Vibration & Shock Testing for Electronics & Embedded Systems
Vibration and shock testing for electronics and embedded systems confirms a design decision made weeks earlier, at the PCB layout and mounting stage, not on the shaker table. A test campaign can catch a flaw, but it can't fix a board that was never built to survive its mechanical environment.
Measured impact on mechanical survivability
Component placement, PCB stack-up, connector selection, and enclosure mounting decide whether an assembly holds up under random vibration, shock, and resonance long before any unit reaches a lab. We design electronics and embedded systems to withstand vibration and shock as part of the hardware development process, then plan and oversee the test campaigns that confirm it.
How we design electronics that survive vibration and shock
Two disciplines work together here: the mechanical design decisions made before a board exists, and the test campaign that later confirms those decisions hold up.
Designing for vibration before the first prototype
- Frequency response analysis of the PCB and its mounting, a form of dynamics testing run in simulation before any physical vibration testing begins, finds natural frequencies that could coincide with excitation sources on the platform
- Where a resonance sits too close to the operating range, we adjust standoff placement, stiffen the board, or move mounting points, rather than leave it for the enclosure to damp out
- Connectors, transformers, and other heavy parts on unsupported PCB spans get reinforced or relocated during layout, since they're usually first to fail under random vibration
- Cable harnesses get strain relief and locking connectors so a shock event doesn't disconnect a signal path that passed every bench test
- When a physical test is planned, we design the custom fixturing, matching the production mounting so results reflect the actual installed configuration rather than a simplified lab setup
Planning and overseeing the test campaign
- Profile selection starts with the platform's actual duty cycle and the standard that applies to it, not a generic worst case
- We define the test sequence, including combined environmental testing where temperature cycling, vibration, and shock run against the same unit
- We coordinate directly with the accredited lab performing the physical test
- Test reports are reviewed against the original design assumptions, and any deviation feeds back into the next design revision
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What defines a vibration-tolerant assembly
A vibration-tolerant assembly holds up under real operating conditions, clears certification without late surprises, and performs the same way on unit one thousand as it did on the qualification sample.
Profiles are built from the platform's actual operating environment, not only the standard's minimum levels, so results reflect what the assembly will genuinely encounter in service.
Structural weaknesses surface and get corrected before formal certification testing, when a fix still costs a layout change instead of a missed program milestone.
Design and fixture decisions carry through to production, so every unit shipped meets the same durability and structural integrity standard as the unit that passed qualification, supporting the product reliability and customer satisfaction the program was built around.
In-house scope vs. accredited laboratory
Qualification for vibration and shock survivability splits cleanly between two parties: the design work that determines whether an assembly will pass, and the physical test that confirms it did.
What InTechHouse does in-house
What an accredited laboratory does
Vibration and shock profile types and when each applies
Standard selection depends on the platform. Airborne electronics are typically qualified against RTCA DO-160, Section 8 for vibration and Section 7 for operational shock and crash safety. Military and defense hardware is typically tested to MIL-STD-810, Method 514 for vibration and Method 516 for shock. Commercial and industrial electronics are frequently qualified against IEC 60068-2-6 for sinusoidal vibration and IEC 60068-2-27 for shock. The applicable standard gets selected during the design phase, not after a prototype is built.
A single frequency swept across a range at constant or stepped amplitude, used to identify resonances before a full qualification run.
Locates natural frequencies, then holds the assembly at each one to check for degradation over time.
Applies energy across a broad frequency band simultaneously, closer to most transport and operational environments than a single sine tone.
Overlays a discrete sine component, typically a rotating source such as a motor or rotor, onto a random background; common in vehicle and rotorcraft testing.
A short, high-energy sinusoidal pulse used to verify structural strength against a defined load.
A single defined pulse shape, such as half-sine or terminal sawtooth, simulating a mechanical event like a drop or impact.
A shock event defined by its shock response spectrum rather than one pulse shape, used where the real event is too complex for a classical waveform.
Typical failure modes and the design fixes that prevent them
The same handful of failure modes show up across most vibration and shock campaigns. Each one traces back to a specific design decision, not a manufacturing defect, and each has a fix that costs far less applied before the test than after it.
Symptom: intermittent failures appear during or after a random vibration run, often localized to one board corner. Mechanism: repeated flexing at a joint carrying a component with mass disproportionate to its pad area builds up fatigue cracks.
Fix: add mechanical support, such as an adhesive stake or bracket, or move the component closer to a support point during layout.
Symptom: signal dropout coincides with a shock pulse rather than developing gradually. Mechanism: the shock loading briefly exceeds the connector's retention force.
