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Quality control · high-voltage laboratory

Testing and quality control: what is verified before shipping

A transformer cannot be checked on arrival. It is checked at the plant, on a high-voltage test floor, before it is crated. Here are the test facilities of our qualified partner factories, the tests that are actually run, and the points where we are physically present.

High-voltage test transformer with a spherical electrode in the laboratory

The high-voltage laboratory

The test plan identifies the facilities and competence needed for each test. Testing may be performed in the factory or by a qualified external laboratory, with traceable results for the relevant design or unit.

Marx-stage lightning impulse generator and damped voltage divider
Bushings and high-voltage connections during a test sequence
High-voltage wall bushings at the entrance of the shielded test hall
Why the test hall matters. Many suppliers outsource dielectric testing to an external laboratory, and therefore only test a sample. An in-house test hall means every unit produced can be tested, with no extra logistics cost and no added lead time.

Routine tests, on every unit

Routine tests as defined by IEC 60076-1 are performed on every unit, not on a sample. They are recorded in a named test report carrying the serial number of your transformer.

Ratio & vector groupRatio checked on every tap and the vector group (Dyn11…)
Winding resistanceDetects a cold joint, a broken strand, a wrong conductor section
No-load loss & no-load currentThe value guaranteed against Tier 2 — this is where it is decided
Load loss & short-circuit impedanceUk in %, decisive for parallel operation and fault-current calculation
Applied voltage (power frequency)Withstand of the main insulation, winding to winding and winding to earth
Induced voltageWithstand of the turn-to-turn and layer-to-layer insulation
Partial discharge (dry-type / cast resin)Measured in pC; on a dry-type unit this is the number one ageing indicator
Leak tightness (oil-immersed)Tank pressurised, gaskets and valves checked

Type tests (temperature rise, lightning impulse, short-circuit withstand) and special tests: on a unit representative of the design, or to order. See the guide on FAT & witness testing.

Hold points and witness testing: where we step in

A test report needs traceable results tied to the equipment. The agreed inspection plan identifies hold points, document reviews and any tests to be witnessed by the client or their representative.

  • Before encapsulation / before tanking: inspection of windings and core while everything is still visible.
  • Witnessed routine tests can be arranged with the client, their inspector or an independent organisation. The test scope, notice period, location and cost are agreed in the inspection plan.
  • Rating plate verification: line by line against Regulation (EU) 548/2014 and IEC 60076-1. A wrong plate makes the unit non-compliant regardless of everything else.
  • Pre-packing inspection: accessories, markings, blocking, transport protection.
Cast resin dry-type transformer lifted by overhead crane onto the test platform

On request, these tests can also be witnessed by an independent third party (KEMA, TÜV, DNV, Bureau Veritas) or by your own representative. The option is selectable in the configurator.

Where we stand. We do not own a factory: we write the specification, we impose the inspection plan, and we are on site at the hold points. It is precisely because manufacturing is entrusted to a third party that the control has to be formalised, written and dated.

What is checked outside the laboratory

A large share of the non-conformities we raise are not electrical. They concern the enclosure, the accessories and the marking — and they cost just as much to fix once the unit is on site.

  • Enclosure and protection rating: declared IP, earth continuity, interlocks, warning plates in the site language.
  • Off-circuit tap changer: operation across all 5 positions, phase agreement.
  • Thermal chain: PT100 sensors, alarm and trip thresholds, functional test of the monitoring box.
  • Connections: MV cable box, LV busbar, clearance distances, cleanliness before closing.

Component detail on the cast resin and spare parts pages.

What ships with the unit

  • Routine test report, named, with the serial number and the measured values.
  • EU Declaration of Conformity and the associated technical file — see Compliance.
  • Photograph of the rating plate, approved before shipping.
  • Installation and commissioning manual, plus the acceptance record to be signed.
  • Where applicable, the third-party witness report.

The accepted quotation sets the warranty duration, starting point and conditions.

General overview of the facilities and the approach. The exact test list, guaranteed values and acceptance protocol are fixed in the specification for each order.

Frequently asked

Testing & quality control

Is every transformer tested, or only a sample?

Routine tests as defined by IEC 60076-1 are performed on every unit produced, and the test report carries your unit's serial number. Type tests (temperature rise, lightning impulse, short-circuit withstand) are performed on a unit representative of the design, not on every unit.

Can I attend the tests or send my own inspector?

Witnessed routine tests can be arranged with the client, their inspector or an independent organisation. The test scope, notice period, location and cost are agreed in the inspection plan.

What happens if a test fails?

The hold point stops production: the unit can neither be packed nor shipped until the non-conformity is closed. A non-conformity report is opened, the root cause is addressed, and the affected test is re-run in full.

Do you measure partial discharge on dry-type transformers?

Yes, it is a routine test on cast resin units. The level measured in pC is the best early indicator of an encapsulation defect, and therefore of the real service life of the winding.

Go further

Quality control sits inside a wider compliance and warranty framework.

Read next

Project essentials

A technical dossier you can review

The workshop photographs on this page show manufacturing and testing facilities. They are not customer delivery references. Evidence is reviewed against the actual design and the supply scope of each project.

StageDocuments to agree
Before orderTechnical schedule, scope, proposed inspection plan and list of evidence to be validated.
Before manufactureApproved design documents and interface checks at the contractual milestone.
Before dispatchSerial-numbered routine test report, nameplate, inspection records and packing checks.
At deliveryAgreed installation and operation documents, accessories list and transport records.
View a sample routine-test report structure

Illustrative structure only — no actual measurements or certification.

FieldContent
IdentificationManufacturer, design reference, serial number, rating, voltage ratio and connection group.
Test basisApplicable standard and edition, procedure, date and instrument traceability.
ResultsWinding resistance, ratio, losses, impedance and applicable dielectric / additional tests: specified limits, measured values and conclusion.
ApprovalInspector, deviations, corrective action, retest and release decision.

Request evidence for your project →

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Quality verified before the unit leaves the plant

Routine tests on every unit, hold points held on site, witness testing optional.

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