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The Book of Terms

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The Book of TermsThe WJI Book of Wire & Cable Terms: an interactive experience of learning and sharing
This book, written by industry volunteers and containing more than 5,000 entries, is an asset for newcomers to wire and cable.

At the same time, it also represents an opportunity for industry veterans to give back by either updating or adding to the more than 5,000 entries. This is an honor system process. Entries/updates must be non-commercial, and any deemed not to be so will be removed. Share your expertise as part of this legacy project to help those who will follow. Purchase a printed copy here.

   

 

0-9   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Non-Standard Steel

A steel with chemical composition or mechanical properties that do not coincide with or encompass the ranges or limits of a standard steel (as defined by AISI or ASTM), or with restricted ranges or limits that are outside the ranges or limits of a standard steel, sometimes defined as a modification of the standard steel.

Nonconforming

A quality control term for a unit of product or service that does not meet normal acceptance criteria. A nonconforming unit is not necessarily defective.

Nondestructive Inspection

Inspection by methods that do not destroy the part or impair its serviceability. Examples include eddy current, X-ray, ultrasonics and dye penetration inspection.

Nondestructive Testing

Testing by methods that do not destroy the part or impair its serviceability. Implies a process in which the part is stimulated and its response measured quantitatively or semi-quantitatively.

Nondestructive Testing, Electromagnetic

See Eddy Current Testing.

Nondestructive Testing, Ultrasonic

A testing method to detect internal imperfections on the basis of their effects on transmitted and detected ultrasound energy. Ultrasound energy pulses are transmitted into the material, reflected from the boundaries and discontinuities within, and are received and interpreted by an appropriate sensing device. Detection of a discontinuity and interpretation by type, size and location depend upon its orientation, shape and reflectivity.

Nonferrous Metals

Refers to metals and alloys that are not iron based.

Nordel®

DuPont trade name for EPDM.

Normal Distribution

See Distribution, Statistical Analysis.

Normalize

Heating steel to and, holding at a suitable temperature above the trans­formation range, followed by cooling freely, in order to modify the grain size, render the structure more uniform and usually to improve the mechanical properties.

Notch Brittleness

Susceptibility of a material to brittle failure in a portion of the wire containing a groove, scratch, sharp fillet or notch.

Notch Fatigue Factor

The reduction in fatigue strength caused by the presence of a sharp notch.

Notch Sensitivity

The reduction in strength, impact, static or fatigue caused by the presence of a stress concentration, usually expressed as the ratio of the notched to the un-notched strength.

NP

Designation for Nickel Plate.

NR

Designation for: 1) Nonreturnable Reel; a reel designed for one-time use only. 2) Natural Rubber.

NRHW

Designation for moisture and heat-resistant rubber insulation with neoprene jacket for use in ducts. Dry and wet locations, 600V, 75°C. Also RHWN.

NSD

Designation for Neutral Supported Drop. A type of service cable.

Nucleus

1) The first structurally stable particle capable of initiating the recrystallization of a phase or the growth of a new phase, and which possesses an interface with the parent matrix. Also refers to a foreign particle that initiates such action. 2) The heavy central core of an atom, in which most of the mass and the total positive electric charge are concentrated.

Nut Wire

Wire used for the cold forming of threaded nuts. A severe heading operation is used requiring hard drawn wire from nor­malized or annealed rods, or annealed-in-process wire, depending upon the application. The wire must be able to withstand both cold heading and thread tapping.

NVP

Designation for Nominal Velocity of Propagation, expressed as a percentage of the speed of light (c).
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