Wrinkle Test

This test is used to evaluate the quality of insulation and its ability to withstand wrinkling. Wrinkles can occur to insulation when bent back and forth frequently, eventually causing the insulation to deteriorate. The particular concern here is on tape wrapped insulations. During the fabrication process, an adhesive is used to hold the tape wrap […] Read more

Wrap Back Test

The wrap back examines a wire/cable’s insulation susceptibility to breach when tightly wrapped around itself and exposed to elevated temperatures. This test is usually required in the individual wire specifications as part of the insulation integrity assessment. After the elevated temperature exposure, the specimen is visually examined for any insulation cracks (or delamination in the […] Read more

Blocking

This test evaluates if a finished wire/cable specimen will block (stick to itself) when subjected to the specimen’s rated temperature. While on an aircraft, wires may be exposed to high temperatures and it is important to check if the finished wire specimens are prone to blocking (in other words, the test examines whether the wire […] Read more

Bend Test

This test is used to determine the insulation elasticity and propagation of damage through the wire/cable insulation. A wire/cable’s insulation should be sufficiently elastic so that if the wire is bent, there is little risk of the insulation cracking and jeopardizing the insulation integrity. A less elastic wire insulation is more likely that it will […] Read more

Cold Bend Test

This test determines the resistance of wire insulation to cracking at low temperatures while being bent around a mandrel. Using a special cold chamber, we can condition the specimen at the low temperatures that can be experienced during flight and study how it reacts to extreme conditions. This is a very good way to determine […] Read more

Mandrel