Overview
ISO 13832:2013 specifies general performance requirements for aluminium-based and copper-clad aluminium (CCA) conductors used in lightweight aircraft electrical cables and other aerospace applications. The standard covers stranded conductors with nominal cross-sectional areas from 0.22 mm² to 107 mm² and defines dimensions, electrical characteristics, mechanical properties, construction and testing requirements for aluminium conductors and CCA conductors. It is not applicable to conventional copper conductors, fire‑resistant cables or thermocouple extension cables.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and materials
- Applies to stranded aluminium, aluminium‑alloy and CCA (ASTM B566 class 15A) conductors.
- Strand material codes: A (uncoated CCA), B (CCA + tin), C (CCA + silver), D (CCA + nickel), E (pure aluminium), F (aluminium alloy + nickel).
- Electrical characteristics
- Maximum resistivity at 20 °C: CCA 2.78 × 10⁻⁸ Ω·m, aluminium/alloy 3.0 × 10⁻⁸ Ω·m.
- Resistance tests must be corrected to 20 °C using the standard correction formula.
- Mechanical properties
- Minimum elongation at rupture: ≥ 6%.
- Minimum tensile strength: CCA ≥ 138 MPa, aluminium/alloy ≥ 105 MPa.
- CCA elastic limit (0.2%): ≥ 90 MPa.
- Construction & lay
- Conductor constructions: concentric, bunched or rope lay; outer layer lay to be left‑hand.
- Typical lay length: 8–16× conductor diameter; certain larger constructions limited to a maximum of 30× diameter.
- Joints in finished conductors are not permitted (individual strand joints allowed with spacing > 3 m).
- Strand plating requirements
- Plating continuity, adherence and minimum thickness checks (e.g., silver plating ≥ 1.0 µm; nickel per standard tables).
- Tests
- Tensile/elongation, mass per unit length, electrical resistance, plating continuity/adherence/thickness - tested per methods in the standard.
- Packaging & labelling
- Delivered on reels/spools/coils protected from moisture; labels must include standard reference, material code and conductor size code.
Applications and who uses ISO 13832
- Aerospace OEMs and cable manufacturers specifying lightweight aircraft wiring using aluminium or CCA conductors.
- Electrical harness designers selecting conductors for weight-sensitive platforms (commercial, military and space vehicles).
- Test laboratories and quality engineers performing compliance tests (tensile, resistance, plating).
- Maintenance, repair organizations and certification authorities (CAA, FAA, EASA) ensuring interoperable, standardized interconnection systems.
- Suppliers standardizing conductor sizes, crimp tooling and termination processes to reduce maintenance errors and achieve global compatibility.
Related standards
- ISO 2635 - copper conductors for aircraft
- ISO 1967 - fire‑resistant cables
- ISO 8056-1 - thermocouple extension cables
- ASTM B566 - specification for copper‑clad aluminium wire
- ISO 8815 - aerospace electrical cable vocabulary
Keywords: ISO 13832, aerospace wire, aluminium conductors, copper-clad aluminium, CCA conductors, lightweight aircraft electrical cables, conductor resistivity, tensile strength, strand plating, conductor lay length.