Advanced cable tester suits USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1

It quickly performs all required electrical and signal integrity tests to ensure perfect cables every time, with low upfront capital equipment and operating costs.

The latest generation of cables used for video, desktop computers, laptops and mobile devices must transfer signals that are two to four times faster and deliver four times more power than previous-generation cables. These complex cables must meet stringent design and production requirements, and they require new types of tests to ensure quality data transmission and zero defects that could cause damage to connected devices.

Until now, test equipment suppliers have failed to meet the new market requirements for high-speed cable testing, resulting in cable manufacturers either inadequately testing high-speed cables or resorting to custom-built test equipment racks that utilise costly and slow general-purpose equipment normally used in design labs.

The RapidWave4000 advanced cable tester meets the needs for comprehensive, fast and cost-effective automated production testing of USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1 and other high-speed cables. USB Type-C cables support data transfer via USB4, USB 3.2, DisplayPort 2.0, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 standards. The RapidWave4000’s Production Module rapidly performs production tests such as continuity, DC resistance (DCR), quiescent current and E-marker readout (for USB Type-C cables) as well as signal integrity insertion loss testing.

An Advanced Signal Integrity Module tests impedance profile, intra-pair and inter-pair skew and crosstalk, as well as providing high-resolution insertion loss and eye diagrams. This breadth of test capabilities fully satisfies high-volume, high-speed production test requirements as well as the failure analysis tests needed by quality assurance and design engineers. Low-cost replaceable adapters allow the modules to connect to different cable types and ensure test consistency over many test cycles.

Additionally, the availability of an industry-first pay-per-test option offers a reduction in capital equipment costs of up to 40%.