Quality Measures in Cable Industry

Some Types of Cables

MV Cable

Building
HV Cable Wires-
HFFR

Single-core LV Cable Overhead Conductors

LV FR Cable Flexible Cable

Telecom Cable
Elements of Quality Measures confirming the Safety of Products:

1- Technical specifications of cables:

Develop the ideal design according to customer requests, local and
international specifications or based on the development required to be
done for the products.
2 – Material quality control:
Check the quality of the materials required in production processes.
3 – Inprocess quality control:
Check the product during the stages of production operation.
4 – Quality control of the final product:
Check the dimensions of the cable components and test it electrically.
5- Quality control of measuring devices:
Ensure the accuracy of measuring devices and calibrate them periodically.
6 – Follow-up product quality after sales:
Measuring customer satisfaction.
 NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

EOS, IEC, BS, AEIC, ASTM, ICEA, VDE

It is a set of specifications with locally and internationally agreed
provisions containing:
▪ Rules for the design of cables and determining the materials,
dimensions and thicknesses of all their components
▪ Rules for testing and measuring each production stage and the
required tolerances for it
▪ Rules for making measurements and tests of cables, whether
routine, special or qualitative, to determine the extent of the
technical safety of the product to supply it to the customer

According to those specifications, and to ensure the

safety of the cables, a quality plans are followed for
checking: the raw materials, production in-process,
and the final products
QUALITY PLANS

Quality
Plan
QUALTY, DESIGN, PRODUCTION

Physical Properties
Good
Chemical Properties cable
Electrical Properties
design

Machines Operating Manuals

Process Engineering Manuals

Measuring & Recording W.I

W.I Non-Electrical Checks & Testing

W.I Electrical Checks & Testing

W.I Lagging & Transportation

 QUALITY INSPECTION STEPS

SAMPLES
PREPARATION SAMPLING
W.I PLAN

RULES OF ACCEPTANCE
TEST METHODS & REJECTION
SPECIFICATIONS RECORDS OF RESULTS
CHECK QUALITY OF
RAW-MATERIALS
 EVALUATION OF SUPPLIERS

10% of the lot to be tested.

No. of defects accepted 0 to 5
Level A Rejection level 1 to 6 defects

25% of the lot to be tested.

Level B No. of defects accepted 0 to 5
Rejection level 1 to 6 defects
Suppliers

50% of the lot to be tested.

Level C No. of defects accepted 0 to 5
Rejection level 1 to 6 defects
 INCOMING RAW-MATERIALS INSPECTION

Arrival to Stores,
under inspection
TMS: Test method
specification
Quality Controller,
NCR: Non-conformance
samples collection W.I
report
W.I: Work instructions
Samples Testing
as per TMS

Fix Rejected Tag Not OK Fix Inspected OK Card

Locate in NCR Area
Test Results Locate in approval area
OK

Supply to Production
Return to
Supplier
CHECK OF METALLIC & NON-METALLIC MATERIALS

Physical check

Metallic Materials Diameter check

Copper – Aluminium – Elongation check
Steel Wires - Strips -
Rods Tensile strength check
Resistivity check • Physical check
• Sampling plan
• TMS
• Calibrated use of
measuring tools
Physical check • Measurement W.I
• Acceptance &
Non-Metallic Materials Elongation check Rejection rules
PVC, PE, XLPE Tensile strength check
Tapes, Fillers, Pellets
Tapes Dimensions check

Weight (Density) check

IN-PROCESS PRODUCTS QUALITY CHECK
 IN-PROCESS QUALITY PLAN

Use of raw materials in

Production Stages

Quality Control – Production

Sample collection as per quality plan

Corrective / Preventive Test & Measure Samples

Actions Of all in-process products

Fix NCR Tag Not OK For next

Locate in NCR Area
Test Results production stage
OK

MRG Decision

MRG: Material Review

Product for Scrap Group
 SAMPLING PLAN
Copper and aluminum wire:
Sample of each coil in the drawing stage, and
of every 6 bobbins after drawing.
Copper and aluminum conductors:
Metallic
Sample each shift of one size.
Sample length: 1.2 to 2.2 meters according
to conductor size

Non-
Metallic Non-metallic materials:
Each size, two samples per shift to be taken by
In-Process the production technician, and one or more
samples by the quality technician according to
the result of the test.
Sample length: 20 cm
 CHECKS IN DRAWING & STRANDING

Physical check
Diameter check
Drawn Wires
Elongation check
Copper - Alum
Tensile strength check
Resistivity check • Physical check
• Sampling plan
• TMS
• Calibrated use of
measuring tools
Physical check • Measurement W.I
Elongation check • Acceptance &
Stranded Conductor Rejection rules
Tensile strength check
Copper - Alum
Tapes Dimensions check
Weight (Density) check
CHECKS IN EXTRUSION, ASSEMBLY, ARMORING STAGES

Thickness Check
Diameter & Eccentricity Check
EXTRUSION Ins. Thermal stability check
STAGES
Weight Check • Physical check
• Sampling plan
Physical Check
• TMS
• Calibrated use of
measuring tools
Diameter & Circularity Check • Measurement W.I
• Acceptance &
Assembly, Ass / Arm Lay length Check Rejection rules
Armoring, Tape dimensions check
Screening
Shield / Arm no. of wires & lay
Physical Check
QUALITY CHECK OF FINAL PRODUCTS
 PLAN OF FINSISHED PRODUCT CHECK

FINISHED PRODUCT

TESTING of FINISHED
Corrective / Preventive PRODUCTS
Actions Electrical & Non-Electrical

Fix NCR Tag Not OK

Locate in NCR Area
Test Results To Lagging Area
OK

MRG Decision Transport to Customer

Product for Scrap Measure Customer

Satisfaction
 ELECTRICAL TESTING

HV Test
PD Test (MV, HV, EHV Cables)
Electrical DCR of Conductor
Tests
DC Test of outer sheath
Physical Check
 NON-ELECTRICAL TESTING

Measure diameter of each layer

NON Measure thickness of each layer

ELECTRICAL Measure mass of each layer

Fire resistance, flame spread and

Smoke density
TESTING & MEASURING DEVICES
 Smoke density
measurement
Smoke-free from
Halogens
(Chlorine-bromine-
Fluorine-Iodine)

Fire Resistance &

Flame spread test
 Quality
Human Quality of
Safety Cable Design

Quality of
Raw Materials
Facility HQ
Safety Products Quality of
Production
Process
Investment
Safety Quality of
Testing