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An environmental test chamber, also known as a climatic chamber or climate chamber, is designed to recreate specific environmental conditions used to study how a test subject reacts to those conditions.
Conditions can include both environmental and mechanical stresses, such as temperature, humidity, light, altitude, rain, salt spray, corrosion, sun exposure, vacuum, air pressure, electrodynamic vibration, and radiation, among others.
By artificially reproducing conditions that a sample may be exposed to during its use or lifespan, these climate rooms or chambers provide valuable information on how something works under the stress of those climatic conditions and whether or not it has any defects or design flaws.
Stress testing can save a company a lot of money by catching any issues that may be present in their products before production and distribution.
Environmental test chambers are often used for incubation, plant growth, animal hatching, shelf-life determination, stability testing, and fatigue analysis. Furthermore, these units are capable of testing many different things, including biological and electronic products and samples.
They are used in a wide range of fields, including biology, microbiology, bio-tissue engineering, pharmaceuticals, medical, food, cosmetics, building materials, industrial research, and more.
During the research and development (R&D) stage of product development, it’s typical that prototypes of the product are tested to establish various characteristics, such as durability, reliability, and resistance to various climatic conditions.
By identifying weaknesses or failures in design, scientists and engineers can work on a solution. This can be accomplished using different testing chambers, including temperature chambers, humidity chambers, and even industrial ovens, which can be considered another type of test chamber used for high-temperature testing.
The prototype, product, and material you are testing and how much space you need helps determine which chamber functionality and size best suits your needs. Let’s review some of the common types of environmental test chamber units below.
A climatic chamber is used for testing that requires temperature and humidity control. These temperatures often need to be very extreme, reaching well below or well above zero. In general, the temperature can range from -70°C (-94°F) to 180°C (356°F), but may vary depending on the manufacturer, design, or size of the chamber.
Humidity levels often range from 10% to 95%. There are also climatic chambers which only control temperature, these units are referred to as thermostatic chambers.
Temperature and humidity test chambers are essential to product development because both factors can have serious effects on a product, so it’s important to test whether or not yours can withstand temperature changes or increases/decreases in relative humidity.
Thermal shock testing chambes are similar to thermostatic chambers; however, they instead expose a product or sample to extreme changes in temperature.
Thermal testing is accomplished by moving the item within the chamber quickly between a hot portion of the chamber and a cold portion, and is incredibly important to test in products that can go or be taken from one extreme to the other.
As the name suggests, mechanical test chambers are used to perform mechanical tests on a material, prototype, or product. Mechanical tests include testing for tensile strength, compression, shock, vibration, impact, and fracture toughness.
The testing is used to simulate real-world conditions that the sample will undergo. These types of test chambers feature various temperature ranges, mounting configurations, and grips and fixtures.
Steady state environmental chambers, also referred to as stability test chambers or shelf-life testing chambers, are ideal enclosures for long-term testing on packaged products. These units provide climatic conditions that can be adjusted, providing temperature controlled storage.
Furthermore, stability test chambers, which are available in a range of sizes, are designed to accelerate aging, drying, controlled-temperature storage, incubation, and cold-room storage.
For these reasons, steady state and stability test chambers are well suited for applications in research facilities and laboratories. This is due to their ability to handle a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions.
Cryogenic test chambers are designed to reach cryogenic temperatures, with temperatures ranging from -150 °C (-238 °F) to absolute zero (-273 °C or -460 °F). However, most chambers work to replicate these extreme conditions, and do not reach temperatures of absolute zero. Cryogenic chambers typically get as cold as -150 °C.
These chambers reach extremely low temperatures using cryogenic liquids, such as liquid nitrogen or helium, and help manufacturers test their products for potential flaws or malfunctions at extremely low temperatures.
Vacuum chambers work by removing air and pressure from a sealed compartment to evaluate the effects of a vacuum on a material or prototype. Testing by a vacuum test chamber is a requirement of the aerospace and defense industries.
Specifically, engineers use it to test the quality and design of electronics, circuits, lenses, filters, structural materials, and more.
A benchtop chamber, also referred to as a table top chamber, is one of the most compact types of unit available, capable of fitting on a laboratory bench top, and is ideal for testing smaller types of items. It serves as a great point-of-use environmental chamber. It is capable of controlling both temperature and humidity, and can range in size from ~1 ft³ to ~5 ft³.
Our lease agreements are founder-friendly and flexible, helping you preserve working capital, strengthen the cash flow of your business, and keep business credit lines open for expansions, staffing, and other crucial operational expenses and business development opportunities.
Leases range from 2 to 5 years. Length will depend on several factors, including how long you want to use the equipment, equipment type, and your company’s financial position. These are standard factors leasing companies consider and help us tailor a lease agreement to fit your needs.
We don’t carry an inventory. This means you’re not limited to a specific set of manufacturers. Instead, you can pick the equipment that aligns with your business goals and preferences. We’ll work with the manufacturer of your choice to get the equipment in your facility as quickly as possible.
Bundle preventive maintenance and repair coverage with your lease agreement. You can spread those payments over time. Easily maintain your equipment, minimize the chances something will break down, repair instrumentation quickly, and simplify your payment processes.
At the end of your lease, you have multiple options. You can either renew the lease at a significantly lower price, purchase the machine outright based on the fair market value of the original pricing, or call it a day and we’ll come the pick up the equipment for you free of charge.
Our leases do not include loan-like terms, which can be restrictive or harmful in certain situations. We do not require debt covenants, IP pledges, collateral, or equity participation. Our goal is to maximize your flexibility. When you lease with us, you’re collaborating with a true business partner.
Our underwriting is done in-house. You can expect quicker turnaround, allowing you respond to your equipment needs as they arise. We require less documentation than traditional lenders and financiers and can get the equipment you need in operation more quickly.
