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In these days of traceability the ability to generate test reports is essential, but how easy can it be?

With a manual test using a buzzer, bulb or semaphore, generating test reports is also manual, generally involving a clipboard and a pen. Manual tests are normally restricted to ‘GO NOGO’ testing only unless a fault is suspected. What this means is that a positive connection from end-to-end marks a pass; however, it does not test for stray connections on other pins/cores in the cable. So an open circuit is a NOGO, and a short circuit is a GO. The potential, here, for allowing ‘False Accepts’ is huge.

Wiring mistakes, tin whiskers, faulty materials can all lead to shorts within the cable and are unlikely to be found. Overall, Manual testing is far from desirable, particularly if having to test AND generate test reports at the same time.

So, we come to ‘system’ testing of cables. Again, there are some products that will test GO NOGO on individual cores, albeit simultaneously. Aside from speed this kind of tester is no better than manual testing and is best avoided. The report may be generated by a simple ticket printer or the ubiquitous clipboard and pen.

Let’s now get a computer involved.

A computer will switch test points much faster and much more reliably than manual testing and can, therefore, test for connections that should NOT be present. Really good computer-based cable testers will also learn the connections (and resistances) from a known-good cable so there is no real programming involved.

Obviously, once we involve a computer we can generate test reports… or can we?

With an embedded computer this can often be a time-consuming task, particularly if it uses an operating system where printer drivers are not readily available.

Enter CableEye, from CAMI Research!

CableEye is Windows PC based where the ever-increasing power and speed of PCs can, and does, positively affect the overall performance of a test station. CableEye will generate test reports and print to just about any printer that has a Windows driver and will print to label printers for labels or A4 printers for generating test reports.

This video will demonstrate the ease and speed of loading a cable, testing a cable, getting the result and generating test reports:

animated gif showing how to generate test reports

Now THAT is cable testing…

For more information or the loan of a demo system, get in contact with us.

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