Cable Harness Test Systems and Test Fixtures

 

The cable harness is also known as a wire harness, cable assembly, or wiring assembly. They are best described as a string of wires or cables used for operating currents or transmitting informational signals. These wires are bound together with electrical tape or clamps. Cable harnesses are designed for geometric & electrical requirements. As there is a growing demand for the error-free production of cable harnesses, there is also an increasing need for cable harness test systems and modules.  Once this test process was a slow and manual point-to-point operation, now it has been transferred to a sophisticated, efficient, and computerized aided process.

Test Fixturing

The test fixturing has been taken over by cable harness industry. These testing systems have two benefits:

·         Ease of use for the operator

·         Lesser maintenance

Harness manufacturers generally use mating connectors for testing. There are two forms of cable harness test-

·         First build the harness offline and bring it to wire harness test station. 

·         The other type is to test simultaneously while building.

When a cable harness is produced, it would be subjected to various tests to check its quality and functionality. The test board is used to measure the cable harness’s electrical capabilities. It can be achieved via the input data of a circuit where more than one cable harnesses are programmed into the test board. The harness is measured according to its ability to function in a simulated circuit.

Hipot Testing and 4 Wire Kelvin Testing

Delrin and polyurethane provide excellent dielectric qualities for the manufacturing of Hipot & Kelvin test fixtures.  These tests are operated at high voltage and need special attention as it provides insulation between the spring probes. It prevents arcing and fake failures. It is necessary to keep the fixtures free of debris as this debris can be the cause of false failures. The basic continuity test fixture is easily modified to perform a 4 wire Kelvin test.

 

 

Functional Testing

Spring probe test fixtures are mostly used for automotive and other applications because of their durability & serviceability. This is particularly effective when thousands of tests are done. These test fixtures are typically designed for hand-held and incorporate robust strain reliefs. Equip test offers a range of test probe systems and modules.