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If you are trying to get an idea what an aircraft wire testing lab looks like, here is a virtual tour of Lectromec’s lab.

Lectromec has been in business for over thirty years.

We have worked on projects from NASA, the Air Force, and many other organizations.

Lectromec has a patent on an aircraft wire testing process and a Designated Engineering Representative (DER) on staff.

Lectromec was recently awarded the coveted ISO/IEC 17025:2005. It is the first aerospace wire and cable testing lab in the world to earn this quality assurance certification.

What does an aircraft wire testing lab look like?

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This may not be well known, but aircraft wires are expected to last from twenty to thirty years!

We can never know the exact operational conditions of the aircraft wires, however, our lab mimics the most extreme conditions wires could be exposed to.

This is a humidity chamber with an eight cubic foot capacity. Humidity levels range from 10% to 98% and the temperature can go as high as 150 degrees Centigrade.

1. Humidity Chamber

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2. High Voltage

What happens to wires and connectors with higher voltages?

Here are our AC and DC high voltage testers.

The AC system has a voltage range of 0 to 15,000 VAC. The DC system has a voltage range from 0 to 5,000 VDC. High frequency, high voltage capabilities are not shown.

This unit can test to most UL, CSA, VDE, IEC, and MIL for dielectric withstand test standards.

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3. Scientific Oven

This is a mechanical convection oven.

The capacity is 1.4 cubic feet.

It has a range of +30° to 325° Celsius (the equivalent of 617 degrees Fahrenheit!).

The scientific oven is used to certify requirements for many kinds of aircraft wire insulation.

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4. Low Temperature Freezer

Not only does an aerospace wire have to withstand heat, but also cold.  Here is our -85oC freezer. Aircraft wires must be able to withstand quick transitions of temperature, called thermal shock.

Finally, these wires must still be able to sustain flexing at cold temperatures – called cold bend capability.

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5. Force Tester

This unit can apply up to 225 pounds of force. It is used for wire elongation testing , dynamic cut-through, and can be augmented to perform testing at elevated temperatures.

This is a typical test for new components, and it frequently can perform ten trials for each wire.

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6. Scrape Abrasion

Wire can be subjected to abrasion from poor design, upgrades, or inadvertent damage during routine maintenance.

Over the years, Lectromec has manufactured a wide range of devices to determine scape abrasion.

This examines the mechanical wear resistance for wire and cable and can be performed at elevated temperatures.

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7. Arc Track Resistance

Aerospace wires can get damaged and arcing can occur. In order to ensure that collateral damage is limited, arc track resistance testing is necessary.

These are Lectromec’s wet and dry arc track resistance test systems. These units were custom manufactured by Lectromec to comply with the industry test standards.

Most modern aerospace wires require this test.  

This equipment is used to show that a wire is in compliance with specifications from SAE, MIL Spec, EN, and EASA.  

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8. Custom Test Equipment

We’d love to perform your aerospace wire testing. However, we can also provide custom manufactured testing units for you to do your own testing.

This is a picture of a wet dry arc testing device.

We have manufactured equipment for the U.S. Navy and other organizations, domestically and abroad.

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Thanks for taking a “virtual” tour of our aircraft wire testing laboratory.

If you are ever in the Washington, D.C. area we’d love to give you a personal tour of all the devices we use.

Please contact Lectromec if you would like information on aircraft wire testing, EWIS evaluation services, or service life extension programs for aircraft.

For blogs, videos, podcasts, and pricing information, visit Lectromec.com

That’s what an aircraft wire testing lab looks like!