〰️ Mechanical shock — test Ea: resistance of a product to non-repetitive or repetitive shocks of a standard pulse shape (half-sine, final-peak saw-tooth, trapezoidal), PN-EN 60068-2-27

Electronics and EMC PN-EN 60068-2-27

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We have a preview of IEC 60068-2-27:2008 (edition 4.0, 2008-02) — Clauses 1–5 without Table 1; PN-EN 60068-2-27:2009 introduces the text unchanged (IDT). Scope (Clause 1): the standard provides "a standard procedure for determining the ability of a specimen to withstand specified severities of non-repetitive or repetitive shocks"; the purpose of the test is to reveal mechanical weakness and/or degradation in specified performances, or accumulated damage or degradation caused by shocks, and, together with the relevant specification, to assess structural integrity or serve as quality control. The test is primarily intended for unpackaged specimens (and items in their transport case when the case is part of the specimen); used with IEC 60068-2-47 it can test packaged products. The specimen is always mounted to the fixture or the table of the shock-testing machine. Foreword: the fourth edition replaces the third of 1987 and merges IEC 60068-2-29 (second edition, 1987), which was to be withdrawn after its publication; soft packaged specimens are new. The standard has the status of a basic safety publication (IEC Guide 104) and is used together with IEC 60068-1.

WHAT THE TEST LOOKS LIKE (Clauses 3–5 of the preview). Shock severity is the combination of peak acceleration, duration of the nominal pulse and number of shocks. Three pulse shapes: half-sine, final-peak saw-tooth (asymmetrical triangle with a short fall time) and trapezoidal (symmetrical, with short rise and fall times); the standard sets no order of preference. The waveform measured at the check point must lie within the tolerance bands of Figures 1–3; the velocity change within ±15 % of the value of the nominal pulse (integration from 0.4 D before the pulse to 0.1 D after it, D — duration of the nominal pulse); cross-axis acceleration not greater than 30 % of the peak acceleration; with repetitive shocks, relative motion within the specimen must die out between shocks. Requirements for the measuring system (Figure 4): for pulses of 0.2 and 0.3 ms the low-frequency limits are 20 Hz and 120 Hz, the high ones 20 kHz and 40 kHz; for 2 and 3 ms — 2 Hz, 10 Hz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz; for 16, 18 and 30 ms — 0.2 Hz, 1 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz. Mounting according to IEC 60068-2-47. The pulse shape and severity are set by the relevant specification; shocks are applied in all three axes and in both directions if it so requires; the number of shocks in each direction is chosen from 3 ± 0, 100 ± 5, 500 ± 5, 1 000 ± 10 and 5 000 ± 10. The standard rounds the acceleration due to gravity g_n to 10 m/s².

STATUS (state of the card on 29 September 2026). The card of PN-EN 60068-2-27:2009 (English version) has no "Wycofana" (withdrawn) header — the standard is CURRENT. Published 01-06-2009, 40 pages, price group R, Electrical Engineering Sector, PKN technical committee KT 65 (Environmental Testing of Electrical Products), ICS 19.040, "Introduces: EN 60068-2-27:2009 [IDT], IEC 60068-2-27:2008 [IDT]", "Supersedes: PN-EN 60068-2-27:2002 - English version, PN-EN 60068-2-29:2002 - English version" — the card thus confirms the merger of the two former standards. The scope from the card, quoted in full: "Detailed requirements are given for components, equipment and other electrotechnical products which, during transportation, storage or use, may be subjected to relatively infrequently repeated or non-repeated shocks. A standard test procedure is provided for determining the resistance of a product to the required shock severities. A general description of the test, the test apparatus and the test severities is given. Definitions of 6 terms are given" (our translation of the Polish card). The PKN search for "PN-EN 60068-2-27" (29 September 2026) shows only the 2009 and 2002 editions; the latter, labelled "withdrawn and replaced by PN-EN 60068-2-27:2009", was titled "Test Ea and guidance — single shocks" (our translation of the Polish title).

