What is the SAE J1455 Standard?

These heavy-duty vehicles operate under a variety of harsh conditions, the SAE J1455 Standards provide a framework of established environmental testing guidelines to ensure the reliability of each electronic component.

Some examples of these environments include:

• In coastal areas, salt spray in the environment can affect or corrode the electronic parts, including changes to conductivity.
• Will this component support fungal growth? Will any fungus cause a breakdown of the materials inside each part?
• Pressure or steam cleaning can cause degradation to electronic components and their connectors due to high pressure, heat, and chemicals in the cleaning solution.

This blog will cover key aspects of the SAE J1455 PDF and provide an overview of its recommended test methods and applications.

Understanding the SAE J1455 Standard

In 1988, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) released the first SAE J1455 Standard jointly with the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC). Its original scope concerned heavy-duty trucks and covered the “climatic, dynamic, and electrical environments from natural and vehicle-induced sources that influence the performance and reliability of vehicle electronic equipment”. This included test methods to simulate those environmental conditions.

Today, the Standard embraces various heavy-duty vehicles (not just trucks) and is widely used in the automotive, industrial, and military sectors. Its primary applications are for testing environmental stress factors, and this can include any stationary use of these electronic components.

The factors to be tested include engine compartment temperature, electromagnetic interference (EMI), humidity, vibration, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

The Evolution of SAE J1455

Since the initial 1988 release of SAE J1455, there have been five revisions to reflect improved testing protocols.

• The first revision in 1994 was based on the test results provided by the major truck manufacturers in North America and suppliers of the electronic components. This document outlined fourteen aspects of the environment that can have a significant impact on both the reliability and performance of electronic systems. Each aspect is defined, its potential effect on the component is described, and test methods to simulate that environment are reviewed.
• The 2006 revision expanded its scope from heavy trucks (and buses) to “heavy-duty vehicles” in general. This included agricultural equipment, on- and off-road vehicles, and construction equipment. This document identified new areas to be researched, such as “the new chemicals that are being used on the roadways and a second test alternative to be added for a higher pressure spray.”
• In 2011, the SAE J1455 was revised “to allow more flexibility in testing load dump”. (Load dump can occur when a loose battery terminal disconnects the battery from the alternator.)
• The 2012 document was a minor revision to correct typos and change obsolete references.
• The current edition of the SAE J1455 Standard pdf was issued in March 2017. This revision (SAE J1455 2017​) reorganised key information and added the Standard for corrosion test methods.

Key Testing Requirements in SAE J1455

The SAE J1455 lists fourteen environmental characteristics to be tested. These are temperature; humidity; salt spray atmosphere; immersion and splash (water, chemicals, and oils); steam cleaning and pressure washing; fungus; dust, sand, and gravel bombardment; altitude; mechanical vibration; mechanical shock; general heavy-duty truck electrical environment; steady state electrical characteristics; transient, noise and electrostatic characteristics; and electromagnetic compatibility/electromagnetic interference.

Some of the core test methods in the Standard are:

• SAE J1455 vibration testing: This must simulate real-world conditions, and these tests help predict how much vibration the component can endure before failure. It provides an opportunity to improve each component’s design before it is released to the consumer.
• Temperature and humidity testing: This is crucial for durability and can predict corrosion of component materials, potential short circuits, delamination problems, overheating, and cracking of modules.
• Immersion and splash (water, chemicals, and oils): The impact of chemical and contaminant exposure through immersion or splashing on components can lead to failure, and these tests are essential for compliance and the product's longevity.
• Steam cleaning and pressure washing: Heavy-duty vehicles often require cleaning/washing, and the effects of the cleaning chemicals and intense heat can degrade the component seals and connectors over time.

SAE J1455 Vibration Testing Explained

The transportation, aerospace, and military industries require vibration testing on all their electronics to ensure component durability. The two main types of vibration testing are:

• Sine (sinusoidal) vibration testing: This is very popular because it uses a simple harmonic motion, which is very reliable. It identifies resonant frequencies in the test components. A resonant frequency causes the component to vibrate by its maximum amount (amplitude). The sine test can then set and maintain the shaker at this resonant frequency to fatigue the component.
• Random vibration testing: This is more of a “real-world” test than sine testing because it mimics how the component will respond to vibration in day-to-day use. Because the vehicle and its components can be subjected to multiple forces and vibrations at the same time, random testing applies multiple resonant frequencies all at once.

How to Access the SAE J1455 Standard PDF

The SAE J1455 PDF is the official document outlining the Recommended Practice for the environmental testing of electronic components in heavy-duty vehicles. It can be legally purchased here at Intertek Inform or from other authorised websites such as SAE International.

Please note that the SAE J1455 Standard pdf is fully copyrighted by SAE International, and compliance requires that unauthorised copies not be used. The PDF file is protected and can only be viewed on the first computer used to open the PDF. It can only be printed twice. For a flexible and centralised access to Standards, explore i2i our Standards management solution.

Why SAE J1455 Compliance Matters

The SAE J1455 Standards are critical for manufacturers and suppliers in the aerospace, military, and transportation sectors.

• It provides product reliability benefits by reducing failures in extreme conditions.
• It fulfils regulatory requirements for heavy-duty vehicles in industries like automotive and defence.
• Being fully compliant with SAE J1455 can provide a competitive advantage in securing contracts and certifications.

Conclusion

SAE J1455 is the regulatory Standard for environmental testing of electronic components in heavy-duty vehicles. To ensure the durability of your components and to stay compliant with the SAE J1455 Standard pdf, consult with our experts at Intertek Inform for your testing and certification.