ESPEC Technical Information

Technical Report
JIS C60068-3-5:2020, JIS C60068-3-6:2020
Revision of Supporting Documentation and Guidance for
Confirmation of the Performance of Temperature (Humidity)
Chambers

Koichi Kodera, Development Headquarters, ESPEC CORP.

(Chairman of the Subcommittee for Climatic Environmental testing equipment,
Technical Committee for Environmental Testing Equipment,
Japan Testing Machine Association)

Abstract
Following the 2018 revision of IEC standards IEC 60068-3-5 and IEC 60068-3-6, which provide
guidance for confirmation of performance of temperature (humidity) chambers, “JIS C 60068-3-
5:2020 Supporting documentation and guidance - Confirmation of the performance of temperature
chambers” and “JIS C 60068-3-6:2020 Supporting documentation and guidance - Confirmation of
the performance of temperature/humidity chambers” were issued on September 23, 2020 as an
identical standard (IDT).
This report presents a comparison of the revised JIS standards with the 2006 and 2008 editions,
as well as an overview of the standards.
This report is only an overview. For details, please refer to the published JIS standards.
This report is a modified and expanded version of information presented in TEST Vol. 58 (Issued
January 2021), a public relations magazine published by the Japan Testing Machine Association.

1. Introduction
The Japan Testing Machine Association (JTM) has been working on standardization of
“performance test methods and performance indication methods” for general-purpose temperature
(humidity) chambers used in a wide range of fields since the early stages of their development,
and in 1985 became the first Japanese JTM standard to be established and widely used.
Subsequently, IEC 60068-3-5 and IEC 60068-3-6 were established in 2001 as guidance for
confirmation of the performance of temperature (humidity) chambers as part of the IEC standards,
which are international standards.
Based on this, JIS C 60068-3-5 and JIS C 60068-3-6 were established in 2006 and 2008,
respectively, as IDTs as part of the JIS standards. However, these IEC and JIS standards did not
describe specific measurement methods (measurement position, measurement time) or
calculation methods.
The Japan Testing Machine Association (JTM) conducted a complete review of the JTM

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standards, focusing on operational aspects and maintaining consistency with JIS, and established
“JTM K07 Temperature chambers - Test and indication method for performance” in 2007 and “JTM
K09 Temperature/Humidity chambers - Test and indication method for performance” in 2009.
The revision of the IEC and JIS standards incorporated the measurement methods and the
calculation methods of JTM K07 and JTM K09.

2. Terms Used to Describe the Performance of Temperature (Humidity) Chambers

The catalogs and specifications of temperature (humidity) chambers whose performance has
been confirmed by JIS C60068-3-5 and JIS C60068-3-6 use terms that are consistent with these
standards.
Since each term is a translation of an IEC standard, it can be difficult to understand precisely
what it means from the Japanese wording. Figure 1 below shows the explanation and figures
related to the terms.

2.1 Temperature (humidity) fluctuation

This indicates the degree of temporal fluctuation of the atmosphere in the chamber and the
degree to which the temperature (humidity) in the chamber is stable.

2.2 Temperature (humidity) gradient

The degree of spatial variation in the chamber. This term indicates the degree to which the value
differs depending on the position in the chamber.

2.3 Spatial temperature (humidity) variation

The degree of spatial variation in a chamber. This term indicates the difference in values
relative to the center position in the chamber.

Fluctuation
(Position away from the
center of the working
space)
Temperature

Variation
/Humidity

Gradient

Fluctuation
(Center of the working
space)

Fluctuation
(Position away from the
center of the working
space)

Time

Figure 1 Relationship between temperature (humidity) chamber fluctuation, variation, and

1)
gradient

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2.4 Temperature rate of change

This shows the ability of the chamber to change temperature. It indicates the rate at which the
atmosphere temperature changes per minute.

3. Main Changes in the Revised Standard

The main change in this revision is that specific measurement and calculation methods are now
provided. In addition, the contents of these methods are adopted from those established in the
JTM standard. The main changes in this revision are shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Changes in the revised standard
Description in previous
Item Description in the 2020 edition
editions
Any point in the working
Center of the working space
space
Specified points within the working
Measurement space
position All points in the working *8 points at 1/10 inside from each
space corner and 1point at the chamber
center (when the capacity is up to
2000 L )
Measurement time No description 30 minutes or longer
Measurement 10 or more times at equal intervals
No description
interval over 30 minutes
Temperature
(humidity) fluctuation
Temperature
No description of calculation Description of specific calculation
(humidity) gradient
method method
Temperature
(humidity) variation
in space
Description of highest and
Temperature
lowest temperatures attained Deleted from the terms
extremes
and their definitions

4. Outline of the Standards (JIS C60068-3-5, JIS C60068-3-6)

4.1 Scope
These standards specify reproducible measurement methods to verify that temperature
(humidity) chambers conform to the requirements of climatic test procedures JIS C 60068-2. These
standards is intend for users when conducting regular temperature (humidity) cham ber
performance monitoring.

