In our Mechanical Testing Lab, we work with our customers to test, as well as develop test methods, to replicate the movements and stresses their cables may experience during real-world use. This testing can provide helpful information regarding anticipated longevity of cables and can reveal variations between different generations of cables. We work directly with our customers to determine which test setups, pass/fail criteria and number of cycles are best for their application. Let’s take a look!
In this tour of the New England Wire Technologies Mechanical Testing Lab, design engineer Tom Paquet highlights the advanced equipment and instrumentation used to validate the physical performance, durability, and safety compliance of custom cable designs. The facility works closely with customers to co-develop tailored testing protocols, establish pass/fail criteria, and qualify first-article production runs.
Key mechanical testing capabilities include:
- Instron Tensile & Pull Testing: Stretches samples at a controlled, constant rate to record force exertion. This equipment measures break strength, jacket pull force, stripability, and structural durability for tethered installations and hanging fixtures.
- Environmental Aging Chambers: Ovens, humidity chambers, and cold chambers accelerate the thermal and environmental aging of extruded thermoplastic jackets and primary insulations, comparing pre- and post-exposure physical and electrical integrity.
- In-House Flame Testing: Capabilities include VW-1, FT1, FT2, horizontal, and cable flame tests. Pre-testing custom cables internally verifies safety compliance before formal third-party agency submittal, preventing costly redesigns.
- Custom Cyclic Flex Testing: Proprietary testing rigs simulate continuous mechanical bending, rolling, and twisting to assess cable longevity in dynamic medical devices and automated robotics.
- Pre- and Post-Flex Electrical Validation: Measures resistance, impedance, and capacitance before and after flex cycles to detect subtle internal fatigue or conductor micro-fracturing prior to physical failure.
Key Technical Takeaways
- Tensile & Break Strength: Instron testers evaluate structural load capacity, jacket retention, and conductor elongation under tension.
- Accelerated Environmental Aging: Thermal ovens, humidity chambers, and sub-zero cold chambers validate polymer retention against harsh field conditions.
- Pre-Compliance Flame Testing: In-house validation against VW-1, FT1, FT2, and cable flame standards streamlines official NRTL approvals.
- Severe Dynamic Flex Simulation: Custom equipment subjects continuous-flex cables to severe cyclic motion to benchmark multi-generational design improvements.
- Post-Flex Electrical Tracking: Compares pre- and post-test resistance, capacitance, and impedance to catch electrical degradation caused by mechanical stress.
Mechanical Testing Lab Tour Transcript
Welcome to the Mechanical Testing Lab
Hi, I’m Tom Paquet, Design Engineer at New England Wire. Today, we’d like to show you around our mechanical testing lab. We utilize state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation to ensure compliance and provide the highest quality products. We work closely with our customers to co-develop test methods for validation programs and first article production. Let’s take a look.
Instron Tensile, Break Strength, and Stripability Testing
The Instron tester stretches or pulls the cable at a constant rate and records the force exerted on the sample. We use this equipment for a wide range of applications such as break strength requirements, jacket pull force testing, as well as qualifying new material. This provides the customer with data to meet tethered applications, applications such as holding a light fixture, durability under tension conditions, and ease, and/or difficulty, of stripability.
Environmental Aging Chambers
Ovens, humidity chambers, and cold chambers are primarily used at NEWT to qualify thermoplastics used for the extrusion process to see if they will meet one of many industry standards. These thermoplastics are initially tested for physical and electrical properties. Then they are placed in an oven or chamber for a predetermined time period, with set conditions that accelerate the aging process. After the required time has passed, the aged samples are again tested for the same physical and electrical properties, and comparisons are made to the pre-aged samples.
In-House Flame Safety Testing (VW-1, FT1, FT2)
With in-house flame testing capabilities, NEWT can quickly and cost-effectively test custom cables. In-house flame testing capabilities include horizontal, VW-1, FT1, FT2, cable flame, and more. This ensures flame safety ratings needed for the end-use application will be met the first time samples are sent out for agency approval. NEWT can pretest to get a measure of confidence if the cables will pass the same testing, potentially saving the customer valuable time and expenses if there are failures.
Dynamic Flex Testing for Medical and Robotics
In addition, NEWT has designed multiple devices that can test cables under a variety of flexing conditions. While it is usually difficult to replicate exact flex use in the field, these testers can provide helpful information on longevity of cables and can reveal variations between different generations of cable. Not all cables manufactured by New England Wire Technologies are used in static applications, where the cable is connected and left in place for the rest of its life cycle. Some of NEWT’s customers have applications where a cable is expected to perform over and over in continually flexed environments. A couple of examples of industries where cables are repeatedly flexed are robotics and medical. NEWT has developed design techniques and material selection that can help extend the life expectancy of such cables.
Pre- and Post-Flex Electrical Performance
These flex testing devices are felt to be significantly more severe than most real-world conditions, depending on the test setup. NEWT works with their customers to determine which test setups, pass/fail criteria, and number of cycles are best for their application. NEWT has the ability to perform pre-flex electrical tests such as resistance, impedance, and capacitance, and then compare the result post flex test.
If you have any additional questions about our testing capabilities, please contact us at newenglandwire.com.