Why and How Companies Are Circumventing MIL-STD-810 blowing sand and dust Testing Standards and How Air Dynamics is Leading the Way

Desert Wind Blowing Sand and Dust Testing Chamber

In industries such as aerospace, military, and commercial manufacturing, testing equipment and materials under harsh environmental conditions is crucial for ensuring field reliability for the war fighter. MIL-STD-810 Blowing Sand and Dust Testing, a widely recognized standard for environmental testing, simulates extreme conditions like temperature variances, humidity, vibration, salt, fog and blowing sand and dust. While this standard is essential for ensuring equipment’s field performance under real-world conditions, many companies are taking shortcuts when it comes to blowing sand and dust testing. Bypassing stringent test methodology in favor of shortcuts are usually more convenient and reduce costs while sacrificing test validity. While this shortcut may seem like a good business decision for the bottom line, the risks involved with bypassing stringent testing can be significant—both in terms of operational reliability and long-term performance of specimens under test.

Why Are Test Labs using low-cost methodologies for MIL-STD-810 blowing sand and dust Testing?

1. Acquisition Choices - Blowing sand and dust test chambers or abrasion testing machines are four chambers in one, thus requiring more capital to acquire to maintain four parameters simultaneously. Producing laboratory grade blowing sand and dust chambers requires scientific methodology to produce irrefutable, repeatable, and reliable test results all while the machine is performing destructive testing while it does not destruct itself.

   
   

   Today, all DOD proving grounds have replaced the 1970’s blowing sand & dust testing technology with the purpose-built Air Dynamics Desert Wind technology, for one reason. Reliability in the data is paramount to the mission of the department of defense. Supporting the war fighter with military hardware that is second to none is evident.

Commercial labs may use low-cost methodologies that produce less-than-reliable or non-repeatable test results due to financial constraints or for other reasons.

2. Lack of Awareness: Some environmental testing labs may not fully grasp the importance of comprehensive environmental testing. By de-selecting state-of-the-art test equipment in exchange for budget centric selection criteria, test results will, by default, be less reliable. Nature provides infinitely variable environmental conditions that challenge commercial products fielded throughout the world.

   
   

Purposefully selecting environmental test chambers proven to drive out variables generated in the test apparatus itself are critical to producing valid and repeatable test results. Choosing low-cost methods during test chamber acquisition underestimates eventual and inevitable long-term failure modes in commercial equipment performance, reliability and safety.

If a laboratory offers MIL-STD-810G or H blowing sand and dust testing, how can one be certain the results are accurate? Interpreting the data requires complete understanding of the test apparatus design and instrumentation. If your blowing sand and dust test results are mission critical, we can assist with guidance on how to interpret the myriad of offerings in this testing sector.

3. Time Constraints: In today’s fast-paced market, speed to market is often crucial. Testing MIL-STD-810 G or H standards can be time-consuming, and some companies might skip these tests to bring products to market faster, which could compromise the product’s durability and reliability.

   
   

4. Out of date Standards: Current blowing sand and dust test chamber technology is about five decades ahead of the standard in various parameters like sand or dust concentration, temperature and methods for measuring parameters.

   
   

Why Test Standards Still Hold Value

1. Established Methodology: Standards like MIL-STD-810H and DO-160G have been established across numerous industries, providing a reliable framework to evaluate equipment operability under harsh environments. These standards are crucial for ensuring consistency and safety in aerospace, military, space and defense applications, where failure is not an option.

   
   

2. Global Consistency: These standards provide a universal baseline for manufacturers, ensuring products meet global expectations for safety, reliability and performance. This is especially critical in industries where equipment is deployed in unpredictable and extreme environments.

   
   

3. Compliance and Certification: For companies pursuing government contracts or military certifications, adherence to and validation confirmation of MIL-STD-810 test results is often a requirement. Ensuring scienced based compliance with these standards not only guarantees product reliability but also protects companies from future liability risks.

   
   

4. Evolving Standards: While some aspects of these standards may seem outdated due to advancements in technology, they are continuously updated. For instance, MIL-STD-810H includes new testing methodologies and considerations, such as those for advanced electronics and space environments.

