If you are still working from a specification that calls for IEC 60227-2, there is one important update to know before setting up the test.
IEC 60227 itself has not been cancelled. The cable series remains active, with major parts updated in 2024. What changed is the test-method document: IEC 60227-2 has been replaced by IEC 63294:2021.
For manufacturers of PVC flexible cords, power cords and similar cables, this changes the standard reference — but not the basic engineering problem. A flexible cable still has to survive repeated movement without conductor failure, insulation damage or loss of electrical integrity.
This guide looks at that problem from a testing perspective: where IEC 60227 and IEC 63294 fit, which products are most relevant, how cable flexing and bending tests differ, what actually determines test severity, and what to check before selecting a cable testing machine.
IEC 60227-2 Has Been Replaced — But IEC 60227 Is Still Active
This is probably the first point worth clearing up.
The old:
IEC 60227-2:1997+A1:2003 — Test methods
is no longer the current test-method publication.
It was replaced by:
IEC 63294:2021 — Test methods for electric cables with rated voltages up to and including 450/750 V
That does not mean the entire IEC 60227 series disappeared.
Quite the opposite. IEC published new editions of major parts of the series in 2024.
For example:
| Standard | Role |
|---|---|
| IEC 60227-1:2024 | General requirements for PVC-insulated cables |
| IEC 60227-5:2024 | Particular requirements for flexible cables (cords) |
| IEC 63294:2021 | Test methods for relevant electric cables |
| IEC 60332-1-2 | Flame propagation test method where applicable |
| IEC 60811 series | Material test methods referenced where applicable |
IEC 60227-5:2024 covers PVC-insulated flexible cables, or cords, with rated voltages up to and including 300/500 V. It is used together with the general requirements in IEC 60227-1.
For current projects, the practical relationship is therefore closer to:
IEC 60227-5
Product-specific requirements
IEC 60227-1
General cable requirements
IEC 63294
Relevant cable test methods
This is also why an old drawing, laboratory procedure or customer specification may still mention IEC 60227-2 even though new conformity work uses the newer test-method framework.
What should you do if a customer still specifies IEC 60227-2?
Do not automatically replace the requirement on your own.
First check:
- Which cable type is being tested?
- Which edition is specified in the customer document?
- Is IEC 60227-2 contractually required?
- Is the project based on a legacy approval?
- Or is this a new conformity test that should follow the current reference?
For a new test program, always confirm the latest applicable product standard and its normative references.
Which Products Are Most Relevant?
IEC 60227 covers a family of PVC-insulated cables, so it would be misleading to treat every flexible cable on the market as an IEC 60227 cable.
Robot cables, drag-chain cables, high-voltage cables and many specialty industrial cables can have completely different constructions and requirements.
For this article, the most relevant applications are PVC-insulated flexible cords that move during normal use.
Typical examples include:
| Product | Typical Movement | Main Test Concern |
| Appliance power cord | Repeated movement near appliance entry | Conductor fatigue |
| Flexible PVC cord | Continuous bending and repositioning | Flex durability |
| Extension cord | Winding, unwinding and dragging | Mechanical durability |
| Portable equipment cord | Equipment moves with cable attached | Repeated flexing |
| Multi-core flexible cord | Alternating bending of several conductors | Internal conductor failure |
| Cord manufacturing | Production QC and type testing | Repeatability and compliance |
Think about a vacuum cleaner cord
It may be pulled out, bent around furniture, rewound, straightened and bent again.
The cable jacket can still look perfectly normal while individual conductor strands inside are already beginning to fatigue.
The same basic problem appears in extension cords and many movable electrical appliances.
That is why a flexible-cable test should not be reduced to one question:
“How many cycles can the machine run?”
The better question is:
“What mechanical condition does each cycle reproduce?”
What Does IEC 63294 Actually Cover?
IEC 63294 is broader than a cable bending standard.
It provides test methods for electric cables within its scope that are not already covered by the IEC 60811 series.
Depending on the cable and applicable product standard, testing can involve both electrical and non-electrical characteristics.
For flexible-cable durability, the mechanical side is particularly interesting because it includes methods dealing with conditions such as:
Flexing
Static Flexibility
Bending
Wear Resistance
Drop
Three-Pulley Flexing
Kink Resistance
Not every test applies to every cable.
That distinction matters.
Don’t configure the machine from “IEC 63294” alone
IEC 63294 gives test methods, but the relevant cable specification determines which tests and conditions apply to the cable being evaluated.
In practice, a laboratory should identify the cable first, then the applicable product standard, and only then configure the required test.
That sounds obvious, but it prevents a surprisingly common purchasing mistake: choosing a machine because the brochure lists the right standard number while the actual pulley arrangement, load range or specimen geometry does not match the required test.
This article therefore concentrates on the tests most closely connected with flexible-cable mechanical durability and cable testing equipment.
Flexing Is More Than Repeated Bending
For flexible cords, the flexing test deserves special attention.
A flexing apparatus does not simply hold a cable and swing it left and right.
