0.14 J to 50 J: pendulum hammer (Eha), spring hammer (Ehb) and vertical hammer (Ehc), striking element, fall height, rigid mounting, PN-EN 60068-2-75

Electronics and EMC PN-EN 60068-2-75

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We have the sample extract of IEC 60068-2-75 in edition 2.1 of October 2025 — the consolidated version of the second edition (2014-09) with amendment 1 (2025-10), in the form with the changes marked: from the cover to 7.2 (page 13), i.e. the whole main text without Annexes A–E. PN-EN 60068-2-75:2015-01 introduces the 2014 edition unchanged (IDT). Scope (clause 1): three standardized and mutually coordinated methods for checking whether a specimen withstands impacts of a specified severity; they serve in particular to demonstrate an acceptable level of robustness when assessing the safety of a product and are intended primarily for testing electrotechnical products. The test consists of applying a specified number of impacts of a specified energy in specified directions; energies from 0.14 J to 50 J. Introduction: the result should not depend on the type of apparatus, therefore the parameters of the three hammers for the same severity are as close as possible; the severity levels are generally taken from IEC 60721-1; during the coordination the parameters of the former tests Ef (pendulum hammer) and Eg (spring hammer) were changed, and values that are no longer recommended were kept in brackets for comparability with earlier results. Foreword of the 2014 edition: it replaced the first edition of 1997 as a technical revision whose significant change is a reconsideration of some of the values in Tables 1 and 2. The standard has the status of a basic safety publication (IEC Guide 104).

SEVERITY, APPARATUS AND MOUNTING (clauses 4–7). The severity is the impact energy selected from the series 0.14 – 0.2 – (0.3) – 0.35 – (0.4) – 0.5 – 0.7 – 1 – 2 – 5 – 10 – 20 – 50 J (values in brackets are not recommended) and the number of impacts — unless the product specification states otherwise, three on each location. Striking element (Table 1): up to and including 1 J — polyamide, equivalent mass 0.25 kg (formerly 0.2 kg) ± 2 %, radius of the striking part R 10 mm, diameter D 18.5 mm (formerly 20 mm), energy ± 10 %; 2 J — steel, 0.5 kg, D 35 mm; 5 J — 1.7 kg, D 60 mm; 10 J — 5 kg, D 80 mm; 20 J — 5 kg, D 100 mm; 50 J — 10 kg, D 125 mm (energy ± 5 %); the length of the element is chosen to suit the equivalent mass, and the striking surface is inspected before each impact. Hardness: polyamide 85 ≤ HRR ≤ 100 (ISO 2039-2), steel Fe 490-2 according to ISO 1052 with a hardness of HRE 80…85. Fall height (Table 2, ± 1 %, energy calculated with g rounded to 10 m/s²): 56 mm for 0.14 J, 80 mm for 0.2 J, 140 mm for 0.35 J, 200 mm for 0.5 J, 280 mm for 0.7 J, 400 mm for 1 J and 2 J, 300 mm for 5 J, 200 mm for 10 J, 400 mm for 20 J and 500 mm for 50 J; for the former mass of 0.2 kg — 100, 150, 200 and 250 mm for 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 J. The specimen is fixed by its normal means to a rigid plane support or placed against it — e.g. against a wall or floor of brick or concrete covered with a closely fixed polyamide sheet about 8 mm thick (85 ≤ HRR ≤ 100); the mounting is sufficiently rigid when the surface of the support, struck directly with the same energy, deflects by not more than 0.1 mm (note: with a mounting mass at least 20 times the mass of the specimen the rigidity is usually sufficient). Secondary impacts (rebounds) are not allowed; unless the specification states otherwise, impacts are applied perpendicular to the surface under test, at the points most likely to be exposed in use. Pendulum hammer (Eha): pivot 1000 mm above the measuring point of the element, fall solely under gravity, after the impact the element is caught; up to 1 J the element is a steel body with a polyamide insert with a hemispherical face, mass 200 g (formerly 150 g) ± 1 g; from 2 J the mass of the arm is not more than 0.2 of the mass of the element (a ball on a cord — not recommended). Spring hammer (Ehb): mass of the striking part 250 g (formerly 200 g) up to 1 J and 500 g for 2 J, release force not more than 10 N, the spring releases all its energy about 1 mm before the plane of impact, after which the element moves freely for a further 8–12 mm; outside the horizontal the energy changes by ΔE = 10 × m × d × sin α (m — mass in kg, d — travel of the element in metres, α — angle of the axis to the horizontal; positive for a downward impact); the hammer must be calibrated (preferred procedure — Annex B). Vertical hammer (Ehc): the element falls freely from the height of Table 2 onto the horizontal surface of the specimen along a guide (e.g. three or four rails) that does not rest on the specimen; length of the element not less than its diameter, clearance at the guide e.g. 1 mm. The product specification must state, among other things, the energy, the mounting method, the position and points of impact, the operating mode and functional monitoring, the initial and final measurements and the acceptance criteria (4.8).

