IEC 61196-1-1:2007

INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD
CEI
61196-1-1
NORME
First edition
INTERNATIONALE
Première édition
2007-04
Coaxial communication cables –
Part 1-1:
Capability approval for coaxial cables

Câbles coaxiaux de communication –
Partie 1-1:
Agrément de savoir-faire pour câbles coaxiaux

Reference number
Numéro de référence
IEC/CEI 61196-1-1:2007
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INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD
CEI
61196-1-1
NORME
First edition
INTERNATIONALE
Première édition
2007-04
Coaxial communication cables –
Part 1-1:
Capability approval for coaxial cables

Câbles coaxiaux de communication –
Partie 1-1:
Agrément de savoir-faire pour câbles coaxiaux
PRICE CODE
L
CODE PRIX
Commission Electrotechnique Internationale
International Electrotechnical Commission
МеждународнаяЭлектротехническаяКомиссия
For price, see current catalogue
Pour prix, voir catalogue en vigueur

– 2 – 61196-1-1 © IEC:2007
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
COAXIAL COMMUNICATION CABLES –

Part 1-1: Capability approval for coaxial cables

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61196-1-1 has been prepared by subcommittee 46A: Coaxial
cables, of IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires, waveguides, r.f. connectors, r.f. and
microwave passive components and accessories.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
46A/779/FDIS 46A/791/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

61196-1-1 © IEC:2007 – 3 –
This part of IEC 61196 is one of a series of standards being developed for coaxial
communication cables. The series will comprise the following parts:
Part 1: Generic specification – General, definitions and requirements
Part 1-1: Capability approval for coaxial cables
Part 1-1XX: Electrical test methods
Part 1-2XX: Environmental test methods
Part 1-3XX: Mechanical test methods
Part 1-4XX: Electromagnetic compatibility test methods
Part 4: Sectional specification for radiating cables
Part 5: Sectional specification for CATV trunk and distribution cables
Part 5-1: Blank detail specification for CATV trunk distribution cables
Part 6: Sectional specification for drop cables
Part 6-1: Blank detail specification for CATV drop cables
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in
the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed;
• withdrawn;
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
– 4 – 61196-1-1 © IEC:2007
INTRODUCTION
Quality systems are intended to give confidence to the customers. It is presumed that a
supplier whose full organization complies with ISO 9000 is able to assess the quality of his
services (services can be a product).
However, to assess the quality of the services is obviously not sufficient from a customer
point of view. The customer's concern is the quality of the product. That means the
compliance to a given specification. The IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic
Components (IECQ) product/process approval procedures Qualification Approval (QA),
Capability Approval (CA) and Technology Approval (TA) are intended to ensure that all
products delivered under one of them will comply to a given specification. These procedures
are described in QC 001002-3.
As a first step, to achieve this task, the three procedures just mentioned require as a
prerequisite the manufacturer’s approval (described in Clause 2 of QC 001002-3 and which is
basically an ISO 9000 approval with the relevant technical scope, plus IECQ requirements as
defined in 2.3.2 of QC 001002-3). Manufacturer’s Approval ensures that all the actions taken
for QA, CA or TA will be under control and well documented.
The second step is the qualifying stage, which is sometimes called type Approval.
In case of Qualification Approval (QA), the purpose of this stage is to demonstrate the validity
of the design file of a given product. (Ideally, the design file should contain the process and
the control files).
In case of Capability Approval (CA) or Technology Approval (TA), this stage is intended to
demonstrate the ability of the supplier to design, manufacture, control and supply any product
within declared boundaries.
The third step is the maintainability of the approval.
In case of Qualification Approval, it is based on final tests, lot by lot tests and periodic tests.
These tests achieved on final products are intended to demonstrate that there is not any
major deviation from the characteristics of the delivered product. They are independent of the
eventual deviation of the process manufacture.
In case of Capability or Technology Approval, this third step is based on the observation of
the process by itself.
The Capability Approval policy is based on the relationship which exists between each step of
the process and the characteristics of a capability qualifying component (CQC), which may be
specially designed for this purpose, or taken from production.
The tests achieved on these CQC are intended to demonstrate that the process does not
deviate and therefore that the final product will be in the expected limits. The Technology
Approval assumes that the assessment of the process line parameters is sufficient to
guarantee that the final product will be in the expected limits. The advantage of TA and CA
comes from the assumption that all the relationships between the deviation of each parameter
all along the process line are well known and controlled.
This assumption is not wrong if the different steps of manufacture are independent (electronic
components as discrete devices), but for the cable manufacture, these steps are
interdependent and the influence on the final product of any deviation of any parameters is
not obvious.
Therefore, though the TA certainly brings some improvement to CA, the approval for
communication cables should be based on CA in that it uses CQCs to ensure that the process
does not deviate. These CQCs should, together, cover the full technology within the declared
limits.
61196-1-1 © IEC:2007 – 5 –
COAXIAL COMMUNICATION CABLES –

