Thermal Vacuum Vibration Testing

PCB's Low Outgassing Accelerometers and Cables are tailored to ensure that spacecraft and satellite components can withstand the extreme temperatures and pressures encountered in space. Our Accelerometers and Cables meet rigorous outgassing and material standards delivering accurate, reliable data in thermal vacuum (TVAC) and harsh space environments.

Highlights:

  • Accurate Vibration Measurements in Thermal Vacuum and Space Environments
  • Welded hermetic accelerometer designs have low outgassing qualities
  • Hermeticity testing is performed on all hermetic products at PCB®
  • Cables with polymer-based strain relief are qualified through TML (Total Mass Loss) and CVCM (Collected Volatile Condensable Material) testing to meet outgassing requirements for space applications
  • Materials selected using NASA guidelines for optimal performance in vacuum and space environments
Accelerometers
Cables

Frequently Asked Questions

  How does PCB certify that your accelerometers are low outgassing?
  • Accelerometers are designed with hermetic housings and connectors to ensure there is no outgassing.
  • PCB's hermetic connectors are designed using compression metal to glass bonds to provide both electrical insulation and a hermetic seal. The melt occurs during a 90 to 120 minute process at approximately 1000°C. Each connector is leak rate tested for hermeticity.
  • We have two levels of hermeticity - gross bubble test and fine helium leak test.
  • The gross bubble test verifies a leak rate with less than 1x10¯³ cc/sec flow. (Variation of MIL-STD-883E, Seal Test Method 1014.10, Section 3.3.1).
  • For fine helium leak test, accelerometer and connectors are pressurized in helium. A mass spectrometer vacuum leak detector than verifies a leak flow rate of less than 2x10¯8 cc/sec.

  How does PCB certify that your cables are low outgassing?

  • The cables fulfill the requirements to ensure that the materials have less than or equal to 1% TML (total mass loss) and a CVCM (collected volatile condensable mass) less than or equal 0.1%.
  • A Standard test Method for TML and CVCM was developed by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). Standard: ASTM E595 "Standard Test Method for Total Mass Loss and Collected Volatile Condensable Materials from Outgassing in a Vacuum Environment".
  • The Products are tested in accordance with the report NASA RP-1124, "Outgassing Data for Selecting Spacecraft Materials". PCB uses these materials that NASA has previously tested to be low outgassing.
  • PCB uses low outgassing cable materials such as FKM and FEP, which are known to have low TML and CVCM values. The cable assemblies are vacuum baked out before delivery.
  • PCB does not provide TML and CVCM values.

  Do you have any space rated sensors?

PCB also provides space qualified sensors for use in orbit upon special request. They are qualified to customer specific acceptance test criteria such as radiation hard, thermal cycling, EMI/RFI, and shock and vibration.

Choose PCB for your low outgassing solutions.

We have thousands of sensors in our online shop in stock, ready to ship, with a lifetime warranty. To discuss specific applications, please contact us or request a quote.