Sample approval is the step between “the supplier can make this” and “the supplier has made this to my standard”. For an electric-fence line the fields that decide whether a sample passes are mostly observable on the buyer’s desk with a short cut of the line, a multimeter, a magnet and a ruler. This checklist is the order in which the checks run, and a note on which figures are factory self-test and which require an independently commissioned third-party report.
1. Conductor continuity
Check. With a 1 m cut of the sample and a multimeter on the continuity / resistance setting, measure end-to-end resistance across the cut. The reading in Ω should be consistent with the supplier’s stated Ω/m multiplied by the cut length, allowing for meter error and contact resistance.
Pass condition. Within ± 10 % of the supplier’s stated figure on the data sheet for the same conductor count and material. A reading an order of magnitude off points to missing conductors, a braid defect or a wrong material.
Where the figure comes from. Continuity and basic resistance are part of a routine factory self-test on the production line. The figure on the data sheet is a factory self-test figure unless the supplier states otherwise.
2. Conductor material
Check. Test a short section against a small magnet.
- Stainless steel: non-magnetic.
- Tinned copper: non-magnetic.
- Aluminium: non-magnetic.
- Aluminised variants: weak attraction possible.
- Bare steel: strongly magnetic (rarely used for electric fence line; corrodes quickly).
The magnet test distinguishes bare steel from the rest; it does not distinguish stainless steel from tinned copper. For a more confident identification, the supplier’s data sheet is the reference — confirm the conductor material stated on the offer matches the buyer’s specification.
3. Conductor count and layout
Check. Cut a 5–10 cm section and count the conductors at the cross-section. For a polyrope the conductors are usually evenly distributed around the circumference; for a polytape they run lengthwise along the tape.
Pass condition. Conductor count matches the supplier’s stated figure (3, 6, 9 and so on). Conductor layout looks even — no visible gaps where a conductor is missing on one half of the cross-section. A braid defect is more common on a small-diameter polywire than on a polyrope; a visible defect on a 6-strand polyrope usually means the lot is suspect.
Where the figure comes from. Conductor count is part of a factory self-test on the production line; the buyer’s cross-section check is a confirmation, not a substitute.
4. Resistance in Ω/m on the reel
Check. On a full sample reel, measure resistance end-to-end with a multimeter at the start, middle and end of the reel (unwind a short length for the “middle” and “end” points). Divide the measured resistance by the cable length used in each measurement.
Pass condition. Reading consistent with the stated Ω/m within tolerance, and consistent across the three points on the reel. A reading that drifts significantly across the reel points to inconsistent braid tension, a missing conductor or uneven conductor distribution.
Where the figure comes from. Factory self-test unless the buyer has commissioned a third-party report. The reading the buyer takes on the buyer’s own meter is, in effect, an independent check against the factory self-test figure.
5. Diameter / tape width
Check. Measure with a calliper at three points along the sample. For polywire and polyrope, the figure is the rope diameter; for polytape, the figure is the tape width.
Pass condition. Within the supplier’s stated tolerance for nominal diameter or tape width. Most polyrope and polytape tolerances are ± 5 % of nominal; tighter and looser tolerances exist on request.
Where the figure comes from. Diameter is a routine factory self-test figure on the production line.
6. Reel length and unit weight
Check. Weigh the full sample reel, subtract the tare weight of the empty reel, and divide the net weight by the supplier’s stated weight per metre (or by the measured resistance-based length). The result is the reel length.
Pass condition. Within the supplier’s stated tolerance on reel length (commonly ± 2–5 %). A reel that is materially short is a freight and cost issue; a reel that is over-served is a sign the line is heavier per metre than quoted.
7. UV package and colour
Check. The data sheet states UV-stabilized or not. The colour is visually checked against the buyer’s reference. For outdoor service life beyond a single season, UV-stabilized is required; UV performance is not reliably confirmed by a single sample on the buyer’s desk — it is a property of the polymer package and is reported by the supplier.
Pass condition. Visual match to the buyer’s colour reference; data sheet confirms UV package against the buyer’s stated service life. For a controlled retailer or a tender that demands independently verified UV performance, a third-party UV-exposure report has to be commissioned separately.
Where the figure comes from. UV package is a supplier declaration supported by raw-material data; not a per-batch self-test unless the buyer has asked for one. UV performance verified by an independent laboratory is a separately commissioned report.
8. Visibility
Check. Polytape and polyrope visibility is a function of width (for polytape) and colour. Visual inspection against the buyer’s reference is the practical check; there is no numerical visibility test that is meaningful in a sample-approval setting. For horse fencing, white and orange tapes are the most common; for cattle, white and yellow. Confirm the colour choice against the buyer’s standard.
9. Winding and reel condition
Check. Unwind 5–10 m of the sample and inspect for kinks, slack spots, tangles or the imprint of the reel flanges on the rope. A poorly tensioned reel leaves a permanent kink in the rope that shows up the first time the rope is tensioned on the fence.
Pass condition. Clean payout, no kinks, no slack spots, no flange imprint. A reel that pays out cleanly on the supplier’s line should pay out cleanly on the buyer’s fence.
10. Artwork, label, barcode
For a private-label program, the sample reel carries the artwork the buyer intends to ship. Check. Match the printed label / sleeve / header card against the buyer’s artwork file: colour, layout, barcode data, languages, batch code, “best before” or production date if applicable.
Pass condition. Visual match to the artwork file; barcode scans cleanly; languages and required text present. Any divergence between the sample print and the artwork file is corrected at artwork stage, not at production stage.
11. Inner pack and master carton
Check. Confirm the inner-pack count (spools per shrink, packs per carton) and the master-carton dimensions and weight match the buyer’s downstream handling. The print on the carton — buyer’s shipping mark, any destination-specific marking, the batch code — should match the artwork file.
12. Self-test, sample-approval test, third-party test
Three layers of testing can apply to a sample. They are not interchangeable:
- Factory inline self-test. Run on the production line against the supplier’s reference. Continuous, fast, useful for batch consistency. The data sheet figures on resistance, diameter, conductor count and reel length typically come from this layer.
- Sample-approval self-test. Run on the buyer’s behalf on the lot the buyer is about to receive, against the buyer’s specification. The check is for the buyer’s program; it does not require a third-party laboratory.
- Third-party independent test. Run by a laboratory with no commercial relationship with the producer. Carries its own report and identification. Where the buyer’s downstream requirement (regulated tender, controlled retailer, export programme) needs an independently verified figure, this layer has to be commissioned separately. It is not included by default and is not interchangeable with the supplier’s factory self-test.
The default for a standard B2B cordage program is the first two layers. The third layer is added when the buyer’s downstream requirement asks for it. The sample-approval checklist above is the second layer; the first is reported on the data sheet; the third is a separately costed item.
13. Approval decision
After the checks above, the sample is:
- Approved — all checks pass within the stated tolerances; proceed to production.
- Approved with note — passes with a small, documented deviation (e.g. diameter at the upper edge of tolerance; winding slightly tighter than typical). The deviation is acceptable for the buyer’s program; record it on the approval note.
- Rejected — one or more checks fail outside tolerance. Return with the specific failing field noted.
A written approval note (the buyer’s own form, an email, or a sample-approval sheet) is what the buyer’s downstream team uses when the production lot arrives — and is what protects the buyer if a later shipment drifts away from the approved sample.
Where to send the sample and the data sheet
The electric-fence product range and the electric-fence polytape pages describe the line. The specification fields the buyer’s RFQ should include are in electric fence conductors and resistance. The structured RFQ form on the site is at the request-a-quote page, pre-filled with sample-approval context where it can be.