What You Need to Know About AGREE Chambers
A test chamber, or agree chamber as it is also known, can be used to expose products or components to specific environmental conditions. Testing is vital when it comes to developing products for manufacturing and ensuring that the finished product is able to function properly under real world conditions. Whether you are an electrical vehicle company wanting to test the durability of large battery components or a manufacturer looking for ways to improve the reliability of your products, agree chambers offer an efficient and cost-effective way to perform these tests.
Originally designed for the military, AGREE chambers, which stand for The Department of Defense Advisory Group on Reliability of Electronic Equipment, have since found wide use across multiple industries to perform a variety of tests including temperature and humidity testing with vibration added to create a more realistic environment. AGREE chambers are available in a range of custom sizes to meet the needs of your specific project and can be customized with an electrodynamic shaker or mechanical vibration system.
Most of these chambers are Agree chamber equipped with a heating system that is capable of changing the atmospheric conditions within the chamber. This is done by adjusting the temperature and humidity levels in the chamber as well as adding airflow to keep the product cool during the test. Depending on your requirements, you can also add a moisture sensor to measure humidity level and a sleeve to prevent condensation on the surface of the product.
In addition to creating the proper environment for testing, these chambers are equipped with monitoring sensors that allow technicians to view and record data on a computer screen. This allows you to see how the test is progressing and to make any necessary changes as needed. This is a great advantage over older models of test chambers that only provide information at the end of a test run.
Aside from the ability to monitor and record data, most agree chambers feature a removable chamber floor that can be attached to either an electrodynamic or mechanical vibration system. This is a convenient way to perform combined temperature and humidity and vibration tests that are more accurate than those performed with an independent environmental system.
If you require a portable agree chamber for your testing, there are portable conditioning units (PCUs) that can turn any enclosed space into a testing area. These are much cheaper than AGREE chambers, and they can be easily stored when not in use. These systems can also be used to test large or cumbersome devices that would not fit into a traditional agree chamber workspace. You can also choose a PCU that is configured to move vertically or horizontally in order to accommodate your specific needs. For the ultimate in flexibility, you can even get a AGREE-compatible PCU that can be used with both electrodynamic and mechanical vibration systems. This allows you to test your device in all directions and under a wide range of conditions, including extreme heat and high humidity.