The performance, safety, and long-term reliability of automotive vehicles depend on the ability of components and systems to withstand complex environmental stresses throughout their entire lifecycle. From development validation to vehicle qualification, environmental testing is a critical step to ensure compliance with global automotive standards.
Automotive environmental testing includes temperature and humidity exposure, vibration and shock under climatic conditions, dust and salt fog corrosion, IP protection testing, water splash and immersion testing, as well as combined and accelerated environmental stress tests
LIB Industry offers complete environmental test chambers for automotive testing, helping car makers and parts suppliers meet global testing and certification requirements.
Applicable Standards:
ISO 16750-4 / IEC 60068-2 Series / GB/T 2423 / LV124
This test is performed to evaluate the functional stability, material integrity, and structural reliability of automotive components under extreme temperature conditions.
a) The sample under test shall be stabilized at room temperature prior to testing.
b) The sample under test is placed in a temperature or temperature-humidity chamber with gravity or forced air circulation.
c) The chamber temperature is raised or lowered according to the specified rate to the defined high or low temperature limit (typically –86 °C to +150 °C, or as specified by the component requirement).
d) The sample under test is maintained at the target temperature for the specified dwell time before inspection or functional testing.
LIB temperature chambers ensure uniform airflow, precise control, and stable thermal conditions required for automotive validation.
Standard Item | IEC 60068-2-1 - Low temperature test |
Test Temperature | –40°C (most common) –25°C (interior components) –55°C (engine compartment / high-reliability components) |
Temperature Change Rate | ≤ 1–3°C/min |
Dwell Time | 2 h / 4 h / 16 h (commonly 2 h or 4 h) |
Acceptance Criteria | No cracking, no functional failure, and all parameters remain within specified tolerances |
This test characterizes the thermal durability of automotive components by exposing them alternately to low- and high-temperature environments, causing repeated expansion and contraction.
a) The sample under test is installed in a representative mounting position.
b) Temperature cycling is performed in accordance with IEC 60068, ISO 16750-4, or LV124, with minimum and maximum temperatures defined by the component specification.
c) The sample under test is maintained at each temperature extreme until thermal equilibrium is achieved.
d) A specified number of cycles (commonly 30–300 cycles) is completed to assess fatigue, cracking, or seal degradation.
Standard Item | IEC 60068-2-14-Temperature Cycling Test |
Test Objective | To verify product performance under repeated high-low temperature cycles |
Temperature Range | –40°C ↔ +85°C. –40°C ↔ +125°C |
Temperature Change Rate | 1–5°C/min (continuous ramp) |
Dwell Time at Each Extreme | 30–60 min |
Number of Cycles | 10 / 50 / 100 / 500 cycles |
Acceptance Criteria | No cracking, no functional failure, parameters within tolerance |
Applicable Standards:
IEC 60068-2-14 / LV124
Thermal shock testing exposes automotive components to rapid temperature transitions to identify failures caused by extreme thermal stress.
a) The sample under test is transferred between hot and cold chambers with a transition time typically ≤3 s.
b) Holding time at each temperature extreme is maintained until thermal equilibrium is reached.
c) A high number of cycles is completed to assess long-term durability
Standard Item | IEC 60068-2-14 — Thermal Shock Test |
Test Objective | To verify product resistance to extreme and rapid temperature changes |
Low Temperature Zone | –40°C / –55°C |
High Temperature Zone | +125°C / +150°C |
Transfer Time | ≤ 10 s (air-to-air type) |
Dwell Time per Zone | 15–30 min |
Number of Cycles | 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 cycles |
Acceptance Criteria | No structural damage, normal functional performance |
Applicable Standards:
GB/T 2423.4 / IEC 60068-2-30 / GB/T 28046 / LV124
This test evaluates the resistance of automotive components to high temperature and high humidity environments, which may lead to corrosion, insulation degradation, or material hydrolysis.
a) The sample under test is placed in a temperature-humidity chamber and subjected to cyclic or steady-state damp heat conditions.
b) Typical test conditions include temperatures up to 55–85 °C with relative humidity up to 93–95% RH.
c) The sample under test may operate continuously, intermittently, or remain non-operational depending on the defined operating mode.
d) After completion, visual inspection, electrical testing, and functional verification are conducted.
LIB temperature and humidity chambers support cyclic, steady-state, and frost-inclusive damp heat profiles required by automotive OEM standards.
