Overview
IEC TR 62131-5:2015 is a Technical Report from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that reviews measured dynamic data for the vibration and shock environment experienced by electrotechnical equipment during storage and handling. The report compiles field measurements (container handling, intermodal movements, air cargo pallets, forklifts, unsuspended trolleys, etc.), derives an environmental description from that data, and compares it to the environmental classifications set out in the IEC 60721 series.
Key topics and technical scope
- Data sources and quality assessment - evaluation of measurement campaigns and datasets used to characterize handling environments.
- Measured environments - container terminal operations, intermodal rail/road transfer, port crane and straddle-carrier handling, air cargo pallet handling at airports, forklift operations, and unsuspended trolley movement.
- Intra- and inter-source comparisons - analysis of variability within a dataset and between different handling scenarios and measurement studies.
- Environmental description - synthesis of vibration and shock levels (spectra, amplitudes, probability densities) representative of storage and handling.
- Comparison with IEC 60721 - mapping measured severity to the IEC 60721 environmental classification framework.
- Recommendations - guidance for applying measured data to testing, classification and specification of equipment handling conditions.
- Supporting material includes numerous figures and tables (vibration spectra, shock response spectra, amplitude distributions, and tabulated peak/severity summaries).
Practical applications and users
IEC TR 62131-5 is a practical resource for professionals who need realistic, field-derived environmental descriptions for storage and handling conditions:
- Product designers and reliability engineers - use measured vibration and shock profiles to design mechanical mounts, enclosures, and shock mitigation for electronic equipment.
- Test engineers and conformity assessors - define or validate shock and vibration test conditions and test procedures (including references to IEC 60068 series test methods).
- Packaging and logistics engineers - quantify handling risks and specify protective packaging or handling procedures for electrotechnical equipment.
- Manufacturers and suppliers - write transport/storage specifications and procurement requirements aligned to measured environmental severities.
- Standards developers and researchers - use the collated data to refine environmental classifications and test standards.
Related standards
- IEC 60721 series - environmental classification for storage, transport and use (the TR compares its derived descriptions to these classifications).
- IEC 60068 family (e.g., IEC 60068-2-29) - common test methods for shock and vibration referenced in the report.
IEC TR 62131-5:2015 is best used as a data-driven reference to bridge real-world handling measurements and formal environmental classifications for robust design, testing and logistics decisions.