WHAT IS MILITARY STANDARD MIL-STD-810G?

MIL-STD-810G military standard is a series of drop tests designed by the US military to test and verify the limits of a device in various environments where it is expected to be used. The tests vary according to the purpose, size and weight of the device being tested. Although prepared specifically for U.S. military applications, the standard is often applied for mobile phone cases as well.

The suite and test specifications are very extensive and cover a very large array of conditions and situations. That said, in the context of mobile phone cases, which is what we design, nearly all the references to military standard drop protection has to do with the MIL-STD-810G 516.6 Drop Test (shocks). MIL-STD-810G 516.6, defines a process by which devices are dropped multiple times in a “free fall” manner, on all faces, sides, corners, and edges, from a fixed height, to a flat surface. (Objects are dropped from a stationary position and are not thrown or directed)

Various options within military standard drop testing affect the severity of a test, including:

• Height of Drop — devices can be dropped from varying heights within MIL-STD specifications. Higher drops produce greater impacts.
• Surface Material — surface material to which units are dropped. Harder and rougher surfaces produce higher impacts during drop tests.
• Temperature — drop tests occurring over a wider temperature range are more prone to physical failures at temperature extremes (such as cracking at cold temperatures and swelling at hot temperatures).

WHAT IS DROP TESTING?

A military standard drop test is a test designed to examine the structural integrity of a product.

During the lifetime of a phone or any mobile device, it is likely that at some point it will be dropped. The total cost of ownership for the end user of the product depends upon how the product endures that drop.

Drop testing is done to examine the ruggedness, or resistance to damage, of the case that’s going to protect a mobile phone device (inside it) when dropped. Since accidental drops are likely to occur during a product’s lifetime, it is important that a product be designed to withstand a minimum defined number of these impacts. (Note that this does not mean that devices are designed to be dropped intentionally).

When we mention that our cases have MIL-STD-810G military standard drop protection, it means the case has passed rigorous drop testing focused on real life impact conditions. Extreme weather, dust and shock are a few of the nearly 30 testing situations.

WHAT ARE DROP STANDARDS?

Various drop standards exists that are often used when testing devices including Lunatik’s internal drop standards, which adopts the U.S. Military Standard (MIL-STD) drop testing for shocks.

At LUNATIK we focus on making the world’s most rugged cases and that pushes us to go beyond. We design, add and combine our own drop tests with MIL-STD-810G 516.6, dropping a case more than 250 times from a height of 10ft. on various surfaces like concrete, wood, tiles, ground, grass and other hard surfaces in a controlled environment.

• Drops tests are distributed over 5 test units
• Unit test includes multiple corner drops, edge drops, and face drops.
• Units are dropped at 3 temperatures ranges (at high, low, and room temperature).
• Units are non-operational (powered off) for the drop test.
• Drop heights range from 4 to 10 feet.

If there’s any damage to the device inside, we go back to finding the fault and redesign the case.

WHY TRUST LUNATIK?

Not all drop specifications are the same, when assessing drop performance, one should look at all the factors mentioned above. From life-critical to lifestyle, we have designed several military standard products with durability, protection, and ruggedness for hostile environments. We’ve learned a ton in the process: user needs, new materials, creative construction, fabrication techniques, and also plain old common sense. Whether it’s survival, shocks, scratches, spills, slopes, or kids – we’ve applied our experience in protection to creating the truly all weather rugged protection cases.

LUNATIK cases are extremely popular with individuals who work at the military, law enforcement, fire department, truck drivers, construction workers, machine operators, farmers, sportsmen, carpenters, etc.