Development of a Non-Destructive X-ray Diagnostic System for Cable Evaluation

摘要

Cable diagnostics with regard to mechanical cable characteristics like excess fiber length, analysis of cable design, fiber or ribbon position inside the cable are commonly based on destructive test methods. During these tests the cable is cut into small samples, the jacket is removed, the loose tubes are cut, and finally the grease is removed to access the fibers. This destructive diagnosis alters and falsifies results for different reasons. For instance, tube dimensions and eccentricities change, due to deformation during testing. Splitting the cable into small samples allows residual stresses to release, which usually change the excess fiber length. Further, fiber and cable components can be damaged during disassembly. Sometimes, small mechanical effects like fiber excess length accumulation, fiber cross over, or contact pressures cause attenuation problems, but can not be proven by common cable analysis methods. Consequently, a non-destructive high-resolution X-ray diagnostic system specially designed for cable diagnostics was built.