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Home Knowledge Center What is MIL-STD-810?

Technical Articles & Industry Trends

What is MIL-STD-810?

Many rugged tablets and some industrial computers come with an MIL-STD-810 rating, which ensures that the computer or tablet can withstand drops, shocks and vibrations. It confirms the ruggedness of a product and it reassures our customers that their computer will not break from machine vibration or their rugged tablet will survive a fumble. In military applications including aviation, aerospace and marine, operators rely on computer systems for mission critical tasks and those computers are required to meet MIL-STD-810 standards.

While, it may not be a requirement in your industry, MIL-STD-810 is an industry norm and understanding it can help you make computer purchasing decisions. This blog will answer the following questions:

  1. What is MIL-STD-810?
  2. How is MIL-STD-810 tested?
  3. What else can be MIL-STD-810 rated?
  4. How does Teguar use MIL-STD-810?

What is MIL-STD-810?

MIL-STD stands for Military Standard and MIL-STD-810 is the Department of Defense Test Method Standard: Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests. The Standard defines 29 laboratory test methods used to test the ruggedness of material.

Part one of the 1,089 page MIL-STD-810H document describes the purpose of MIL-STD-810 as “systematically considering detrimental effects that various environmental factors may have on a specific materiel system throughout its service life.”

MIL-STD-810H is the most recent version of the Standard, published in January, 2019. Revisions are made in alphabetical order and MIL-STD-810G, made in 2008, is still widely used. The first version of MIL-STD-810 was released in 1962.

MIL-STD-810H Testing Methods

MIL-STD-810 transit drop test in progressMIL-STD-810 transit drop test about to be conductedThere are 29 test methods defined under MIL-STD-810H:

  • Low Pressure (Altitude)
  • High Temperature
  • Low Temperature
  • Temperature Shock
  • Contamination by Fluids
  • Solar Radiation (Sunshine)
  • Rain
  • Humidity
  • Fungus
  • Salt Fog
  • Sand and Dust
  • Explosive Atmosphere
  • Immersion
  • Acceleration
  • Acoustic Noise
  • Shock
  • Pyroshock
  • Acidic Atmosphere
  • Gunfire
  • Shock
  • Combined Environments
  • Icing/Freezing Rain
  • Ballistic Shock
  • Vibro-Acoustic/Temperature
  • Freeze / Thaw
  • Time Waveform Replication
  • Rail Impact Multi-Exciter Test
  • Mechanical Vibrations of Shipboard Equipment (Type I - Environmental and Type II - Internally Excited)

Materials can be tested for as many or as few of these categories as necessary. Each test simulates a harsh setting, such as temperature shock, sudden change in pressure, salt in the atmosphere, vibration, and sand and dust particles in the air. According to Apitech, “the tests can be laboratory or natural environment field tests, or a combination, whichever applies.”

What Materials are MIL-STD-810 Tested?

Virtually anything can be tested under MIL-STD-810. Most commonly tested are materials, products, parts and equipment used in aircrafts, marine vessels, vehicles, extreme climates and other harsh environments. An important note is that products are tested and certified to that product’s exact specifications. According to Trenton Systems, “any minor deviation [change in the product specs] is outside of scope” of the certification. 

For example, if the rugged laptop shown below is MIL-STD-810G certified for temperatures down to -20°C, and a customer requests an add on module, such as a barcode scanner, the laptop must undergo testing again, with the barcode scanner, in order to be fully MIL-STD-810G certified.

How does Teguar use MIL-STD-810 Certification?

MIL-STD-810 temperature test being run on a laptopTeguar provides rugged tablets and computers that are MIL-STD-810F/G certified. All of our products with this certification undergo rigorous testing. Some of our clients in military sectors or the transportation industry, including aviation, locomotive and marine, require MIL-STD-810 certification to ensure their computer or tablet will not fail in a critical situation. Other clients use our MIL-STD-810 certified computers and tablets for manufacturing, field services, agriculture and other applications where a computer failure can cause costly downtime.

 View Teguar's MIL-STD-810 Certified Rugged Tablets or contact us to discuss your project.


Sources:

https://www.apitech.com/globalassets/documents/products/secure-systems--information-assurance/sst/mil-std-810-overview-iss-5.pdf
https://www.atec.army.mil/publications/Mil-Std-810G/Mil-Std-810G.pdf
http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/
https://www.nts.com/industries/defense/mil-standards/mil-std-810-testing/
https://www.trentonsystems.com/blog/mil-std-810g-overview-rugged-computers


About the Authors:

Tom Poplawski has more than 19 years of engineering and design experience in the computer hardware field. He currently works as Product Manager at Teguar Computers and holds a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology from Purdue University. When he is not thinking hard about how to build better computers, he enjoys outdoor activities, photography, traveling the world with his family, and finding the best restaurants in town.