SRC Forum - Message Replies

Forum: Reliability & Maintainability Questions and Answers

Topic: Reliability & Maintainability Questions and Answers

Topic Posted by: Reliability & Maintainability Forum (src_forum@alionscience.com )
Organization: System Reliability Center
Date Posted: Mon Aug 31 12:47:36 US/Eastern 1998

Original Message:

Posted by: Richard
Date posted: Mon Mar 5 16:12:36 US/Eastern 2007
Subject: Communications Cable Reliability
Message:
I am trying to develop a reliability test for a communications cable. The cable uses stranded wires, some of which are twisted pair and is approx 2 feet long and is installed within a piece of electronic equipment.

Aside from installing a cable in the top level assembly and testing it under vibration etc. does anybody know of a stand-alone test for a cable to qualitatively assess it's reliability and to perhaps compare it with different designs of the cable ? (i.e. create a measuring stick to determine improvements etc.)

Thanks in advance.

Reply:

Subject: Cable Testing
Reply Posted by: bwd
Date Posted: Tue Mar 6 5:59:49 US/Eastern 2007
Message:
The primary failure mode for cables is wire breakage. Therefore, I would suggest that you could perform a bending reliability test. Repeated bends over a mandrill could show the inherent life of the cable and be used for comparison purposes.