   
   

Why Air Dynamics Is Leading the Way

At Air Dynamics, we understand the importance of data validity in environmental testing, we are committed to delivering advanced solutions for abrasion testing for any type specimens. Our Desert Wind™ Blowing Sand and Dust Environmental Simulator is designed to exceed industry test standards like MIL-STD-810H, DO-160G, MIL-STD-202, and AECTP 300, ensuring your equipment is tested under precise, repeatable laboratory conditions with all instruments calibrated by A2LA laboratories.

Here’s why our environmental test chambers are the best in the industry:

1. Parameter Stability and Testing Repeatability

   
   

   • The Desert Wind™ blowing sand and dust system provides real-time control of critical test parameters such as wind speed, temperature, humidity, and dust concentration. With a standard deviation of just (+/- 1% concentration) at 1-second intervals, our system guarantees unparalleled accuracy, ensuring highly repeatable, reliable results essential for specimen predictive failure testing.

     
     

   • All instrumentation is located in non-destructive locations and calibrated by an A2LA lab. (American Association for Laboratory Accreditation) accreditation demonstrates a laboratory's competence to perform specific tests or types of tests, aligning with international standards like ISO/IEC 17025 and others, ensuring quality and reliability of test data.

     
     

   • What A2LA Accreditation Means: A2LA accreditation signifies that a laboratory has demonstrated its ability to perform specific tests or types of tests, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of its results.

     
     

   • Adherence to Standards: A2LA accreditation involves adherence to international standards, such as ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration laboratories.

     
     

2. Customizable Test Parameter Options

   
   

   • Unlike many other test chambers with limited flexibility, our systems are fully customizable. Air Dynamics blowing sand and dust environmental simulators support a wide range of test media including silica (SiO2), Arizona red clay road dust, volcanic ash boutique dusts for jet propulsion ingestion abrasion testing, and coarse sand at varying concentrations and velocities, ideal for space, aerospace, DOD, and commercial items required to operate in austere environments.

   • US Army Proving Grounds and US Naval Warfare Test Centers adopted Desert WindTM technology beginning in 2009. The equipment is used to subject test specimens to advanced abrasion testing techniques at or above MIL-STD-810 G and H requirements. There are many options for test labs requiring unique test media, parameter variations in resolution or accuracy, rate of change, wind velocity, humidity and test chamber size. We have a few commercial partners in the US and South Korea that can test your one-off specimens using the same technology as military proving grounds. Please contact us for details.

     
     

3. Exceeding Industry Standards

   
   

   • While other test chambers may claim to meet MIL-STD-810 requirements, our Desert Wind™ system goes above and beyond to guarantee accurate, repeatable results. We offer dust concentration delivery of 0.5 to 25 g/m³, velocity ranges from 1.5 m/s to 29+ m/s.

     
     

   • We offer customizable parameters to subject specimens to any environmental conditions  nature can dish out. Our material bin and piping system provides a direct route to the specimen without introducing contaminants, thereby enabling Air Dynamics to test the full specimen face.

     
     

   • Some copy-cat test chambers use a circulating wind pattern to keep cost low. Some designs direct couple a fan to the test chamber. This creates a high velocity circular pattern in front of the specimen that is close to the wheel’s rotational velocity. Non-laminar flow will create artificial high velocity/high pressure waves in front of the specimen, rendering inconsistent results between specimens.

     
     

   • The Air Dynamics design was thoroughly validated by the US Army’s environmental testing command to ensure validity of the test chamber itself and the resulting test data.

     
     

   • Of utmost importance is the test plan. We worked closely with the US Army to co-develop a one-hundred and fifty-three step test plan ensuring uniformity in testing and validation of the test chamber facility.

     
     

   • The patented Desert WindTM system utilizes technology to ensure parameter instrumentation is calibrated and not subject to the destructive aspects of abrasion testing.

     
     

   • Parameter resolution options are available to drive system variables to near zero. Temperature resolution capability is +/- one tenth of a degree C or better if required.

