Case Insulation Test

The Case Insulation Test is a combination of the dielectric withstanding voltage and insulation resistance tests adapted to insulated capacitors. To pass this test, a capacitor must not have any insulation breakdown during either evaluation and must have an insulation resistance of at lease 100 megaohms. Other, more specified criteria are available in MIL-PRF-39018. Read more

Abrasion Resistance

The Abrasion Resistance test evaluates an insulation’s ability to endure rotational abrasion. The insulation sample is hung over a rotating cylindrical fixture equipped with two abrading elements separated 180°. The abrading elements are made from square tool bits which have been ground such that only one 90° edge of each abrades the test sample. The […] Read more

Crush Resistance

The crush resistance test method measures the capability of wire insulation to withstand an applied load, simulating the damage that may occur when insulated wire is crushed between two flat surfaces. During the test, a tensile strength test machine is used with additional components, such as mandrels, plates, and a support anvil oriented perpendicular to […] Read more

Conductor Resistance ASTM B193

August 13, 2020 Michael Traskos

The measurement of resistance seems to be a trivial task. Hook up a standard handheld multimeter with two probes and attach the probes to either side of the device or component that you want to measure. For the most part, this process works well. More correctly, for devices with resistances between 2 Ohms and 1M Ohm, this is a good technique, however, once the resistance values get really high or really low, the process becomes a little more complicated. While the basic physics remains the same (Voltage = Current * Resistance), getting the setup to correctly measure the component requires attention to detail. Read more

Wet Arc Propagation Resistance (European Method)

The wet arc-resistance test for wire insulation provides an assessment of the ability of an insulation to prevent damage in an electrical arc environment. In service, electrical arcs may originate from a variety of factors including insulation deterioration, faulty installation, and chafing. It has been documented that results of an arc-propagation test may vary slightly […] Read more

Resistance to Pinch

During initial construction or maintenance operations, it is possible that wires/cables may become pinched as equipment is placed back into the vehicle. Wires/Cables with good insulation adhesion are less likely to be damaged during this pinching. The resistance to pinch test provides a means to quantitatively assess a wire’s performance. In the resistance to pinch […] Read more

Resistance to Ozone

For some wire/cable insulation/jacket types, the polymer degradation can be tied to ozone exposure. Long term exposure can cause the insulation to become bridle and easily crack. There is also potential for conductor/shield corrosion with ozone exposure. For those using wire/cables in locations with potential for ozone exposure, understanding the impact of prolonged ozone exposure […] Read more

European Arc Track Resistance Testing

December 2, 2016 Alexander Petrov

The arc track resistance test is a basic performance test for most aircraft power carrying wires. As with any component assessment tests, there are many ways to evaluate a wire insulation’s propensity for arc tracking. The European wet short circuit test standard, EN3475 Method 605, is one means to determine the arc track resistance performance […] Read more

Smoke Resistance

The smoke resistance test places a high current through the wire/cable to determines if the insulation/jacket will produce smoke. The current is increase on the specimen until the conductor temperature reaches the rated insulation temperature. This test can be adjusted to examine the impact of wires/cables or secondary protection in the same harness. This of […] Read more

Fungus Resistance

Wire/cable insulations that are prone to surface fungus growth can impair maintenance activities by obscuring wire identifications, concealing wire/cable damage, and potentially creating a health hazard for the maintainers. Although fungus resistance is a common trait with modern aerospace wire/cable constructions, the need to verify the fungus resistance exists to ensure no in-service surprises. The […] Read more

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