Fix: specify a locking connector variant and add strain relief on the cable side of the mating point.
Symptom: performance degrades, or a fault appears only under load, with no visible break. Mechanism: an unsupported board span flexes beyond the laminate's fatigue limit over repeated cycles.
Fix: add mounting points or stiffening ribs to shorten the span and raise the assembly's natural frequency.
Symptom: the board fails at a lower input level than its own resonance would predict. Mechanism: the enclosure's natural frequency sits close to the board's, and the two amplify each other instead of one damping the other.
Fix: separate the two resonances at the design stage, by stiffening the enclosure or adjusting board mounting stiffness.
Use Cases
We design and develop embedded systems for UAV platforms, integrating sensors, communication modules, and control logic for real-time operation. Our solutions are engineered for mission-critical environments, ensuring reliable performance, low latency, and seamless system integration. Each design supports stable operation under dynamic conditions while maintaining data integrity and operational efficiency.
We design and develop firmware for industrial equipment, enabling reliable communication, data acquisition, and system control under real operating conditions. We focus on robustness, real-time performance, and seamless integration with hardware and higher-level systems. Each implementation provides stability, scalability, and long-term maintainability in demanding industrial environments. We als optimize for resource efficiency and compliance with industry protocols.
We design and develop firmware for subsea systems focusing on predictable real-time operation, fault tolerance, and robust communication in harsh underwater environments. Each implementation allows consistent performance under pressure, limited accessibility, and long-term deployment conditions. We also support integration with monitoring and diagnostic systems to enable remote operation and maintenance.
We design and implement advanced embedded software for imaging systems, including real-time processing, camera control, and data integration. Our solutions are optimized for high performance, low latency, and seamless interaction with hardware components. Each implementation ensures stable operation, high data throughput, and reliable system behavior. We also support integration with higher-level systems and data pipelines for end-to-end functionality.
Industries We Serve
Our engineering capabilities are deployed across regulated, mission-critical and industrial sectors.
Subsea electronics, downhole systems and harsh-environment hardware for offshore and onshore operations.
Mission-critical embedded systems and real-time firmware for UAV platforms and defence electronics.
Real-time embedded firmware for gas detection, environmental sensing and worker alert systems.
Embedded systems and real-time firmware for industrial automation,
machine control and IoT data acquisition.
Technologies we use
The standards and design disciplines applied on every vibration and shock program, starting with the first PCB revision and carried through final qualification.
FAQs
If you have additional questions or would like to discuss your requirements, feel free to get in touch with our team.
It applies a controlled, repeatable vibration profile to an assembly to confirm it keeps functioning and stays structurally sound under the mechanical stress it will encounter in service.
Sine vibration applies energy at one frequency at a time, useful for identifying a specific resonance. Random vibration applies energy across a broad frequency band simultaneously, closer to most real transport and operational environments.
A sine sweep moves a single test frequency across a defined range at a constant or stepped rate, used to locate resonant frequencies before a full qualification profile.
Based on the platform's actual duty cycle, the standard that applies to its market and application, and any customer-defined requirements beyond the standard's minimum levels.
MIL-STD-810 covers environmental testing for military and defense equipment, with Method 514 addressing vibration and Method 516 addressing shock.
IEC 60068-2-6 covers sinusoidal vibration testing for electronic and electrical equipment. IEC 60068-2-27 covers shock testing.
A campaign that combines mechanical shock pulses with sustained or swept vibration, confirming an assembly withstands both types of mechanical stress it may encounter in service.
Most failures trace back to a mismatch between a component's mass and its support, an unsupported span with a resonance near the test frequency, or a connector and cable path without adequate strain relief. Each is a design decision made before testing, not a manufacturing defect.
Comprehensive vibration testing services cover profile design, fixture design, and coordination with an accredited testing lab equipped with the shakers and shock machines needed to perform vibration testing. Electrical and electronics engineers then review the resulting vibration test reports against the test item's intended use to confirm it's ready for certification.
No. Automotive components are usually tested for continuous, real-world road vibration and long-term durability, while aerospace and defense equipment is tested against strict industry standards such as MIL-STD-810 and RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) DO-160, covering both single axis and multi-axis vibration testing capabilities. Consumer products fall somewhere between the two, depending on intended use. In every case, the profile comes from the platform's real-world environment, not a generic worst case.
Narrow band random vibration concentrates energy around one resonance to see how a structure responds at that frequency. Broadband random vibration spreads energy across a wide frequency range at once, closer to the combined stresses and combined environments a product experiences in extreme conditions such as transport or field operation. Both assess product performance before a design moves to production.
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