Home
Products
Photos
Catalogs
Videos
Frequently Asked Questions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Shockmaster Shock Indicators

OVERVIEW
Shockmaster® is a low cost, compact mechanical device which may be installed on delicate equipment to monitor excessive shock and vibration, thereby assisting in the detection of hidden damage. When a container is opened, following shipment, there may appear to be no damage. However, if the Shockmaster is found to be in a "tripped" condition (with bright red signal band exposed in the dome), it is evident that excessive shock has been experienced. Accordingly, a thorough inspection should be made before accepting the shipment.

TOLERANCE
Since the springs in the Shockmaster are never elongated, it will remain in tolerance indefinitely, provided it is not subjected to continuous motion of the moving parts and is not contaminated internally with foreign particles. The Shockmaster may be reset and used over and over hundreds of times with no change to its G-rating. Some Shockmasters have been returned for recalibration after 10 years of use, and the units were still within the original factory tolerance.

AREA OF RESPONSE
The Shockmaster has a hemispheric response: it indicates shocks from all directions radial to the unit, axial shocks to the base from beneath, and shocks from all directions between these planes. It will not register axial shocks applied to the dome from above. Models are also available with axial (base) response only. Two Shockmasters are usually sufficient for even the largest of packaged items, and one may be adequate if there is no possibility of the equipment being shocked from above.

REUSABILITY
Shockmasters may be used over and over again. After tripping, the Shock Indicator is reset by removing the screw from the threaded hole in the side of the dome, inserting a stiff wire or straightened paper clip in the hole and pushing the back sleeve back to its cocked position. For Shockmasters with ratings of 25 G's or more, a plunger in the dome is depressed while the sleeve is pushed back as far as possible. The plunger is then released and the sleeve is allowed to return gently to its cocked position.

ACCURACY
Standard Shockmasters trip within ±10% of their settings. On units set for 10 G's or higher, tolerances of ±5% are available at an extra cost. They operate from -80°F to 160°F and are resistant to high humidity.

TAMPER-PROOF
To prevent tampering with the Shock Indicator after it has been tripped, a safety wire with an inspector's seal attached can be placed through the resetting hole screws in the plastic dome. Or, inspector's decals may be affixed over the reset holes. Shockmasters with ratings of 25 G's or more are made tamper-proof by re-inserting one screw, threading safety wire through holes in plunger and screw head and securing with an inspector's seal.

SHIPPING & HANDLING COSTS
Shockmasters can help cut shipping and handling costs in three ways:

  1. Shockmasters can be used to detect rough handling of a product on assembly lines or in other areas of your plant. Corrective measures may then be initiated to improve material handling procedures.
  2. The Shockmaster is an invaluable tool for shock tests to determine proper packaging design and materials. A row of indicators, each set for tripping at a different G-rating, may be used in container drop tests, thereby detecting both over packaging and under packaging of a product.
  3. Terminal inspection time can be reduced substantially, as only those shipments with tripped indicators need be re-inspected in detail.

INSTALLATION
Shockmasters may be mounted on the inside of the container or on the packaged item, depending on the information desired.  There are four mounting holes in the base for rear mounting, or a mounting plate is available for front mounting of the units.

Shockmaster Front Drawing
Shockmaster Rear Drawing

Weight: Approximately 0.3 lbs. (136 grams), depending upon model.
Materials: The body is aluminum, clear anodized.  The dome is transparent polycarbonate.

INSPECTION
Inspection may be accomplished by looking at the indicator through a hole with a removable cover in the container. Or, a Shockmaster with electrical contacts may be used. This model can be inspected by placing the leads of an ohmmeter, or a battery and light bulb, on the contacts of a terminal board mounted on the outside of the container. If the Shockmaster is tripped, the ohmmeter will indicate that the circuit is closed, or the light bulb will glow.

SETTINGS
Shockmasters are available from stock in nomial ratings of 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 G's. Other settings are available upon request. The standard equal-G models respond equally to shocks along the longitudinal axis and in the transverse plane. The standard long axis models respond to longitudinal axis shock only - side or transverse shocks have no effect.

RATINGS
Independent test facilities have compared various mechanical shock-monitoring devices. Each time Shockmaster was rated the most accurate and easiest to use! Details available upon request.

ORDERING INFORMATION

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

 

   
AGM CONTAINER CONTROLS, INC. • 3526 East Fort Lowell Road • Tucson, AZ  85716
www.agmcontainer.comsales@agmcontainer.com • 1-800-995-5590 or 520-881-2130 • Site Map

AGM's Blog