Numerical analysis of drop/impact of portable measurement instrument

In recent years, the advancement of semiconductor technology has posted the demands of high integrity, high performance, mobility, and miniaturization onto measurement instruments. This trend is also prevailing on portable measurement and test instruments such as portable laser meters, portable laser levelers, handheld spectrum analyzers, palm-sized digital oscilloscopes, etc. Portable measurement instruments are prone to drop/impact with objects and, hence, are vulnerable to damage due to the shock load of impact. This paper aims at a study of drop/Impact responses of a commercially available potable measurement instruments. Free fall drops with three impact angles of 0°, 45°, and 90° are considered. The equivalent stresses (Von Mises stress) are evaluated at the PCB modules of the instrument. The results show that the subsequent impacts that follow the first impact also contribute noticeable dynamical effects to the PCB structure of the instrument. The results of this study can be the bases for the design of drop concerns of general portable measurement instruments.