Introduction to Purchasing Quality Cable – Cable Production, Factory Audits, Inspections and Witnessing

Overview

This interactive one day course is applicable for MV to EHV solid dielectric cables. It will follow the cable production process from raw materials entering the factory to tested cable leaving on its journey to be installed. The content will focus on the different stages of cable production, the machinery involved, the types of defects that can occur during cable manufacture, and the quality control checks and quality assurance systems put in place by the producer.

The course will consider the types of questions to ask the producer about their quality systems, quality management structure and the process of conducting an inspection. Through appreciating the ideal production process, the potential defects and the production paperwork trail, the Participant will learn the critical areas to examine during a pre-tender award factory audit or manufacturing production inspection.

Lastly, the course will consider Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT); the Participant will learn to be prepared ahead of the testing, know what to expect and acquire the skills to question that they are seeing.

Throughout the course, real-world examples of production errors and quality system failures will be given to reinforce the learning.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to explain the various stages of the cable manufacturing process
• Appreciate the types of errors which can give rise to defects
• Identify the key areas of manufacture where defects can be introduced
• Understand cable production quality control and assurance systems
• Understand the purpose and importance of the quality control measurements made during production
• Be able to explain the process of undertaking a cable factory audit and production inspection
• Understand the Non-conformance Reporting process
• Know how to witness an FAT

Content

This interactive course will focus on solid dielectric cables and cover:

The key raw materials used during cable manufacture

• Metals
• Insulation
• Semicons
• Metallic sheath and/or screen wires
• Jacketing

Stages of cable production including material handling, extrusion, the crosslinking process and line orientation, degassing, sheathing and jacketing

Factory quality control measures

• Quality systems
• Typical quality control tests

What to look out for during a factory audit

How to carry out a production inspection

Factory Acceptance Test witnessing – why it’s not a tick in the box exercise

• Visual inspection
• Material tests
• Electrical tests