AMENDMENT A1:2025. According to the IEC website, amendment 1 (IEC 60068-2-75:2014/AMD1:2025, 4 pages) was published on 21.10.2025 and its corrigendum COR1 on 05.12.2025; the base edition has a stability date of 2028. In the main text of the extract the amendment permits a second way of confirming hardness: polyamide — 70 ≤ Shore D ≤ 85 according to ISO 48-4 (e.g. PA6.6), steel — 69 ≤ HRBW ≤ 91 according to ISO 6508-1 (e.g. X6Cr17, 1.4016, AISI 430), and changes the references accordingly (ISO 48-4 is added, and ISO 6508-1 replaces the whole ISO 6508 series). We do not know the changes in the annexes — the extract does not cover them.

STATUS (state of the cards on 30 September 2026). The card of PN-EN 60068-2-75:2015-01 (English version) has no "Withdrawn" header — the standard is CURRENT: published 20-01-2015, 42 pages, price group S, Electrotechnical Sector, KT 65 for Environmental Testing of Electrical Products, ICS 19.040, "Introduces: EN 60068-2-75:2014 [IDT], IEC 60068-2-75:2014 [IDT]", "Replaces: PN-EN 60068-2-75:2000 - Polish version"; the "Scope" field is a Polish translation of clause 1 ("3 standardized and equivalent test methods", energies from 0.14 J to 50 J). The card of PN-EN 60068-2-75:2000 (Polish version) — "Withdrawn and replaced by PN-EN 60068-2-75:2015-01 - English version": published 08-05-2000, "Withdrawal date: 20-01-2015", 37 pages; it introduced EN 60068-2-75:1997 and IEC 60068-2-75:1997 [IDT] and replaced PN-EN 60068-2-63:1997 and PN-IEC 68-2-62:1996 (both in the Polish version); "Scope" field: "three standardized and mutually coordinated tests" in the energy range from 0.14 J to 50 J. The PKN search for "PN-EN 60068-2-75" (30 September 2026) shows only these two items — without amendment A1.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation-scope database, data loaded up to 17 September 2026, read on 30 September 2026). All notations of number 60068-2-75: 35 entries at 10 laboratories, 47 occurrences of the number — the same in the current PCA documents. The 2015-01 edition is written by 8 laboratories (AB 001, AB 023, AB 024, AB 044, AB 074, AB 261, AB 1340, AB 1552); AB 024 keeps the withdrawn 2000 edition in the same entry as well, and AB 044 — the equivalents EN 60068-2-75:2014 and IEC 60068-2-75:2014. AB 207 cites the withdrawn edition PN-EN 60068-2-75:2000 in 15 of 17 entries (in 13 only that edition), "PN-EN 60068-2-75:2015" — in the stand-alone test Ehb (next to the 2000 edition with the 1997 equivalents) and in two entries according to ISO 21927-9, and in one entry the notation "PN-EN 60068-2-75:2014", which does not exist in the PKN catalogue; AB 665 — without a year. The "Laboratories" tab looks for notations that BEGIN with "PN-EN 60068-2-75" and will show 9 of the 10 laboratories — checked with the tab's query on the production server labcoda.pl on 30 September 2026: 9; it will not show AB 1340, which writes the standard in one string after PN-EN 62262:2003+A1:2022-06. Current scopes on the PCA website (read on 30 September 2026, issues from 16.07.2025 to 01.09.2026): all entries are in the issues in force and none is suspended (the asterisk at AB 001 marks a test on the basis of which the laboratory gives opinions and interpretations).