Standard Item | IEC 60068-2-30 — Damp Heat Test |
Test Objective | To verify product resistance to cyclic high humidity and temperature conditions |
Temperature Range | +25°C / +55°C / +65°C |
Humidity Range | 93% RH (commonly), can vary according to test requirement |
Cycle Duration | 6 / 12 / 24 hours per cycle |
Number of Cycles | 3 / 5 / 10 / 20 cycles |
Dwell Time | According to cycle specification, usually 1–2 hours |
Acceptance Criteria | No structural damage, normal functional performance |
Applicable Standards:
ASTM B117、ISO 9227、ASTM G85、JIS Z 2371、SAE J2334、Ford CETP / VW PV1210 / GM 9540P、ISO 9223、IEC 60068、ISO 2409
Salt fog testing evaluates the corrosion resistance of automotive components exposed to road salt, coastal environments, and winter driving conditions.
a) The sample under test undergoes pre-test inspection before exposure.
b) The sample under test is placed in a salt spray chamber and exposed to a 5% NaCl salt fog for a specified duration.
c) After spraying, the sample under test is transferred to a humidity or storage environment to simulate real-world corrosion cycles.
d) The spray and humidity phases are repeated according to the required severity level.
e) Post-test cleaning and inspection are performed as specified.
LIB salt fog and cyclic corrosion test chambers support neutral salt spray, cyclic corrosion, and combined humidity corrosion testing.
Standard Item | ASTM B117 -Salt Spray Test |
Prepare salt solution | 5% ±1 NaCl |
Collecting solution pH | 6.5–7.2 |
Salt spray chamber temperature | 35±1.5°C |
Mist flow rate at horizontal collection area | 1.0–2.0 ml/h/80㎡ |
Applicable Standards:
ISO 20653 / IEC 60529 / LV124
Water ingress tests verify the protection level of automotive components against water splash, high-pressure water jets, and immersion.
a) The sample under test is installed in the IP test chamber in a representative orientation.
b) Water spray or high-pressure jets are applied from all accessible directions.
IPX1 – Drip rate 1 mm/min, 10 min, specimen rotates 1 rpm.
IPX2 – Same drip rate, 15° tilt in 4 directions, 10 min total.
IPX3 – ± 60° oscillation, φ0.4 mm holes, 0.07 L/min per hole.
IPX4 – ± 180° swing for stronger splashes.
IPX5 – 6.3 mm nozzle, 12.5 ± 0.625 L/min, 30–100 kPa, 2.5–3 m.
IPX6 – 12.5 mm nozzle, 100 ± 5 L/min, 100 ± 5 kPa, ≥ 3 min.
IPX9K - Water pressure may reach 8000-10000Kpa with water temperature up to 88 °C.
d) After testing, the sample under test is examined for water ingress and functional degradation.
Applicable Standards:
GB/T 31467.3 / ISO 20653
a) The sample under test is immersed in water or simulated seawater (typically 3.5% NaCl) for a defined duration for IPX7/IPX8.
b) The immersion depth and orientation simulate actual vehicle installation conditions.
IPX7 – Immersion depth up to 1 m for 30 min; simulates rainfall and splash scenarios.
IPX8 – Simulated immersion up to 50 m (5 MPa hydrostatic pressure); suitable for flood or diving conditions.
c) Post-immersion inspection and electrical testing are performed.
Applicable Standards:
IEC 60068-2-68/ ISO 20653/ DIN 40050-9/ LV 124/ MIL-STD-810H/ IEC60529
Dust testing evaluates the resistance of automotive components to particulate ingress in desert, off-road, and urban environments.
a) The sample under test is placed in a dust chamber with controlled dust concentration and airflow.
b) The operating mode depends on whether the component is electrical, electronic, or mechatronic.
c) The test continues until the specified protection level is achieved.
LIB IP5X/IP6X/ MIL-STD dust test chambers support talcum powder and standardized dust testing in accordance with automotive requirements.
| Standard Item | IEC 60529 - Dust Protection Test |
Purpose | Test enclosure protection against ingress of solid objects and dust. |
First Characteristic Number (0–6) | 0 – No protection |
Applicable Standards:
IEC 60068-2-60 / LV124
This test evaluates corrosion caused by industrial and urban atmospheric pollutants.
a) The sample under test is exposed to a controlled mixture of corrosive gases (SO₂, H₂S, NO₂, Cl₂) at specified concentrations. SO₂ concentration: 1 ~ 35 ppm (adjustable). H₂S concentration: 10 ~ 30 ppm (adjustable). NO₂ concentration: 10 ~ 100 ppm (adjustable). NH₃ concentration: 1000 ~ 2000 ppm (adjustable)
b) The test is conducted at controlled temperature and humidity for extended durations (e.g., 21 days).
c) Post-test inspection and functional validation are performed.
By integrating temperature, humidity, corrosion, dust, water, and combined environmental stress testing, LIB environmental test chambers provide a complete solution for automotive validation and compliance. These systems support component-level, system-level, and vehicle-level testing to ensure reliability, safety, and conformity with global automotive standards.
