This part of IEC 60068 provides a standard procedure for determining the ability of a specimen
to withstand specified severities of non-repetitive or repetitive shocks.
The purpose of this test is to reveal mechanical weakness and/or degradation in specified
performances, or accumulated damage or degradation caused by shocks. In conjunction with
the relevant specification, this may be used in some cases to determine the structural integrity
of specimens or as a means of quality control (see Clause A.2).
This test is primarily intended for unpackaged specimens and for items in their transport case
when the latter may be considered to be part of the specimen. If an item is to be tested
unpackaged, it is referred to as a test specimen. However, if the item is packaged, then the
item itself is referred to as a product and the item and its packaging together are referred to as
a test specimen. When used in conjunction with IEC 60068-2-47, this standard may be used for
testing packaged products. This possibility was included in the 2005 version of IEC 60068-2-47
for the first time.
This standard is written in terms of prescribed pulse shapes. Guidance for the selection and
application of these pulses is given in Annex A and the characteristics of the different pulse
shapes are discussed in Annex B.
Wherever possible, the test severity and the shape of the shock pulse applied to the specimen
should be such as to reproduce the effects of the actual transport or operational environment
to which the specimen will be subjected, or to satisfy the design requirements if the object of
the test is to assess structural integrity (see Clauses A.2 and A.4).
For the purposes of this test, the specimen is always mounted to the fixture or the table of the
shock testing machine during testing.
NOTE The term “shock testing machine” is used throughout this standard, but other means of applying pulse
shapes are not excluded.
One of the responsibilities of a technical committee is, wherever applicable, to make use of
basic safety publications in the preparation of its publications.
IEC 60068-2-27:2008 Referenced Document
Guide 104 The preparation of safety publications and the use of basic safety publications and group safety publications (Edition 4.0)*, 2010-08-01 Update
IEC 60068-1 Environmental testing - Part 1: General and guidance*, 2013-10-01 Update
IEC 60068-2-47:2005 Environmental testing - Part 2-47: Test - Mounting of specimens for vibration, impact and similar dynamic tests
IEC 60721-3-1 Classification of environmental conditions — Part 3-1: Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their severities — Storage*, 2018-02-23 Update
IEC 60721-3-5 Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3: Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their severities - Section 5: Ground vehicle installations
IEC 60068-2-27:2008 history
2008IEC 60068-2-27:2008 Environmental testing - Part 2-27: Tests - Test Ea and guidance: Shock
1987IEC 60068-2-27:1987 Environmental testing. Part 2: Tests. Test Ea and guidance: Shock
1970IEC 60068-2-27:1972/COR1:1984 corrigendum 1 - Basic environmental testing procedures - Part 2: Tests - Test Ea: Shock
1970IEC 60068-2-27:1972/AMD2:1983 amendment 2 - Basic environmental testing procedures - Part 2: Tests - Test Ea: Shock
1970IEC 60068-2-27:1972/AMD1:1982 Amendment 1 - Basic environmental testing procedures - Part 2: Tests - Test Ea: Shock
1970IEC 60068-2-27:1972 Basic environmental testing procedures - Part 2: Tests - Test Ea: Shock
1970IEC 60068-2-27:1967 Basic environmental testing procedures for electronic components and electronic equipment - Part 2: Tests - Test Ea: Shock