SUBJECT AND TYPE OF ENTRIES. 23 entries are test clauses for fire detection and fire alarm equipment and smoke control equipment, in which the product standard requires an impact test to be carried out "using" this standard: AB 023 — 7 (control and indicating equipment, line smoke detectors, alarm transmission equipment, input/output devices, power supply equipment according to PN-EN 54-2, 54-4, 54-12, 54-16, 54-18, 54-21 and PN-EN 12101-10), AB 207 — 16 (also sounders and visual alarm devices, aspirating smoke detectors, duct detectors, line heat detectors, components using radio links, ISO 7240-4 and two entries according to ISO 21927-9 with PB/BA procedures). 7 entries are a stand-alone hammer test: AB 023 (spring hammer, components of fire automation and fire alarm systems), AB 207 (Ehb, 0.5 ± 0.1 J), AB 044 (pendulum hammer Eha with energies of 0.2; 0.35; 0.5; 0.7; 1; 2; 5; 10; 20 J for lighting and electrical installation equipment, and a separate entry of hammer tests for electrotechnical products), AB 261 (Ehb, enclosures of electrical and telecommunications products), AB 665 (equipment enclosures) and AB 1552 (spring hammer Ehb). 5 entries are the degree of protection of enclosures against mechanical impacts (IK code): AB 001 (IK10, test Ehc), AB 024, AB 074 (up to IK10), AB 1340 (IK01–IK10, vertical hammer Ehc) and AB 1552 (IK01–IK10, 50 J, test Ehc).

ALONGSIDE THIS STANDARD. In the IK code entries stands PN-EN 62262:2003 (at AB 001, AB 024, AB 074, AB 1340, AB 1552, and at AB 044 in the pendulum hammer entry), at AB 024, AB 1340, AB 1552 and AB 044 also its amendment A1:2022-06, at AB 024 — the correction Ap1:2022-01, and at AB 1552 — PN-EN 50102:2001 with corrigendum AC:2011. AB 261 combines test Ehb with clauses of the product standards PN-EN IEC 60335-1:2024-04 (cl. 21.1) and PN-EN IEC 60598-1:2025-04 (cl. 7.13.1), and AB 665 — with PN-EN 62208. IK code without this standard in the entry: AB 044 (enclosures of electrical equipment — PN-EN 50102:2001 and PN-EN 62262:2003+A1:2022-06 with the EN and IEC equivalents), AB 261 (hammer tests Ehb up to IK 06 — PN-EN 50102:2001 with corrigendum AC:2011 and PN-EN 62262:2003 with Ap1 and A1; the Ehb hammer stands in this entry without a reference to this standard) and AB 324 (IK07, IK09, IK10 — PN-EN 62262:2003). Next to it in the scopes of AB 023 and AB 207 are the other environmental tests from the same PN-EN 54 standards — among others PN-EN 60068-2-6 (vibration), 60068-2-27 (shock), 60068-2-78 (damp heat) and 60068-2-1 (cold), described in the Knowledge Base in separate entries.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — the same energy with different parameters: for 0.2 J and 0.5 J Table 2 gives, next to the recommended mass of 0.25 kg (80 and 200 mm), the former 0.2 kg (100 and 250 mm), and the element up to 1 J formerly had a diameter of 20 mm instead of 18.5 mm; the result is comparable only with the same set, so the report should state it. Second — mounting: a support that deflects by more than 0.1 mm absorbs part of the energy and gives a better result than in reality. Third — a spring hammer used other than horizontally changes the energy by ΔE = 10 × m × d × sin α, and an uncalibrated one may deliver an energy different from the one set. Fourth — rebounds: a second impact after a rebound increases the load on the specimen. Fifth — criteria: the standard does not say when a product has "passed"; this is assessed against the requirements of the product standard (e.g. PN-EN 54, PN-EN 62262), and a crack may expose hazardous parts (4.5.4). Sixth — edition: in entries according to the 2000 edition (IEC 60068-2-75:1997) partly different values of Tables 1 and 2 applied.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. The extract covers the main text, without the annexes: we do not give the shapes of the striking elements from Figures A.1–A.6, the calibration procedure for spring hammers (Annex B), the guidance on the choice of apparatus and energy level with Table C.1 (Annex C) or the examples of apparatus (Annexes D and E); nor do we know whether amendment A1 changed anything in the annexes.