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, data up to 17 September 2026, read on 28 September 2026). All records of number 60068-2-27: 36 entries at 12 laboratories. The shock test on its own — 14 entries at 12 laboratories: AB 023 ("Test Ea — single shock (half-sine) (6 - 25) ms"), AB 044 (together with the vibration test Fc), AB 128 (machinery, components, transport packages — alongside PN-EN ISO 4180), AB 132 (repetitive shocks up to 750 m/s², 1–30 ms — alongside NO-06-A107 and PN-EN 61373), AB 207 (up to 100 g), AB 261 (up to 264 g, specimens up to 500 kg, excluding the 2500 m/s²/1 ms test — alongside PN-EN 50125-3 and PN-EN 60255-21-2), AB 296 (two entries: non-repetitive and repetitive shocks, (50 – 1 500) m/s², equipment up to 800 kg — alongside NO-06-A107), AB 665 (sine, shock, random vibration — alongside PN-EN 50125-3, PN-EN 60068-2-6, PN-EN 60068-2-64 and PN-EN 61373), AB 1132 (military equipment: half-sine and trapezoid up to 1500 m/s², (1 - 50) ms — alongside NO-06-A107), AB 1241 (two entries: equipment up to 1000 kg — (0 – 2 200) m/s², (3.5 – 50) ms; from 1000 to 3000 kg — (0 – 50) m/s², (10 - 50) ms — alongside NO-06-A107 and NO-20-A500-5), AB 1776 (electrical components of cars: shocks up to 100 g — alongside vehicle manufacturers' standards) and AB 1860 (automotive components: half-sine, 1000 m/s²). Testing of products under the PN-EN 54 series ("using PN-EN 60068-2-27:2009" in the clause on shock) — 22 entries: AB 207 (17: heat, smoke, flame, carbon monoxide, aspirating, duct, multi-sensor and line-type detectors, manual call points, sounders and visual alarm devices, short-circuit isolators, input/output devices, components using radio links) and AB 023 (5). Forms: "PN-EN 60068-2-27:2009" — most, without the year — AB 128, AB 665 and AB 1241, "EN 60068-2-27:2009" — AB 023 and AB 044, "IEC 60068-2-27" — AB 044 (next to PN-EN and EN), AB 1776 ("IEC 60068-2-27:2009") and AB 1860 ("ed. 4.0 2008-02"). The "Laboratories" tab searches for records BEGINNING with "PN-EN 60068-2-27" and will show 8 laboratories — checked with the tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 29 September 2026: 8; under "EN 60068-2-27" — 2 (AB 023, AB 044); AB 132, AB 1776 and AB 1860 remain outside them. Current scopes on the PCA website (read on 29 September 2026, issues from 19 March 2025 to 14 July 2026): all entries stand in the valid issues, every pair of range limits from the copy appears in the current document and no entry is suspended.

