AECTP-400
Scope of testing to AECTP-400
AECTP-400 contains the mechanical test methods of NATO's AECTP series. In the current Edition D of November 2019, Method 400 sets out the general test conditions, and several former methods have been merged: handling and SRS shock into Method 403, and tiedown, lifting, stacking, bending and racking into Method 424. We perform each method individually or as a complete test sequence to your specification.
↓Vibration and acoustics↓Shock↓Acceleration and motion↓Transport and storage↓Contact
Vibration and acoustic tests to AECTP-400 (401, 402, 413, 420, 421)
Tracks, rotors, engines and airflow excite equipment throughout its service life. These methods reproduce the excitation mechanically, acoustically or in combination and demonstrate that structure, mounting and electronics withstand the sustained loading.
| 401 | Vibration: Vibration testing with sine, random or mixed excitation reproducing transport and service loads on wheeled and tracked vehicles, aircraft and ships. Test severities are derived from measured data or the environments described in AECTP-200. |
| 402 | Acoustic Noise: Exposure to high sound pressure levels in a reverberation chamber or progressive wave tube, as found near jet engines, in weapon bays or on missiles. Checks structural fatigue and malfunctions caused by acoustically induced vibration. |
| 413 | Acoustic Noise Combined with Temperature and Vibration: Superimposes acoustic excitation, vibration and temperature, mainly for missiles and external stores carried in flight. The combination reveals failures that do not occur in separate tests. |
| 420 | Buffet Vibration: Vibration caused by flow separation and vortices on aircraft structures, for example on the tail during high angle-of-attack manoeuvres. Checks the fatigue strength of equipment in the affected areas. |
| 421 | Multi-Exciter Vibration and Shock Testing: Vibration and shock testing with multiple exciters for large test items or for excitation in more than one mechanical degree of freedom. This produces realistic motion that a single shaker cannot reproduce. |
Shock tests to AECTP-400 (403, 405, 415, 419, 422)
Shocks arise from handling and transport, the platform's own gunfire, pyrotechnic devices, underwater explosions and ballistic impact. The shock methods therefore range from classical waveforms to very severe, high-frequency loads and demonstrate that equipment remains operational afterwards.
| 403 | Shock Testing: Shock loads from handling, transport and service, reproduced with classical waveforms such as half-sine and sawtooth or via a shock response spectrum (SRS). Since Edition D the method also covers the former methods for handling shock and SRS shock. Former methods: 403 Classical Waveform Shock · 414 Handling · 417 SRS Shock |
| 405 | Gunfire: Shock and vibration caused by firing the platform's own weapons, such as aircraft guns or weapon systems on vehicles and ships. Checks whether nearby equipment withstands the repeated excitation without damage or loss of function. |
| 415 | Pyroshock: Very short, high-frequency shock waves from firing pyrotechnic devices, for example during stage separation, store release or activation of escape systems. Checks the robustness of sensitive electronics close to the source. |
| 419 | UNDEX: Shock loading from underwater explosions, as may affect ships and submarines in service. Demonstrates that equipment installed on board survives the shock and remains operational. |
| 422 | Ballistic Shock: Very high, short-duration shock when projectiles or explosive devices hit armoured vehicles. Checks whether equipment mounted in the vehicle withstands this load without damage or loss of function. |
Acceleration and motion tests to AECTP-400 (404, 418)
Besides vibration and shock, equipment is subject to sustained acceleration and large-scale movements of its carrier platform. These methods test strength, mounting and operation under such quasi-static and low-frequency loads.
| 404 | Constant Acceleration: Steady acceleration on a centrifuge, as occurs during flight manoeuvres, missile launch or in rotating systems. Checks the strength of structure and mountings and operation under load. |
| 418 | Motion Platform: Testing on a motion platform that reproduces large-amplitude, low-frequency movements of a carrier platform. Evaluates operation and mounting of the test item under these movements. |
Transport and storage tests to AECTP-400 (406, 408, 416, 424)
Before equipment is deployed, it is stored, stacked, tied down, lifted by crane and transported by road and rail. These methods demonstrate that equipment, packaging and transit containers withstand the resulting loads without damage.
| 406 | Loose Cargo: Unsecured transport on a cargo bed, where the test item bounces, slides and impacts against restraints. The test is performed on a package tester with circular motion and evaluates enclosure, packaging and operation. |
| 408 | Large Assembly Transport: Transport of large assemblies and shelters on the intended vehicle over defined test courses, since their size usually rules out testing on a vibration table. Evaluates mounting, structure and operation after the run. |
| 416 | Rail Impact: Coupling impacts during shunting of railcars in rail transport. Evaluates the strength of the test item, its mountings and its tie-down. |
| 424 | Storage and Transit: Since Edition D, combines the mechanical loads from storage, handling and transit, including tiedown, lifting, stacking, bending and racking of materiel and transit containers. Demonstrates that equipment, containers and attachment points withstand these loads without permanent damage. Former methods: 407 Materiel Tiedown · 409 Materiel Lifting · 410 Materiel Stacking · 411 Materiel Bending · 412 Materiel Racking |
Product information "AECTP-400"
Mechanical Environmental Tests
Tracked vehicles off-road, helicopters, ships in heavy seas and handling by rail, truck and crane expose defence materiel to severe mechanical loads. The NATO publication AECTP-400 defines how vibration, shock, acceleration, acoustic and transport loads are reproduced in the laboratory; NATO nations agree to its use through STANAG 4370. The current Edition D of November 2019 replaces Edition 3 and merges several methods. EDAG Testing performs the tests to AECTP-400 individually or as a complete test sequence.
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