     
     

4. Automated Maintenance and Remote Maintenance Login Operation

   
   

   • To minimize downtime and increase operational efficiency, our chambers are equipped with automated dust removal systems and self-cleaning mechanisms to minimize changeover to sand. Additionally, our remote operation capabilities allow users to command or monitor the testing process from a remote control-room for testing munitions. Remote login via cellular keeps the system off private networks facilitate rapid troubleshooting, seamless updates and uninterrupted testing schedule capabilities.

     
     

5. Industrial Hygiene Systems to avoid silica exposure for Test Chamber Operators

   
   

   • Our chambers include integrated ACGIH Ventilation apparatus and automated dust removal features to ensure a safe working environment by preventing dust exposure to operators. This ensures that your testing processes remain smooth and safe. Operators do not have to enter the system to remove sand or dust between tests.

     
     

6. Innovative Technology

   
   

   • Protected by U.S. Patents No. 8,733,186 B2 and No. 9,677,991, the Desert Wind™ system features cutting-edge design and functionality, setting it apart in the most important aspects from other environmental test chambers marketed today.

     
     

The ROI of Investing in Air Dynamics’ Environmental Test Chambers

Investing in Air Dynamics’ environmental test chambers offers exceptional value. Third-party testing facilities can charge upwards of $20,000 per test to simulate desert conditions per the MIL-STD-810 standards.

Obtaining test services from jack-of-all testing services are subject to variable methodologies using hobbled-together test chambers. Test protocols, long lead times, test start/stop criteria can introduce unwanted variables for those contracting for such services from 3rd party labs.

Test Results - Our test results are exported to a CSV file where sampling occurs at 1 cps or greater. The more data points available, the fewer questions arise because the duration between data points is very short. For companies that need to run multiple tests annually, these 3rd party fees can limit their ability to provide supporting documentation during product development and R&D services for their clients - without severe impact to the product development budget. By investing in a Desert Wind™ Environmental Test Chamber, you eliminate per-test fees and gain the flexibility to conduct tests whenever you need, without the ongoing costs of outsourcing testing. The savings quickly offset the initial investment, providing long-term cost efficiency and reliability in test data.

Why Choose Air Dynamics?

By choosing Air Dynamics, you are investing in an environmental test chamber designed and manufactured by experienced engineers specializing in air and particle control systems, like dust collecting systems, pneumatic transfer systems, industrial vacuum cleaning systems, air pollution control systems and heat transfer systems.

Our process begins with a 2D sketch by our systems planner and designer. Our engineering team then converts 2D sketches into 3D CAD models. The model is then exported by sub-assembly into IFC drawings. IFC drawings are electronically transmitted directly to our CNC plate cutting laser to a tolerance of 0.0004 inches. Laser cut parts are harvested from the primary shuttle while additional parts are processed on the secondary shuttle.  

Post laser cut parts move to the 250T CNC brake press for angular forming to a tolerance of 0.0004 inches while round part profiles are processed with our numerically controlled, 4-roll, plate roll machine to a tolerance of 0.007 inches.

Air Dynamics’ products are engineered to order if an existing model is not available. Our products are created from mathematically derived geometry to engineered drawings rather than hobbled together using plywood or spiral wound duct.

Our systems meet and exceed all published test standards while ensuring your machine has built-in capability to meet some of the future changes that may occur to the standards. Our Desert Wind™ Blowing Sand and Dust Environmental Simulator ensures your end products are fully and accurately vetted to perform in the most demanding desert environment. Our innovative technology, precise control of each parameter, and commitment to safety make Air Dynamics the industry leader in blowing sand and dust environmental test chamber solutions.

Ready to enhance your abrasion testing capabilities for environmental testing? Contact Air Dynamics today to learn how our Desert Wind™ systems can help your company meet or exceed MIL-STD-810H, DO-160G, MIL-STD-202, AECTP 300, and beyond. With our cutting-edge solutions, you’ll save money, improve accuracy, and ensure your products are ready for anything.