Part 1-1: Capability approval for coaxial cables

1 Scope
This International standard applies to Capability Approval requirements for coaxial communi-
cation cables as specified in generic specification IEC 61196-1.
It specifies the requirements for a manufacturer seeking approval of his capability to design (if
applicable), manufacture, inspect, test and release coaxial communication cables as defined
in his capability manual.
Manufacturer’s Approval, which embodies all the relevant requirements of ISO 9001, is a
prerequisite for granting Capability Approval but a manufacturer may apply for Manufacturer’s
Approval and Capability Approval concurrently.
NOTE 1 This document was written in order to be used in case of third party certification; however, it may be
used as the basis for second party or self certification.
NOTE 2 When certification is required, CA should be used according to the following. CA may also be used for
second party or self-assessment.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 60027 (all parts), Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology
IEC 60050 (all parts), International Electrotechnical vocabulary
)
IEC 60617-DB:2001 , Graphical symbols for diagrams
IEC 61196-1, Coaxial communication cables – Part 1: Generic specification – General,
definitions and requirements
ISO 1000, SI Units and recommendations for the use of their multiples and of certain other
units
ISO 9000, Quality management systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary
ISO 9001, Quality management systems – Requirements
IECQ 001002-3:1998, IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components (IECQ) –
Rules of Procedure. Part 3: Approval procedures
—————————
)
“DB” refers to the IEC on-line database.

– 6 – 61196-1-1 © IEC:2007
3 Terms and definitions
For the purpose of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 61196-1 and the
following apply.
3.1
Capability Manual (of a manufacturer)
CM
complete description of design rules, manufacturer processes and test procedures including
the limit and the verification procedures
NOTE The capability manual is the basic document for granting a Capability Approval.
3.2
Capability Qualifying Components
CQCs
test specimens specially designed or taken from production, used for verifying capability limit
in accordance with the relevant generic specification
3.3
process boundaries
range of well-controlled products claimed by the manufacturer for each stage of
manufacturing (regarding a family of products)
3.4
rework
redoing of some normal manufacturing process or operation, before or after final inspection or
delivery, for example, strip and sheath
3.5
repair
operation different from a production operation, which incorporates the making good of a
non-conforming feature, for example, the repair of pinholes
4 Units, symbols and terminology
Units, graphical symbols and terminology shall, wherever possible, be taken from the
following documents:
IEC 60027 (all parts), IEC 60050 (all parts), IEC 60617 and ISO 1000.
Other symbols shall be defined in the capability manual and/or relevant specification.
5 Quality assessment procedures
5.1 General
5.1.1 Eligibility for Capability Approval
Any company which is operating a quality management system governing the design (if
applicable), manufacturing and testing of communication cables in the factory, which is
applying for the approval, shall be eligible.

61196-1-1 © IEC:2007 – 7 –
5.1.2 Subcontracting
The subcontracting of manufacturing process, or the purchase of raw material or piece-parts
shall conform to the requirements of 4.2.2 of QC 001002-3. In this context, the subcontracting
of the complete process up to final test is not allowable under Capability Approval for
communication cables.
However, if both manufacturers have Capability Approval for the same family of product,
subcontracting is allowed under Capability Approval.
5.1.3 Rework and repair
Rework and repair before final inspection shall be governed by the requirements of 4.7 of
QC 001002-3, and described in the capability manual.
5.2 Procedures for the demonstration of capability
5.2.1 Application for Capability Approval
A mandatory prerequisite to an application for Capability Approval is manufacturer's approval
to ISO 9001.
However, a manufacturer may apply for ISO 9001 and Capability Approval concurrently, or
Capability Approval after the award of ISO 9001.
Applications shall not be accepted from trading or similar companies which do not have
significant manufacturing facilities in digital communication cables, but which buy in the final
product for final testing at the trading company.
5.2.2 Granting of Capability Approval
Capability Approval shall be granted by the National Certification Body.
5.2.3 Capability manual
Each manufacturer shall prepare a capability manual for approval by a National Supervising
Inspectorate (NSI) which at least should contain or give reference to the following:
a) description of the cable families with references to sectional specifications;
b) identification of available machinery related to each cable family;
c) description or flow charts of the manufacturing process and its component stages,
including the description of process boundaries at each manufacturing stage and the
test/control points;
d) construction's techniques;
e) definition of any subcontracted work;
f) policy on rework, repair;
g) references to individual quality plans;
h) use of statistical quality control techniques;
i) programme for obtaining and maintaining the Capability Approval.
5.2.4 Quality plans
The manufacturer shall prepare a quality plan for each cable family, which shall normally
contain at least:
a) design objectives and review stage (if applicable);

