Why Testing Cable Harness is important?

A cable harness can also be known as a cable assembly, wire harness, wiring loom or a wiring assembly, and is best described as a string of wires or cables that are capable of transmitting informational signals or operating currents. These wires in the cable harness are then bound together with electrical tape, cable ties, conduit or clamps. Testing cable harnesses are very commonly used in construction machinery. This provides many advantages compared to loose cables or wires. Aircraft for example can contain many kilometers of wires/cables when extended, and by binding them together into a cable harness, they can improve safety and be made more secure. As the wires in cable harness are likely short so the installation process is made easier.

A cable assembly is a group of wires and connectors bound together with a sleeve or tape. The grouping of the wires helps save space and protects them from damage, and the assembly can be made any length, with any combination of plugs and sockets. A bespoke cable can be used for virtually any application imaginable. Cable harnesses are generally made and designed for electrical purposes, and a diagram is used for the assembly and preparation. Using a special machine, the wires are first cut to length. All high-grade automotive cable harness varieties, find application for multiple purposes. Cable assemblies are commonly used in vehicles and computers, and are also known as wiring looms and cable harnesses. With complex designs, cable harness may be needed behind the plate, although standard cables can often be used. Wall plates have significant advantages, not only in creating a cleaner look, but in protecting long cables, removing trip hazards and stopping the cables collecting dust.

What are the important uses of RF testing?

People are staying in a world that is getting advanced day by day because of new machines, tools, devices and all types of innovative electronic appliances and its accessories that are getting introduced to the consumer market of this world as products. Now, nobody especially normal consumers don’t have an idea on what kind of testing devices are actually used to test the quality and integrity of these appliances. It is only the experienced technicians who have the knowledge of using the right tools for testing electronic product and various types of test probes are applied for successfully completing the test. RF Testing are mainly used for testing high-frequency signals.

Co-axially designed Rf test probes help with the measurement of signal flow via the inner conductor and the outer conductor is used for shielding of the signals. These probes have their application in virtually in all sectors of the electronics industry, including the testing of automotive equipment, GPS systems and telecommunications, internet networks and much more. High-frequency RF probes make an ideal port-extending accessory for network analyzers. RF center conductor system is captivated for maximum reliability. One of these test probes used in the testing is known as RF test probes that have applications in virtually all sectors of the electronics industry including the testing of the automotive equipment’s and accessories such as car stereos and GPS systems, telecommunications devices such as mobile phones and smartphones and for testing various types of Wi-Fi modems and other related devices.  

Radio Frequency test probes improve RF testing; therefore many global companies are already in the verge of constructing and designing RF probes to meet the electrical equipment demand. Now and again spring contact tests are intended for RF applications with the internal and external conductors mechanically intended to fit particular RF prerequisites. This plan permits motions inside a wide band to be transmitted with least misfortune. High-Frequency Test Probes comprise of sprung internal and external conductors that are masterminded coaxially to each other. This game plan is ideal for the transmission of high-recurrence signals on the grounds that the electromagnetic field that is required to transport the vitality is confined to the region between the inward and external conductors.

What are the uses of Fixture kit?

Device testing involves ensuring the quality and/or interoperability of a product. Test procedures for ensuring compatibility are developed in partnership with the industry leaders and standards organizations which guide enabling technology.  Most compliance testing is the product of standards organizations that create test specifications and fairness for all product developers. Standards organizations are of the utmost importance throughout the product certification process. Standards compliance groups consist of at least two individuals, companies or organizations coming together to advance a technology. Typically, the testing process is not fully automated. Operators connect an untested harness to the test fixture kit, and remove a tested unit from the test fixture. At times, an operator may fail to properly segregate a failed unit, causing significant problems downstream. Another potential problem occurs when an operator fails to wait until the test is completed and removes a partially tested unit from the test fixture.

The in line test fixtures kit from equip-test provides various applications like temperature sensor, High – current Testing for Functional Test Stations, High – frequency Testing, Testing Connector Pins, Two or multiple Contacting Nests, Bar Code Reader / Scanner. The vacuum test fixtures are designed two types as an individual fixture kit or an interchangeable kit. The intermediate interfaces which are available in various common test systems are equipped with the test probes. Wide range of suitable vacuum-cassette sizes is available. You can choose it depending upon the size of the UUT.

Another kind of test fixture kit involves the Pneumatic Test Fixtures which are designed with the interchangeable kit. These test fixture kit have the activated pressure frame in combination with the idle probe plate.  The interchangeable kits have a replaceable, anti-static pressure frame plate as well as a probe plate with spring loaded mounting plate. The various intermediate interfaces available are VG- connectors, hyperbolic interface terminal pins or spring-loaded Test Probes. By using these intermediate interfaces the Pneumatic Test Fixtures can be used with almost every Test System.

What are the application and advantages of Spring-loaded test probes?

To make contact to various test points on printed circuit boards (PCBs), components and wiring fields, you can use the spring contact probes. When employed in special test modules, the probes can be used to test connector cable systems. These are also used inside a functional test station as part of a larger production line.  

A spring contact test probe is made up of a tubular barrel, a spring and a plunger. This ensures the best contact with the test surface. They can also be mounted into receptacles where an electrical connection is made. This also allows test probes to be easily removed for repair or replacement.

Various applications for which spring loaded test probes are used –

Threaded Probes –These probes are meant for the threaded purpose. Good for a threaded fit as well as used for the test of wire harnessing.

High Current Probes – These probes are used for high current applications and designed for very small probe resistance.

Switch Probes – These are the special probes with integrated switch element, mainly used for presence.

Push Back Probes – During the pushback of connectors, the light seat of the connector elements are verified.

Radio Frequency Probes – Special Coaxial contact probes are used to transmit the high-frequency signals. The inner conductor of the coaxial probe is used for the transmission of the signal and an outer conductor for shielding.

The test probe is made of a metal tube, ready assembled with a spring and contact plunger, supplied as a one-piece item. They are usually gold plated as gold is an excellent electrical conductor and is resistant to corrosion. Through this mounting system, the spring contacts can quickly exchange without the wiring has to be replaced. Probes are a durable component, which can perform several hundred thousand contact cycles with stable contact resistance.  You can use the spring contacts in testing of printed circuit boards.

The major advantages of a spring loaded test probes are:

·         Longevity

·         Constant Contact Resistance

·         Interchangeable

·         Easy installation in the test adapter by using receptacles

·         High Pointing Accuracy

·         High Current and high frequencies possible.