ALONGSIDE THIS STANDARD. The entry most often also cites the defence standard NO-06-A107 (test methods for resistance to mechanical exposures) — AB 132, AB 296, AB 1132 and AB 1241, and for railway rolling stock PN-EN 61373 (AB 132, AB 665) and PN-EN 50125-3 (AB 261, AB 665); AB 261 also tests "Test Ea" of rolling-stock equipment under PN-EN 61373 and PN-EN 50155 alone, without this standard. Sinusoidal vibration (test Fc, PN-EN 60068-2-6 — a separate Knowledge Base entry) stands in the same entry as this standard in 25 entries at 5 laboratories: AB 044, AB 665 and AB 1776 (vibration and shock in one entry) and in all entries under the PN-EN 54 standards — AB 023 (5) and AB 207 (17). Mechanical shock as a clause of product standards, in entries without PN-EN 60068-2-27, is cited among others by: AB 044 (the PN-EN 60730 series, PN-EN 60898, PN-EN 61008-1, PN-EN 61009-1, PN-EN 61010-1, PN-EN 61643-11, PN-EN IEC 60974-1), AB 121 (PN-EN 61010-1), AB 022 (PN-EN 12966 — variable message traffic signs), AB 128 and AB 1241 (UN Regulations No. 100 and 136 with ISO 6469-1 — electric power trains of vehicles, at AB 1241 rechargeable energy storage systems, REESS), AB 1690 (PN-EN 50155 and PN-EN 61373 — terminal blocks and plug connectors), AB 261 (UN Manual of Tests, test T.4 — clause 38.3.4.4), AB 060 (PN-EN 16856 — portable aerosol dispensers for fire fighting) and AB 117 (PN-IEC 839-10-1 — vehicle alarm systems, repetitive shocks). PN-EN 60068-2-29, superseded together with the 2002 edition of this standard, is not cited by any laboratory in the copy.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. The preview ends with Clause 5 without Table 1, so we do not give the "peak acceleration — duration" pairs recommended by the standard, the tolerance bands of Figures 1–3, the formula for the cut-off frequency of the filter, the content of Clauses 6–12 (preconditioning, initial and final measurements, testing, recovery, information in the specification and in the report) or of Annex A (selection of pulse shape, example severities for applications) — we only know their titles from the table of contents.

Method principle

The specimen, mounted on the table of the shock-testing machine (or on a fixture, according to IEC 60068-2-47), is subjected to shocks of a standard shape — half-sine, final-peak saw-tooth or trapezoidal — with the peak acceleration, duration and number of shocks set by the product specification, in all three axes and in both directions if the specification so requires. The waveform measured at the check point must lie within the tolerance band, the velocity change within ±15 %, and cross-axis acceleration must not exceed 30 % of the peak. The assessment is the absence of damage and retained functioning of the product; the criteria are given by the product specification (preview of Clauses 1–5 of IEC 60068-2-27:2008).

Applications

• Electrotechnical, electronic and telecommunication products, military and railway equipment — resistance and endurance to non-repetitive and repetitive shocks (12 laboratories)
• Detectors and equipment of fire detection and alarm systems — the clause on shock in testing under the PN-EN 54 series (AB 023, AB 207)
• Electrical and electronic vehicle components — alongside manufacturers' standards (AB 1776, AB 1860)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN 60068-2-27:2009 (wersja angielska; EN 60068-2-27:2009, IEC 60068-2-27:2008 IDT)

Title (PL)

Badania środowiskowe — Część 2-27: Próby — Próba Ea i wytyczne: Udary

Title (EN)

Environmental testing — Part 2-27: Tests — Test Ea and guidance: Shock

Step-by-step procedure

1. Product specification

   The specification sets the pulse shape, peak acceleration, duration, axes and directions, and the number of shocks (3, 100, 500, 1 000 or 5 000 in each direction); we do NOT GIVE the recommended combinations of Table 1.

2. Mounting

   The specimen is mounted on the table or fixture of the shock-testing machine according to IEC 60068-2-47; check points as close as possible to the fixing points.

3. Checking the pulse

   Waveform at the check point within the tolerance band, velocity change within ±15 %, cross-axis acceleration ≤ 30 % of the peak; measuring system according to Figure 4.

4. Shocks

   Shocks in the specified axes and directions; with repetitive shocks, a repetition rate at which relative motion within the specimen dies out between shocks.

5. Assessment

   Final measurements and functional check according to the product specification — the content of Clauses 6–12 is NOT GIVEN (outside the preview).

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• The shock machine and the specimen store a lot of energy — the mounting of the specimen and the guards are checked before each series of shocks
• SUBSTANTIVE NOTE: the standard does not set the shock severity — the acceleration, duration and number of shocks come from the product specification (e.g. the PN-EN 54 standards or NO-06-A107); when asking for the test, state the product document

Frequently asked questions