In the relevant test arrangement, the cable works with a moving system, pulleys and applied loading so that repeated travel produces a controlled bending condition along the specimen.
At a basic level:
Cable + Pulley Geometry + Load + Reciprocating Movement = Repeated Flexing Stress
The repeated stress acts on the conductor strands as well as the surrounding insulation and cable construction.
Initially, nothing may be visible.
After enough cycles, small conductor defects can accumulate. Individual strands may fatigue. Electrical continuity can become unstable. Eventually the specimen reaches a defined failure condition.
This is why a good flexing test system needs more than a cycle counter.
Why Pulley Diameter Changes the Test
If two laboratories run the same cable for the same number of cycles but use different bending geometries, the results are not automatically comparable.
Pulley diameter affects the radius through which the cable bends.
With a smaller pulley, the cable experiences a tighter bend.
That generally means greater strain in the cable construction and conductor.
With a larger pulley, the bend is less severe.
This sounds straightforward, but it has an important consequence for equipment selection:
A machine capable of 100,000 cycles is not automatically suitable simply because your test also requires 100,000 cycles.
The machine must reproduce the required pulley arrangement, load, movement and specimen condition.
Cycle capacity is only one specification.
A Cable Can Look Fine and Still Be Failing
This is one of the more important points in repeated-flex testing.
Imagine stopping a test and inspecting the cable.
The sheath is intact.
There is no obvious crack.
Nothing appears broken.
That does not necessarily mean the conductor is still healthy.
Repeated flexing can fatigue individual strands inside the cable before a complete external failure becomes visible.
Depending on the prescribed test arrangement and failure criteria, electrical fault detection can therefore be part of the test system.
The relevant faults can include conditions such as:
Current interruption
Short circuit between conductors
Unintended electrical contact involving the specimen and test arrangement
When a defined fault occurs, the system needs to recognize the event rather than continue counting cycles as if nothing happened.
That changes the way a buyer should evaluate a cable tester.
Mechanical motion tells you that the machine is running.
Electrical monitoring helps tell you whether the cable is still performing.
Bending Test vs Flexing Test: They Are Not the Same
The words “bending” and “flexing” are often used loosely in equipment enquiries.
That can lead to the wrong machine being selected.
A bending tester commonly holds a specimen in a fixture and repeatedly changes its angular position around a defined bending area.
A simplified movement looks like:
LEFT ← CABLE → RIGHT
The important parameters may include bending angle, speed, applied weight, bending radius and cycle count.
A flexing tester, by comparison, can move the cable through a pulley system with a prescribed load and reciprocating travel.
The cable is still bending, but the machine architecture and stress condition are different.
Why does that matter?
Suppose a buyer sends an enquiry saying:
“We need a cable bending machine for IEC testing.”
That is not enough information to quote the correct system.
We would still need to know:
- Cable construction
- Number of cores
- Conductor cross-sectional area
- Overall cable diameter
- Applicable standard and edition
- Required test method
- Pulley or bending geometry
- Applied load
- Required cycles
- Electrical monitoring requirement
The standard number narrows the search.
The test method determines the machine.
What About Static Flexibility?
Static flexibility answers a different question again.
Repeated flexing focuses on durability under cyclic movement.
Static flexibility is concerned with how a cable behaves when arranged or deformed under a defined static condition.
A cable can feel very flexible in the hand and still perform poorly in long-term repeated flexing.
Conversely, two cables with similar apparent flexibility can show different fatigue behavior because of conductor construction, strand geometry, insulation or sheath design.
This is another reason not to use “flexibility,” “bending life” and “flexing durability” as interchangeable terms when specifying a test system.
What Actually Causes Failure During Repeated Cable Movement?
There is rarely just one mechanism.
Conductor fatigue usually develops first inside
During repeated bending, different sides of the conductor experience alternating mechanical strain.
Individual strands can progressively fatigue and break.
As this damage accumulates, the cable can move through several stages:
Healthy conductor
→ Local strand fatigue
→ Broken strands
→ Unstable electrical condition
→ Complete failure
A test report that records only “passed 20,000 cycles” can therefore tell less of the story than a system that also records when and how electrical degradation occurred.
The sheath can hide what is happening inside
External appearance is useful, but it should not automatically be treated as a complete indication of cable condition.
A visually intact sheath does not prove that all conductor strands remain intact.
Fixtures can also create false failures
If a cable is misaligned, clamped too aggressively or forced against the wrong part of the apparatus, the machine may create a failure mode that the intended method was never designed to produce.
That is not a severe test.
It is a poorly configured test.
For repeatable results, the specimen needs to experience the intended mechanical condition without unnecessary side loading, twisting or fixture damage.
Seven Parameters to Define Before Selecting a Cable Tester
This is where equipment selection should start.
Not with a model number.
1. Cable Construction
Is the specimen a flexible PVC cord, flat cable, multi-core cable or another construction?
Also define the number of cores and conductor size.
2. Applicable Standard and Edition
Do not write only:
IEC 60227
Instead provide, where possible:
IEC 60227-5:2024
and the specific test requirement being evaluated.
