January 20, 2012

Cabling Maker Goes Greener With XRF Testing

There is increasing demand on manufacturers to provide compliance documentation for Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) and other “green” requirements. National Wire & Cable designs and manufactures custom cable and cable assemblies, and electrical wire. As part of its highly sophisticated materials analysis program, the company offers independent legally admissible X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing services on demand.

National Wire's XRF program can provide detailed quality and materials validation for the complex metal alloys and plastic coatings used in the manufacture of wire and cable. Coating materials in particular are often formulated to very exacting specifications. The raw materials can come from any number of foreign and domestic sources. National Wire uses XRF technology to analyze a material's precise composition, and verify RoHS and Reach compliance as part of its extensive quality control program.

The company now is using a Nitron XL3 XRF analyzer for systematic verification throughout its manufacturing process, including receipt of material, stockroom and finished product. A streamlined record-retention process supports the compliance assurance system and speeds the time to respond to compliance questions. Customers are furnished with a Certificate of Compliance for all applicable products and a detailed chemical signature analysis report is available on request.

"We are very mindful of the large footprint our products occupy throughout America and the world," comments Vic Alfonsi, vice president/Marketing. "We are demonstrating that manufacturing in an environmentally responsible way is good business."