What Should Be Checked Before Shipping Cable Orders?

What does a pre-shipment check have to prove?

A pre-shipment check should prove one thing: that the cable, lengths, drums and documents match the approved order before the goods leave the factory. In practice this means comparing the production records with the approved specification, rather than accepting a general statement that the order is correct.

A clear checklist lets the receiving team compare what arrived with what was approved, instead of opening every drum to find out what it contains.

Where a check has no matching record, ask the supplier how it will be shown before production is complete.

How should cable identification and marking be checked?

Check the cable model, voltage rating, conductor size, core identification and printed marking against the purchase order. Compare them with the approved datasheet as well, because the datasheet describes the product the order was based on. If the specification calls for a conductor class, confirm that the stated class matches the order. Conductor classes are defined in IEC 60228, and a different class can change how the cable flexes and how it is terminated.

Where the specification requires sequential metre marks, confirm that the marks are present and that the sequence runs continuously across the drum. Record the drum serial number at the same time, so that each drum can be traced later if a question arises. For more on reading printed marks and datasheets, see cable marking and datasheets.

Which routine test records and visual checks are needed?

Ask for the routine test results that the applicable standard and the inspection plan require. The test scope must follow that standard and the plan agreed in the purchase order. A test report that covers a different scope does not prove that the required tests were carried out, even if every result in it is a pass.

As an example, a common routine test for 0.6/1 kV cables is an AC voltage test of 3.5 kV for 5 minutes, as listed in manufacturer datasheets under IEC 60502-1. Confirm the value on the datasheet for your own cable rather than assuming it, and check that the test record refers to the same cable model and lot as the drum list.

Visual inspection should cover the sheath condition, both cable ends and the drum winding. Look for sheath damage, unsealed ends and damaged winding. For the wider picture of how test scopes are set, see factory testing and inspection.

How should drums and container loading be checked?

For each drum, confirm the actual length, net weight and gross weight, together with the drum dimensions, end fixing and protective wrapping. Weights and dimensions decide how the drums can be lifted, stacked and unloaded at the destination, so they should be checked before shipment rather than discovered on arrival.

Drums must be restrained against movement inside the container and oriented so that they can be unloaded safely. Photograph the restraint before the container is sealed, because it is much harder to check once the doors are closed.

A rough sense check on conductor weight can be made from density. Copper has a density of 8.89 g/cm³, which gives about 8.89 kg per km per mm² of conductor. Aluminium has a density of 2.70 g/cm³, which gives about 2.70 kg per km per mm². Insulation, sheath, armour and drum weight are additional, so this figure only shows whether the reported gross weight is in the right range. It does not replace weighing.

Which shipping documents should match the drum list?

Check that the document set is complete and that every document agrees with the drum list and the approved order. Typical items are:

• Commercial invoice and packing list
• Bill of lading instructions
• Certificate or test-report package
• Certificate of origin when required
• Drum list and packing photographs
• Destination-specific marks and declarations

The certificate or test-report package shows what was tested, and the drum list shows which drum each record belongs to. Check that the drum numbers, lengths and weights on the packing list agree with the drum list. Where the destination requires particular marks or declarations, ask for them in writing early, so they can be included in the packing and the documents before shipment.

How do you build a drum-by-drum record?

A drum-by-drum record links each drum to the evidence for that drum, rather than relying on a single order-level certificate. For each reel, the record should show:

• Drum number and cable model
• Actual length and gross weight
• Reference to the routine test record for that lot
• Photographs of both cable ends and the drum label
• Metre marking check, where the specification requires it
• Photograph of the container restraint

Building this record takes more effort during packing, but receiving checks and any later claim much faster, because each drum can be traced to its own evidence. For packing and shipping detail, see drum packing and shipping.

Frequently asked questions