Military Specifications and Standards

Unlike run-of-the-mill hobby grade import servos, ProModeler are tested to these MIL-STDS;

MIL-STD-810H

  • Shock - Test Method 516.6
  • Humidity -Test Method 507.5
  • Vibration - Test Method 514.6
  • Acceleration - Test Method 513.6
  • Sand and Dust - Test Method 510.7
  • Water Intrusion - Test Method 514.5
  • Altitude <70,000’ - Test Method 500.6
  • High Temperature - Test Method 501.5

Since MIL-STDS matter to the government . . . are they a reasonable proxy for better servos?

Introduction

While selecting hobby grade products for fun is one thing, the phrase 'mission critical' changes priorities. Bluntly - it's against the risk of dead men, missed objectives, lost contracts, and broken careers that servos tested to MIL-STDS exist!

Background

Standards for electronic components vary. In the case of military grade standards, higher specs are set to meet the need for how and where the military may use them. Military Specification components (MIL-SPEC), as used in ProModeler servos, are otherwise designed for use in aerospace applications. They're more expensive and while anybody can buy them, hobby grade servo producers don't. Why not? In a word . . . money!

Optimizing for rugged military use and narrowing our target market from hobbyists to those at the pointed end of the spear, lets us reach a different demographic - those whose metric isn't pinching pennies, but mission readiness. So the question is . . . do you need mission critical performance, or not?

MIL-STD-810H

As specified by DoD, MIL-STDS are tests used to ensure products meet the necessary requirements for military use, or 'Tailoring a materiel item's environmental design and test limits to the conditions that the specific materiel will experience throughout its service life'. In plain English, lab test methods replicating the effects of environments on our servos.

These include high altitude, high humidity, pouring rain, and when it's hot as Hell and the sand is blowing! They also pass tests established to deal with vibration, whether due to engines or the percussive effects of weapons fire, as well as shock due to artillery or being dropped in the heat of battle.

Summary

Bottom line? MIL-STDS matter in the real world. They separate the wheat from the chaff. These electromechanical devices convert electricity into motion. They're controlled by PWM signals and consist of 3 basic parts; the case, gear train, and electronic package. Our mantra is . . .

Better parts. Better servos. The formula is simple.

Resources

  1. To learn more, this Wikipedia link provides depth regarding MIL-STD-810H (all 1107 pages).
  2. Follow this link MIL-STD-180H in PDF-forrmat to a +30MB pdf detailing what's required.