EoW January 2013

Feature Testing & measuring

Patented off-line system

The CAPRIS® CMS2 (‘Contrast Measurement System 2’) is a patented system, specifically designed for off-line contrast measurement of laser generated marks on electrical wiring and fibre optic cabling employed in aerospace and other critical industries. It provides a convenient quality assurance tool that can be employed simply and quickly to monitor and measure the average contrast of user applied and/or manufacturer markings on wire and cable. The CMS2 uses optical technology to calculate the contrast by measuring the variation in luminance on the surface of a sample over an area encompassing the mark and the unmarked insulation. This type of measurement is a key requirement for a number of aerospace customers and end users such as Boeing, Airbus, Sikorsky and the US Navy, to ensure the quality and legibility of marks on their wire.

▲ ▲ The CAPRIS® CMS2 from Spectrum Technologies

Generally anything giving less than a 40 per cent contrast is unacceptable. Spectrum Technologies brought the first CMS system to market in 1996 and since then many modifications have been made to make the technology faster, smaller, cheaper and more accurate. In particular, following a two-year US Navy-funded project, the US National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) verified the operation and performance of the CAPRIS CMS2. As part of the project, the measurement algorithm was enhanced to improve performance on coloured wires, lower contrast values and smaller marks, as well as confirming the accuracy on white wires of ±2% and the repeatability of the system of ±1%. The CAPRIS CMS2 has since been qualified to Boeing and Sikorsky specifications BAC 5152 and SS7333, respectively, as well as complying with other international aerospace standards. SpectrumTechnologies Plc – UK Website : www.spectrumtech.com

Wire surface detector Italy-based Rigon Instruments has launched a compact in-line rectangular or round enamelled wire surface detector tester, model WSD, capable of detecting blisters and lumps, in compliance with the most stringent international standard.

The company claims that the digital contact technology used for the measurement, compared to the analogue technology already present in the market, ensures long-term stability, repeatability and electrical noise immunity, suitable for working in harsh environments requiring at the same time low maintenance. Its design allows an easy threading in very small area, avoiding bend and stress of enamelled wire. The device can be positioned in different ways without measuring problems.

▲ ▲ Model WSD - digital compact technology

The blister detector is a modular system that can be assembled to control two or all four surfaces of strip wire, with the possibility to install a soft conductive electrode to perform high voltage continuity of covering test up to 3,000 Vdc, under the supervision of dedicated software, which allows the setting of minimum detectable blister, test voltage and current, pre-alarm and alarm for each test length, with a final customisable report for each reel produced. Rigon Instruments – Italy Website : www.rigon.it

38

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2013