Test System Example
Automated Cable Test System Using Pulse Reflection
Pulse-based testing of up to 20 cables at once against golden master waveforms.
Sciotex has built many operator-friendly cable test systems, large and small, to customers’ quality standards. This one uses high-speed digitizers and pulse sources: digital pulses are applied to one end of up to 20 cables at once, and the reflected and transmitted waveforms are compared with golden master templates to decide pass or fail within supervisor-defined tolerances.
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Tested simultaneously
Reflected and transmitted
Template comparison
Controlled limits
Example Overview
Testing Cables with Pulses
How does pulse reflection testing find cable faults?
When a fast pulse travels down a cable, any change in impedance, such as an open, short, damaged insulation or a bad connector, reflects part of it back. The time of a reflection shows where the fault is, and its shape shows what kind it is. This is the principle behind time-domain reflectometry.
Measuring both the reflected and the transmitted waveform gives a fuller picture of each cable. Instead of interpreting every trace by hand, this system compares each waveform with a golden master from a known good cable, so operators get a clear pass or fail and supervisors control the tolerances.
At a glance
- Capacity
- Up to 20 cables at once
- Stimulus
- Digital pulse sources
- Measurement
- High-speed digitizers
- Analysis
- Reflected and transmitted waveforms vs golden masters
- Limits
- Supervisor-defined tolerances
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How It Works
How the Cable Test System Works
Every cable is compared with a known good reference, so results are objective and fast.
Up to 20 cables are attached.
Digital pulses are applied to one end.
Reflected and transmitted waveforms are captured.
Waveforms are matched to golden masters.
Pass or fail within set tolerances.
What the System Does
Test Built for the Production Floor
Operators get simple answers; supervisors keep control of the limits.
High throughput
Twenty cables tested in one cycle.
Golden master comparison
Objective, repeatable judgments.
Controlled tolerances
Limits set by supervisors only.
Operator friendly
Built to the customer’s quality standards.
Hardware and Software
System Capabilities
See the automated test equipment guide for more on production test design.
| Cables per cycle | Up to 20 |
|---|---|
| Stimulus | Digital pulse sources |
| Acquisition | High-speed digitizers |
| Measurements | Reflected and transmitted waveforms |
| Pass/fail | Comparison with golden master templates |
| Tolerances | Supervisor-defined |
Many cable test systems
Sciotex has built cable testers from large to small, including:
- Multi-cable pulse and waveform testers
- Systems built to customer quality standards
- Operator-friendly production stations
Need cable or harness testing?
Sciotex builds automated test systems for cables, connectors and assemblies.
Additional Resources
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Testing Cables or Assemblies?
Talk to a Sciotex engineer about automated cable and harness test systems.