Job Description

Quality Lab Technician

serves as the primary gatekeeper for product safety and performance. Because cables are used in critical infrastructure (like power grids, medical devices, and aerospace), this role is highly technical and regulated by global standards like

UL, ASTM, and ISO

.

1. Core Responsibilities -

The technician is responsible for verifying that every reel of cable produced meets electrical, mechanical, and thermal specifications.

A. Testing & Analysis

Electrical Testing:

Conducting high-voltage (Hi-Pot) tests to ensure insulation can handle rated voltages without breaking down. They also perform

Continuity

and

Resistance

testing to ensure the conductor (copper or aluminum) transmits power efficiently.

Mechanical Testing:

Performing

Tensile and Elongation

tests on both the metal conductor and the plastic insulation/jacket to ensure the cable won't snap or crack during installation.

Dimensional Inspection:

Using micrometers and calipers to measure the "concentricity" (evenness) of the insulation and the overall diameter of the cable.

Flame & Smoke Testing:

Subjecting cable samples to burn tests (e.g., UL VW-1 or FT1) to ensure they meet fire safety regulations for indoor or hazardous environments.
B. Equipment Calibration & Maintenance

Managing the calibration schedule for all lab instruments (multimeters, tensile testers, ovens, spark testers). Performing "Standard Operating Procedures" (SOPs) to ensure lab results are reproducible and accurate.
C. Documentation & Certification

Certificate of Analysis (COA):

Issuing official reports for customers confirming the product passed all required tests.

Non-Conformance Reports (NCR):

Identifying "bad" batches, placing them on "QC Hold," and documenting the specific failure to prevent shipping defective products.
2. Industry-Specific Tasks

The cable industry has unique requirements that a general lab tech might not face:

Ageing Tests:

Placing samples in high-temperature ovens for days or weeks to simulate years of environmental wear, then re-testing their flexibility.

Cold Bend Testing:

Freezing cable samples to sub-zero temperatures and wrapping them around a mandrel to see if the jacket cracks in cold climates.

Spark Testing Support:

Monitoring "in-line" spark testers on the production floor that detect pinholes in insulation while the cable is being extruded at high speeds.
Key Standards and Skills

To succeed in this role, a technician must be deeply familiar with

Technical Standards

such as

UL 2556

, which outlines the standard test methods for wire and cable,

ASTM B3

for soft or annealed copper wire, and general

ISO 9001

quality management systems. On the practical side, the role requires mastery of

Tools

like digital multimeters, megohmmeters for checking insulation resistance, and precision measurement instruments like calipers and profile projectors for cross-section analysis. From a digital perspective, technicians need

Software

proficiency in

LIMS

(Laboratory Information Management Systems) or ERP platforms like SAP to record and track test data. Finally, the role carries

Physical Demands

, including the ability to lift heavy cable coils and the stamina to move between the controlled lab environment and the active production floor.

Comparison of Wire Testing Types

Quality testing in this industry is divided into several critical categories, each serving a unique safety purpose.

Dielectric Strength

testing measures the integrity of the insulation to ensure it can withstand electrical stress, which is vital for preventing shorts and fires. To ensure energy efficiency and prevent the cable from overheating during use, technicians measure

Conductor Resistance

(typically recorded in Ohms per 1000ft). Finally,

Elongation

testing measures the stretchability of the materials, confirming that the cable can be pulled through tight conduits or bent around corners during installation without the internal components snapping or the jacket cracking.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: ₹35,000.00 - ₹45,000.00 per month

Benefits:

Health insurance Paid sick time Provident Fund
Work Location: In person