About: Guillotine test

In safety engineering, a Guillotine Test simulates an arc fault condition between parallel conductors or a cut wire, replicating the conditions that result from arc faults and which can lead to fires in adjacent material and wires, for example during accidents. Based upon a dry arc test method used for testing wire insulation material, this test was originally developed for arc-fault circuit interrupters. Here is a sample test schematic, showing the logic flow of one guillotine test. It shows the guidelines on whether to retest or if the test was passed or failed.