Method 106 evaluates the thermal and mechanical resistance of a single insulated wire by simulating potential wire damage during removal of overbraids from wire bundles. A soldering iron with a screwdriver tip is pressed vertically against the wire specimen with controlled force.
The test uses a 12-inch minimum wire specimen. A soldering iron equipped with a screwdriver tip (approximately 0.105 inch wide by 0.05 inch thick) is set to controlled temperatures of 398°C, 343°C, or 288°C. A 5-pound weight is applied through the iron, and the time for the iron to penetrate through the insulation to the conductor is measured using a continuity detector.
The test fixture holds the soldering iron vertically and uses an external limit switch and continuity detector to determine when contact with the conductor occurs. Results are recorded as the time to penetrate the insulation at each temperature, providing a quantitative measure of the wire’s thermal/mechanical cut-through resistance.