Eland Cables explains to MEPCA what the BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark is and why it is an important new benchmark where industrial automation cables are being specified.
The market is increasingly aware of compliance and of the responsibilities throughout the supply chain. The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) shone a light on this back in July 2017 by classifying cables for fixed installation by how they react under fire conditions, but that’s only one part of how a cable is expected to perform. To be a compliant product – regardless of application and installation environment – it must meet the requirements of a raft of standards it is manufactured against.
Choosing the right cable can be a challenge. Over-and-above deciding on the right specification for your application or installation, you must choose a cable that will deliver reliable, sustained performance throughout its anticipated lifespan. Some cables benefit from third-party accreditations which give comfort that they have been independently assessed, but not all cables are tested in this way. Industrial automation cables in particular are manufactured to a number of ‘general’ standards and so can differ in quality considerably.
A new benchmark
Described by BSI as “a new benchmark in cable compliance”, the BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark is perhaps the answer to this variation in quality. Cables are extensively tested against British, European and international standards in a UKAS-accredited laboratory with compliance determined by testing the individual components – the conductor‘s resistance, tensile and elongation measurements for the insulation – elements that are bound by defined British and European standards. This testing regime, covering every core and size configuration in each batch of cables, and the Kitemark that is applied upon meeting these standards, gives comfort that they will perform as designed.
Eland Cables explained to MEPCA that they are currently the only company to have achieved this accreditation which is available on their Veriflex¿ cable range. The company explained how its Veriflex¿ SY, CY, YY, Servo, PUR and fieldbus cables are all made to exacting standards, with emphasis placed on consistency across construction, dimensional tolerances, sheath markings and RAL colours. The cables benefit from extended warranties, and the range is available for next-day UK delivery as standard from its extensive stockholding, challenging the traditional lead-times of 4-7 days for UK customers using European control cables.
Backed by BSI
Paul Turner, Certification Technical Expert at BSI said: “As the first company to achieve the BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark, Eland Cables sets a new benchmark in cable compliance. The rigorous and extensive testing programme they undertake in their UKAS laboratory, under our ongoing surveillance, tests the cables to British and international standards for key safety criteria. The BSI Kitemark is one of the most recognised symbols of quality and safety and by certifying their cables against the scheme, Eland Cables can demonstrate that its cables meet the highest standards.”
For more information on the BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark and the Veriflex¿ range of cables, you can visit Eland Cables’ website or call 020 7241 8787.
