TECHNOLOGIES
The FLUKE Patch Cord Component Test
A Patch Cord Component Test evaluates a specific patch cord under defined test conditions.
The result reflects the performance of that individual cable in that particular measurement setup.
Besides the characteristics of the patch cord itself, factors such as connectors, test adapters, manufacturing tolerances, cable length, and connection repeatability can influence the measured margin to the limits.
A FAIL result should therefore be investigated. However, it remains the result of a single measurement and is not automatically a statement about the overall quality of an entire patch cord series.
GHMT Type Approval
– Independent verification of a product type
GHMT Type Approval follows a different approach.
A product type is tested by an independent laboratory against relevant standards and defined requirements. Successful certification confirms that the tested product type meets these requirements.
For customers, this provides an important benefit: the assessment is based on independent testing rather than solely on manufacturer claims. A valid GHMT Type Approval is therefore a strong quality indicator for a patch cord series.
A FAIL Result and Type Approval Can Coexist.
This is the key distinction.
GHMT Type Approval confirms the characteristics of a product type, while the FLUKE Patch Cord Component Test evaluates a single patch cord in a specific test situation.
As a result, a cable from a GHMT Type Approved product series may exceed a limit during an individual component test without automatically indicating that the entire product series is of poor quality.
Such results should always be assessed in context. Important considerations include whether the result can be reproduced, whether multiple cables are affected, and whether the same behaviour occurs across different lengths or production batches.
Only a broader assessment allows reliable conclusions about actual product quality.
A Single FAIL Is Not a Final Verdict
The FLUKE Patch Cord Component Test is an important tool for assessing an individual patch cord, and a FAIL result should not be ignored.
Equally important, however, is interpreting the result correctly. A single Component Test does not invalidate independent verification for an entire product type.
GHMT Type Approval demonstrates that a patch cord series has undergone independent type testing and meets defined quality and standards requirements. As such, it provides a much broader assessment of product quality than a single field measurement on an individual cable.
Two Tests, Two Different Conclusions
The FLUKE Patch Cord Component Test and GHMT Type Approval are therefore not contradictory.
The Component Test provides a snapshot of the performance of an individual patch cord. GHMT Type Approval provides independent verification of a product type. A FLUKE FAIL primarily means that the result should be investigated further.
It does not automatically mean that the patch cord is of poor quality. Where a valid GHMT Type Approval exists, there is also independent confirmation that the tested product type meets the relevant quality and standards requirements.