Measurement of Cable Sheath Thickness

Wires and cables are a major category of electrical products used for transmitting power, transmitting information, and enabling electromagnetic energy conversion. The generation, transmission, and application of electric power and electromagnetic waves all require wires and cables as connecting and transmitting components, or as winding materials for main equipment. In fact, all aspects of industrial production, transportation, construction projects and facilities, modern agriculture and scientific research, military equipment, as well as aerospace and marine exploration, are closely connected with wire and cable products. Even social life—including every household and people’s daily routines—is inseparable from them.

In order to adapt cables to various service environments, a protective covering is applied over the insulation layer, which is called the cable sheath. The primary function of the cable sheath is to protect the insulation layer from mechanical damage and various environmental factors—such as water, sunlight, biological corrosion, and natural hazards—during installation and operation, thereby maintaining long-term stable electrical performance. Therefore, the quality of the cable sheath is directly related to the service life of the cable.

Therefore, performance testing of these materials is essential for ensuring safe use. Measuring whether the cable sheath meets standards and maintains uniformity with an ultrasonic thickness gauge is one of the main methods for quality control.

Common cable sheath materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and others.

We received product samples from a customer and carried out testing using the Yushi Instruments’ UM-5 series ultrasonic thickness gauge.