IS 3975 (ELECTRICAL- CABLES & WIRES)

Industry Outlook

Indian Standard 3975 includes specifications for low carbon galvanized steel wires, formed wires, and tapes for armouring cables, which basically protect cables from mechanical damage. Typically, it adds a protective layer on the cables to eliminate the potential for cuts or damage, which improves the life of cables.

Considering the essential role of low carbon galvanized steel wires, it can be seamlessly estimated as from cables used in power distribution and transmission, the quality of the cable is important to consider since it could have unpredictable consequences.

Keeping the public interest in mind, the Bureau of Indian Standards has introduced IS 3975 to establish the quality assurance of the cables. Moreover, BIS has made it mandatory to meet BIS standards and specifications to introduce low carbon galvanized steel wires in the Indian market.

However, it can not be done without ensuring conformance with compliance requirements.

Now to ensure that a product complies with specifications mentioned in the IS 3975, certain product testing will be carried out.

Product testing helps in concluding that a product is safe and reliable to use by the final consumer, thus will provide you with a competitive advantage and higher market sales. Therefore, beneficial for both, manufacturer and consumer.

For a better understanding of why product testing is important, let’s have a look at why product testing is crucial.

Why is Product Testing Crucial | Importance of Product Testing

One of the most important purposes of testing is the quality assurance of a product that reflects high quality, safety, and reliability.
Product testing allows the manufacturer to ensure conformance with established technical standards to produce high-quality and safe products.
Build reputation and maximize the profit, considering that a tested product indicates quality assurance.
Helps in retaining customers, thus, providing a competitive edge.
Helps in understanding distinct types of stress a product can endure, be it in case of weather, wear tear, and other conditions.
In the initial prototyping stage, if you are trying to avail investment in order to manufacture your product in mass quantities, a tested product can allow you to achieve patent and investors as it shows the quality and functionality of the product.

With the benefits of product testing, we can clearly estimate how testing ensures quality assurance and product credibility. For a better understanding, let’s have a look at an example,

Through product testing, it can be easily proved that electrical cables are safe to use, however, in case of any defects are found during product testing, can be seamlessly rectified.

Since, it has been established how essential product testing is, now let’s move to the benefits of complying with standards.

What Are the Benefits of Complying With Standards?

Complying with standards offers numerous benefits to manufacturers and importers of the product, which further helps in building trustworthiness and reliability, thus retaining the customers.

Why, don’t we look at other benefits of the same -

A certified product acts as a shield against penalties and fines which could be imposed for not certifying a product.
A certified product serves as evidence that a product has been tested and certified as per prescribed standards.
A certified product provides a sense of security and safety to the consumers, thus ensuring easy acceptance.
It provides a competitive advantage over competitors.
Easy market acceptance as a product is tested and certified.
Confirm the unmatched quality standards.
Seamless to file government tenders.

With these benefits of ensuring conformance with IS 3975 standards and specifications, a manufacturer can establish that a product is safe, reliable, and credible, thus, confirming unmatched quality standards.

Now, in the next section, we will learn about test requirements and product scope under each part of the IS 3975.

Product Scope

As mentioned, IS 3975 includes low-carbon galvanized steel wires, formed wires, and tapes for armouring cables. Conversely, steel wires and tapes for armouring submarine cables are excluded from IS 3975.

Below mentioned are the parameters to be met by cables -

Acceptance test

Acceptance tests will be performed on product samples with the motive to accept a lot.

Tensile test

The tensile strength of wires formed wires, and tape will be tested as per the limits mentioned in the table below -

Torsion Test

The round wires must be torsion tested as per IS 1717, refer to the table for a better understanding of gauge length, nominal wire, and minimum number of turns -

Wrapping test

This test will be conducted as per IS 1755, the wires and tapes formed with steel wires must withstand without any breakage and spilling when wrapping and subsequently be straightforward.

Resistance test for round and formed wires only

This test will be conducted as per IS 10810 part 42, here the resistance of round or formed wires is corrected to 20-degree and must not increase 14.5* 10 power 6.

Adhesion test

Adhesive tests for galvanized wires, including formed wires and tapes must be carried out by wrapping the wire, forming wire and tapping 8 times around the mandrel. Moreover, the diameter of the mandrel for wire must be 4 times the diameter of the wire.

However, in the case of formed wires and tapes, the diameter of the mandrel must be 15 times its thickness. Also, it is to be ensured that the zinc coating must not crack or flake off to such an extent that zinc coating must be removed by rubbing it with bare fingers.

Apart from meeting testing parameters, you are also required to meet galvanized requirements, as mentioned in the next section.

Galvanized Requirements

Mass of Zinc Coating

The mass of the round wires with zinc coating must comply with the specifications provided in IS 4826.
The mass of formed wires must be 110 g/m2 for Type 1 and Type 2, it must be 180 g/m2 and must include the total mass of the zinc, on all sides.
The mass of the tapes must be 210 g/m2 and must represent the total mass of zinc, excluding all sides.

Uniformity of Zinc Coating

The uniformity of round wires must meet the requirements mentioned in IS 4826.
The uniformity of formed wires must meet the requirements mentioned in the below-mentioned tables -

The uniformity of zinc-coated tapes must combat two dips of 1 minute for the face and one dip of ½ - a minute for an edge.

How We Help Ensuring Conformance With IS 3975 Specifications?

We will educate you concerning every aspect of Indian Standard 3975.
We will check whether a product falls under the purview of BIS or not, including whether a product complies with the BIS standards or not, then, after mutual understanding, the project will move forward.
There is no better place to obtain it than JR Compliance because we will analyze the product requirements to give clear guidelines.
JR Compliance has experienced expert professionals, who can assist you in the documentation, evaluation, and examination.
We are equipped with the necessary resources to conduct a virtual pre-audit to confirm whether your manufacturing unit and production process are complying with provided specifications or not.
JR Compliance will schedule a meeting with the BIS officer for a factory audit.
If you lack an in-house testing facility, we will help you in setting up one.
We will coordinate with a BIS accredited laboratory for product testing.
You can expect reliable and punctual service delivery as we will also visit the BIS office on your behalf if required.
We invest our sustained efforts to meet the startled queries or demands of BIS.
In case of any concern, we assure to provide the finest solution.

Conclusion

IS 3975, an Indian Standard applicable to electrical cables, which are usually used in the Mining industry and metro industries, is one of the major contributors to our economic development. Considering that, it is not only essential but mandatory to ensure conformance with specifications mentioned in IS 3975 with the purpose to introduce your product in the Indian market.

Keeping the importance of conformance with compliance in mind, we - JR Compliance, a leading compliance service provider are equipped with experts and resources to provide you with above and beyond support to obtain a BIS certificate.

Till now, we have experience in providing compliance assistance to over 10,000+ global leaders such as Toray, Bombay Dyeing, Softbank, and others.

For details, get in touch with our experts.