Method principle

A product mounted on a rigid, plane support receives a specified number of impacts (by default three on each location) from a striking element of standardized shape, mass and hardness; the energy from 0.14 J to 50 J is applied by a pendulum hammer (Eha) or a vertical hammer (Ehc) — through the fall height from Table 2 — or by a calibrated spring hammer (Ehb). After the impacts the product is checked against the criteria of its specification; the standard itself gives no acceptance criteria.

Applications

• Enclosures of electrical equipment — degree of protection against mechanical impacts (IK code, together with PN-EN 62262) — AB 001, AB 024, AB 074, AB 1340, AB 1552
• Fire detection and fire alarm equipment and smoke control equipment — impact test clauses of PN-EN 54, PN-EN 12101-10, ISO 7240-4 and ISO 21927-9 (AB 023, AB 207)
• Lighting and electrical installation equipment, electrotechnical and telecommunications products — stand-alone tests Eha and Ehb (AB 023, AB 044, AB 207, AB 261, AB 665, AB 1552)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN 60068-2-75:2015-01 (wersja angielska; EN 60068-2-75:2014, IEC 60068-2-75:2014 IDT)

Title (PL)

Badania środowiskowe — Część 2-75: Próby — Próba Eh: Próby młotami

Title (EN)

Environmental testing — Part 2-75: Tests — Test Eh: Hammer tests

Step-by-step procedure

1. Conditions from the product specification

   Energy, number of impacts, type of apparatus, mounting method, position and points of impact, operating mode, functional monitoring and acceptance criteria (4.8).

2. Conditioning and initial measurements

   Preconditioning, if required by the specification; visual inspection, dimensional measurements and functional check (4.3, 4.4).

3. Mounting

   By its normal means on a rigid plane support or by placing it against the support; deflection of the support under an impact of the same energy not more than 0.1 mm (4.2.2).

4. Impacts

   Perpendicular to the surface under test, by default three on each location, without rebounds; Eha and Ehc — fall height from Table 2, Ehb — calibrated hammer, when used other than horizontally with the correction ΔE = 10 × m × d × sin α; before each impact inspection of the striking surface.

5. Final measurements and assessment

   Recovery, if required by the specification; visual inspection, dimensions, functioning; assessment against the criteria of the product specification (4.6, 4.7).

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• A cracked enclosure may expose hazardous parts, including live parts (note to 4.5.4) — the product under test is safeguarded in accordance with its specification
• The element for 50 J has a mass of 10 kg and falls from 500 mm — keep hands out of the impact zone; after the impact the pendulum hammer is caught by the striking element, not by the arm
• TECHNICAL NOTE: the standard contains no acceptance criteria — a "withstood" result only makes sense together with a requirement of the product standard (e.g. PN-EN 54, PN-EN 62262)

Frequently asked questions