No need to check for smoke, just need to check the voltage drop between source port & sink port. You need a >5A output power supply, two voltmeter channels (fo

No need to check for smoke, just need to check the voltage drop between source port & sink port. You need a >5A output power supply, two voltmeter channels (for source & sink), one ammeter channel (to sense applied load), an electronic DC load (actively cooled FET that uses the ammeter to set a constant current), a microcontroller, screen, some buttons, and software to run the whole thing. Or the manual version: Lab power supply, some USB connector breakout boards, a DC load, optionally a multimeter, a pencil, and some graph paper. Set the power supply current limit over 5A, voltage to 5V, set the DC load to 500mA, and measure the voltage at the power supply & DC load every 100mA as you increase it up to 5A load (or 3A if the cable isn't marked for 5A capability). If the sink drops more than 0.6V below the source, the cable is not compliant.