If an older customer specification states IEC 60227-2, mention that as well.
3. Required Test Method
Is the requirement:
Flexing? Bending? Static flexibility? Wear? Another mechanical test?
This is often the most important machine-selection question.
4. Cable Dimensions
Provide:
- Overall diameter
- Conductor cross-sectional area
- Number of cores
- Relevant specimen construction
These dimensions affect fixtures, pulleys and machine configuration.
5. Mechanical Conditions
Depending on the method, define the required:
- Pulley diameter
- Bending radius
- Applied weight or load
- Angle
- Travel
- Test speed
- Number of cycles
6. Electrical Test Condition
Does the cable need to be electrically energized or monitored during movement?
If so, define:
- Test current
- Test voltage
- Continuity requirements
- Fault criteria
- Required detection or shutdown behavior
7. Acceptance Criteria
Finally, define what counts as failure.
That may involve electrical interruption, short circuit, conductor failure, visible damage or other criteria specified by the applicable cable standard.
With this information, a cable testing machine can be selected around the real requirement rather than around a standard logo printed on a brochure.
How ITM-LAB Approaches Flexible Cable Testing
There is no single machine that should automatically be called an “IEC 60227 cable tester.”
The correct configuration depends on which requirement is being tested.
ITM-LAB's Wire & Cable Testing Equipment range includes different systems for cable bending, repeated mechanical movement, pulling, flexing and electrical monitoring applications.
For an equipment recommendation, we prefer to start with the specimen and test method.
For example, send us:
Cable type
Standard + edition
Number of cores
Cross-sectional area
Overall diameter
Required test method
Required load / pulley / angle
Speed and cycle count
Electrical monitoring requirement
From there, the fixture, drive system, load range and monitoring configuration can be matched to the test rather than forcing the specimen into a general-purpose machine.
This matters particularly when a project references IEC 60227-2.
An older specification may use that designation, while a new project may need to be evaluated against IEC 60227-5:2024 together with the current IEC 63294 test-method reference.
The machine configuration should follow the actual requirement in either case.
Common Questions About IEC 60227 and IEC 63294
Is IEC 60227 cancelled?
No.
The IEC 60227 series remains active. Major parts, including IEC 60227-1 and IEC 60227-5, were updated in 2024.
The source of confusion is IEC 60227-2, the former test-method document, which has been replaced by IEC 63294:2021.
What replaced IEC 60227-2?
IEC 63294:2021 replaced IEC 60227-2 as the relevant test-method publication for electric cables within its scope.
Older specifications and equipment documentation may still reference IEC 60227-2.
What is IEC 60227-5:2024?
IEC 60227-5:2024 specifies particular requirements for PVC-insulated flexible cables, or cords, with rated voltages up to and including 300/500 V.
It is used together with the appropriate general requirements of IEC 60227-1.
Which standard should I use for PVC flexible cord testing?
Start with the product standard applicable to your cable.
For flexible cords within IEC 60227-5, the current framework involves IEC 60227-5:2024 together with IEC 60227-1:2024 and the relevant test methods, including IEC 63294:2021.
Do not select test conditions from IEC 63294 alone without checking the applicable cable specification.
What is a cable flexing test?
A flexing test repeatedly moves a cable under a defined mechanical arrangement, typically involving controlled bending geometry, loading and movement.
The objective is to evaluate whether the cable maintains the required mechanical and electrical integrity under repeated flexing.
Is a cable flexing tester the same as a cable bending tester?
Not necessarily.
A bending tester commonly creates repeated angular movement around a defined area.
A flexing test can involve reciprocating travel through a pulley arrangement under load.
The motion and equipment architecture can therefore be different even though both tests repeatedly bend the cable.
Why is pulley diameter important?
Pulley diameter affects bending radius.
A tighter bend generally imposes greater strain on the conductor and cable construction, which means two tests with the same cycle count can have different severity if their pulley geometry differs.
Should electrical continuity be monitored during flexing?
Where required by the applicable method, electrical monitoring allows the test system to detect conductor interruption or other defined electrical faults during repeated movement.
This is important because internal conductor damage can occur before obvious external damage becomes visible.
What information should I provide when requesting a cable testing machine?
At minimum, provide the cable type, applicable standard and edition, number of cores, conductor size, cable diameter, required test method, mechanical conditions, cycle count and electrical monitoring requirement.
That information is usually far more useful than a standard number alone.
Final Takeaway
The most important update is simple:
IEC 60227 is still active. IEC 60227-2 is the part that has been replaced.
For current PVC flexible-cord projects, the standards should be read as a system rather than as one isolated document. IEC 60227 defines the cable requirements, while IEC 63294 provides relevant test methods alongside other referenced IEC test standards.
From an equipment perspective, the same principle applies.
Do not start with:
“Which machine complies with IEC 60227?”
Start with:
What cable are we testing?
Which product standard applies?
Which test method is required?
What mechanical and electrical conditions must be reproduced?
Once those questions are answered, selecting the correct cable testing system becomes much more straightforward.