– 8 – 61196-1-1 © IEC:2007
b) process objectives and review stage;
c) quality objectives and review stage;
d) objective and subjective acceptance criteria.
5.2.5 Capability Qualifying Components (CQCs)
The demonstration of the capability shall be made by inspecting the agreed range of
manufacturing stages according to the Quality Plan:
a) the range of manufacturing stages shall cover the significant aspects of the process and
limits of the declared capability;
b) the CQCs to be tested in order to evaluate the process stage shall be:
1) a production component, or
2) a finished product for the aspects related to the stage of production;
c) an adequate number of stages of manufacturing process, involving Capability Qualifying
Components (CQCs), as agreed between manufacturer and the National Supervising
Inspectorate, to be tested in order to demonstrate the capability across the family of
cables for which approval is sought;
d) there will be a number of production samples or finished products sufficient to represent
all the range of the capability process boundaries, including final test;
e) the auditing of the process stages consists of the evaluation of the controls carried out at
each stage, together with the machinery capabilities for the manufacturing within the
boundaries, and all related documentation;
f) examination of the statistical production quality indices in the stages of manufacturing
related to the Quality Plan;
g) as guidance, an example of a manufacturing schematic is given in Annex A. This is of
value in identifying the primary stage of manufacture and the process CQC specifications
which will be required for the demonstration of capability.
5.2.6 Demonstration and verification of capability
The demonstration and verification of the capability shall be achieved as follows.
a) Tests selected from the Quality Plan as being appropriate to the demonstration of
capability on all material/processes used for released products shall be carried out using
samples taken from the production stages and finished products.
b) A programme for the demonstration and acceptance of Capability Approval shall be
prepared and agreed upon between the National Supervising Inspectorate and the
manufacturer.
5.2.7 Procedure to be followed in the event of CQC's failure
If during the initial Capability Approval demonstration a CQC fails to meet the specified test
requirements and exceeds the permitted number of failures, the manufacturer shall:
either
a) amend the scope of his declared capability, with the agreement of the National
Supervising Inspectorate,
or
b) investigate the failure to establish its cause as being either failure of the test itself, e.g.
test equipment failure or operator error, or design or process failure.
If the cause of failure is established as a failure of the test itself, then subject to the
agreement of the National Supervising Inspectorate, either the CQC which apparently failed

61196-1-1 © IEC:2007 – 9 –
or a new one, if appropriate, shall be returned to the test schedule after the necessary
corrective action has been taken. If a new CQC is to be used, it shall be subjected to all the
tests in the given sequence of the test schedule(s) appropriate to the original CQC.
If the cause of failure is established as a design or process failure, a test programme agreed
upon between the manufacturer and the National Supervising Inspectorate shall be performed
to demonstrate that the cause of the failure has been eradicated and that all corrective
measures have been carried out and documented. When this has been accomplished, the full
test sequences shall be repeated using new CQCs.
Some types of minor failures not affecting quality of the service during the life of the product
could be accepted in agreement between National Supervising Inspectorate and
manufacturer.
5.2.8 Capability Approval report
A Capability Approval report is prepared to be a basis for the award of the Capability
Approval. The Capability Approval report shall include a concise description of the
manufacturer's declared capability and the results obtained for all the test programme agreed
for the inspection.
5.3 Capability Approval certificate
When Capability Approval has been granted, a certificate shall be issued to the manufacturer
by the National Supervising Inspectorate.
The certificate shall contain the following information:
a) reference number;
b) identification of manufacturer and place of manufacturing;
c) abstract of description of the capability;
d) reference to capability manual or other equivalent documentation;
e) identify and signature of the authority issuing the certificate.
5.4 Procedures following the granting of Capability Approval
5.4.1 Maintenance of Capability Approval
Maintenance of Capability Approval is ensured by a successful audit of the capability over the
approved boundary conditions. This verification can be achieved by one of the following
methods:
a) related acceptance criteria at prescribed intervals;
b) periodic witnessing of tests at the test control points by the National Supervising
Inspectorate;
c) a combination of a) and b);
d) by reference to records relating to routine production cables where the relevant process
controls/inspections demonstrate the requirements.
The choice of maintenance method shall be defined in the capability manual.
5.4.2 Changes to/or alteration of the Capability Approval
The manufacturer shall report any modification likely to affect the validity of the Capability
Approval, and the National Supervising Inspectorate shall decide whether it is necessary to
repeat all or some of the Capability Approval tests.

– 10 – 61196-1-1 © IEC:2007
5.4.3 Change to process machinery
Significant changes to any machinery involved in the manufacturing of product under
Capability Approval shall be notified, in writing, to the National Certification Body, before that
new or modified machinery is used in the manufacture of qualified product.
In this context, significant changes shall be taken to mean any changes which:
a) would give such deterioration in the boundaries which would, in themselves, adversely
affect the Capability Approval boundaries;
b) would require the generation of process boundaries for characteristics which were not
previously documented.
In this context, the National Supervising Inspectorate shall decide on a periodic or inter-
mediate audit to verify the maintenance of Capability Approval.
5.5 Release for delivery
In addition to the inspection required for the maintenance of Capability Approval, the
manufacturer shall carry out the test and inspection requirements specified in the Quality Plan
or otherwise in accordance with the relevant cable specification before release of production
items.
6 Test and measurement procedures (general guidance)
The test methods shall be defined in the relevant specifications.
Where a test is required which is not defined in an appropriate specification, then the test
method and conditions shall be as defined in the Quality Plan.

61196-1-1 © IEC:2007 – 11 –
Annex A
(informative)
Example of a manufacturing schematics
Family: CATV cables for indoor application (indoor drop cable) with foil
and braid as outer conductor
A.1 Example of guidance for the selecti
...