4.2 Working space

The working space is defined as the area 1/10 inside from each corner of the test area in the
temperature (humidity) chamber.

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(Chamber
center)

2)
Figure 2 Working space and measurement location (for a capacity up to 2000 L)

4.3 Achieved temperature (humidity), temperature (humidity) stabilization

In order to establish the conditions for measuring the performance items introduced in section
2, achieved temperature (humidity) and temperature (humidity) stabilization are specified. The
achieved temperature (humidity) is defined as the stabilized temperature (humidity) maintained
within the allowable range at the center of the working space for 30 minutes or more, and the
temperature (humidity) stabilization is defined as the state where the nine points, eight points at
each corner of the working space plus at the center point, enters within the allowable range and
is maintained for 30 minutes.
The temperature (humidity) fluctuation, temperature (humidity) gradient, and temperature
(humidity) variation in space are to be measured under temperature (humidity) stabilization, and
the achieved temperature (humidity) at that time is the temperature (humidity) at which
performance is confirmed.

4.4 Temperature (humidity) fluctuation

Measurement position: 9 points, from each corner and the center of the working space
Time/interval: 10 or more equally spaced measurements over a period of 30 minutes or longer
Calculation method: Calculate the standard deviation σn-1 from the measured value for each
measurement position.
The temperature (humidity) range shall be ±2σn-1. The largest value among
the 9 points shall be the temperature (humidity) fluctuation.

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4.5 Temperature (humidity) gradient

Measurement position: 9 points, from each corner and the center of the working space
Time/interval: No clear description
Calculation method: Average value is obtained from the measured values at each measurement
position
The highest and lowest average values are selected from the 9 measurement
points, and the difference between them is the temperature (humidity)
gradient.

4.6 Temperature (humidity) variation in space

Measurement position: 9 points, from each corner and the center of the working space
Time/interval: No clear description
Calculation method: Obtain the average value from the measured values for each measurement
position.
Find the all of the differences between the average values.
The maximum value among them is the temperature (humidity) gradient.

*Items 4.5 and 4.6 above do not describe the measurement time or intervals, but in practice, they
can be calculated using the data from the temperature (humidity) fluctuation measurements.

4.7 Temperature rate of change (Figure 3)

Measurement position: Center of the working space
Procedure: 1) Wait until the temperature stabilizes at the lowest specified temperature.
2) Monitor the time between 10% and 90% of the temperature range in accordance
with the highest specified temperature.
3) Wait until the temperature stabilizes at the highest specified temperature.
4) Monitor the time between 10% and 90% of the temperature range in accordance
with the lowest specified temperature.
Calculation method: The temperature rate of change is obtained by dividing the temperature
range change time, between 10% and 90% at heat up and cool down, by
the temperature range.

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Heat-up time Cool-down time

Highest temperature

Lowest temperature

2)
Figure 3: Temperature rate of change

5. Conclusion
The Japan Testing Machine Association has established the JTM Standard, which defines the
measurement and calculation methods for the performance indication of temperature (humidity)
chambers, and has endeavored to enable users to check and compare performance based on the
same standards. As explained above, the JTM standard has been adopted in the IEC and JIS
standards as a result of this revision, and the measurement methods for each performance item
have been clarified.
Previously, even if these IEC or JIS standards were stated in the performance description of a
temperature (humidity) chamber, it was not known whether the measurement and calculation
methods were the same. The revised version allows the same standards to be used for
performance indication.
With the globalization of corporate activities, it has become easier to determine conformity to
climatic test standards for temperature (humidity) chambers in various countries and to compare
the performance of chambers.

References
1) JIS C 60068-3-5:2020, “Environmental testing -- Part 3-5: Supporting documentation and
guidance -- Confirmation of the performance of temperature chambers,” Japanese Industrial
Standards
2) JTM K07:2007, “Temperature chambers – Test and indication method for Performance” Japan
Testing Machine Association standards

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