Cable Testing

Tests on cables fall into three classes, and the class matters more than the pass mark. Routine tests are carried out on every length produced, so they demonstrate that a particular drum left the factory sound. Type tests are carried out once on a design to show that the design is capable of meeting the standard, and are not repeated for every order. Special tests are carried out only where a project or a purchaser calls for them.

Reading a test report therefore starts with identifying which class it belongs to. A routine test certificate says nothing about whether the design has ever been type tested; a type test report says nothing about the drum in front of you. Both are legitimate documents, and they establish different things.