Do you know what the color coating on the outside of the wire is called? It is called insulation. Do you know that the day the wire was developed, the insulation of the wire began to deteriorate and deteriorate? Unfortunately, this is true. With age, what is the "electrical" strength of wires? Over time, its performance deteriorates and its ability to isolate conductors decreases. Subjecting wires to harsh environments and extreme temperatures will further accelerate insulation degradation. Damage to the insulation of the wires during the manufacture of the wire harness, such as scratching with a wire cutter, can also reduce the integrity of the insulation. This is why the aerospace and defense industries must conduct comprehensive insulation resistance tests on all wiring harnesses, among other things.

The simplest test used to detect the insulation breakdown of a wire is the "insulation resistance" test or the "IR" test. Although the IR test was developed in the early 20th century, we still use it today. Most of our wiring harnesses and panels are installed on military aircraft. If the wire insulation fails to adversely affect the equipment or cause personal injury, especially when in the air, a dangerous situation may exist. Therefore, we understand how important it is to detect any insulation deterioration in our electrical wiring products during the manufacturing process and take preventive measures. During IR testing, the test equipment applies a (non-destructive) high direct current (DC) voltage between the conductor and one or more other conductors, usually 500 to 1500 VDC, for a specific time. Since we are testing the integrity of the wire insulation, we expect little or no current to flow between the conductors. Therefore, high resistance values are expected-usually 35 to 100 megohms.

Every electrical test we conduct on our products includes IR testing. We are very aware that even if it is invisible to the naked eye, there may be a wire insulation breakdown. Over the years, we have made progress in testing our products to ensure that our wires are "electrically" strong. Insulation resistance (IR) testing is not only important, but also necessary for all military and commercial aircraft wire harnesses and cable assemblies with flight value.