Technical Information: Microwave Assembly Quality Information

Unless otherwise specified, every GORE® Microwave/RF Coaxial Assembly is 100% tested, inspected, and certified to meet the acceptance requirements contained in all applicable specifications, whether stated in literature or in pre-approved customer contracts. Each assembly is guaranteed to meet those requirements and to be free from defects in materials and/or workmanship at time of delivery. Defect or failure claims may be filed for up to one year beyond the original shipment date.

The quality assurance provisions of ISO 9001 and MIL-I-45208 will apply with exceptions and additions as specified herein. All inspections and tests will be conducted by Gore at our facility or at an approved outside test facility. Gore will allow reasonable access to the quality control and test facilities for source inspection purposes. All documentation not considered proprietary will be available for review at the Gore facility.

Qualification and Source Inspection, when required, must be specified by the procuring activity at the time of request for quote or proposal. Quality assurance will be verified by:
A. Acceptance inspection - 100% inspection of all assemblies shipped.
B. Qualification - when specified by the procuring activity.

Prior to shipment, unless otherwise specified, all cable assemblies will be subjected to, and successfully pass, the following tests:

• Insertion loss
• VSWR
• Dielectric withstanding voltage
• Visual inspection
• Radiographic examination (when applicable)
• Phase (when applicable)

Acceptance inspection reports for each shipment lot will be certified by a responsible Gore Quality Assurance Representative. The report will be available for review at Gore's facility, upon request. Insertion loss, VSWR, x-ray (when applicable) and phase data (when applicable) will be submitted to the procuring activity with the shipment lot. Successful completion of the acceptance inspection for each cable assembly will be indicated by completion of a supplier Certificate of Compliance submitted to the procuring activity with the shipment lot.

Qualification, when requested, will be per this document in part or whole, the Gore Standard spaceflight Specification or by customer supplied specifications as defined by customer requirements. Qualification may be satisfied either by similarity, analysis, or by actual testing as agreed upon by the procuring activity and Gore.

Records will be kept by Gore showing all significant manufacturing processes, procedures, and inspection steps that have been performed. Records will indicate the date of the operation and will relate the finished product to the specific production lot. Assembly serial numbers will be the key to the records, and will allow traceability to raw materials. Records will be retained by Gore for a minimum of one (1) year for non-spaceflight assemblies and a minimum of seven (7) years for spaceflight assemblies.

A Certificate of Compliance, signed by a Gore Quality Representative, will be provided with each cable assembly or group of cable assemblies. This guarantees that each cable assembly has been fully tested in accordance with this document and meets the requirements herein as specified by the procuring activity.

Cable assemblies will be packaged in plastic bags, trays, or antistatic bags. The assemblies will then be packed in boxes and voids shall be filled with shock-absorbent material to prevent damage. Shipping containers may contain multiple assemblies. Reusable containers are available. Each cable assembly package will be labeled or tagged to indicate the part number.