This is interesting news, and not something I would really have thought about as a critical accessory to cable design, but it clearly is.
A UK-based manufacturer of labeling solutions for the cable and wire industry, Silver Fox Ltd., has successfully flame tested its Fox-Flo Low Smoke Zero Halogen Tie-On Cable Labels against a direct competitor’s brand, proving that while others catch fire and burn rapidly, Silver Fox’s designs didn’t start burning even after 45 sec of contact with a constant flame.
In the test, which Silver Fox shows on its YouTube channel, a direct equivalent label started to burn after only 10 sec, propagated extremely quickly and began to emit burning particles and black smoke, while the Fox-Flo label remained intact.
While more cables are being rated to be low smoke, zero-halogen for safety reasons, it stands to reason that accessories used with these cables should also meet those standards.
Fox-Flo tie-on cable labels are designed for use in internal and external identification purposes. The labels are both strong and flexible and can be attached using either standard nylon or stainless-steel cable ties. They are independently tested for ultra-violet (UV) weathering; H2S sour gas exposure; salt mist spray; elevated temperature; low temperature; IMO FTPC Part 2, smoke and toxicity, and IMO FTPC Part 5, surface spread of flames.
They also have London Underground (LUL) approval. As part of a larger project, they are being used to label both low and high voltage power cables on the LUL rail network. LUL have adopted a red-on-white cable label for high voltage cables and black-on-white cable label for low voltage cables.
The LUL is undertaking a large metro re-signaling project. Thorne & Derrick, a cable installation distributor, along with Bombardier Transportation, are supplying the Silver Fox Fox-in-a-Box Cable Label System for use on this re-signaling project, which is estimated to be the largest in the world.
The system is based around the Fox-in-a-Box thermal printer using the Labacus Innovator Professional Software. This printer can provide complex and multiple cable labels, split cable labels, cross-ferruling, and the variable replication of cells.
The LUL contract is for the signaling renewal and provision of an ATC system for the four sub-surface lines, which carry some 1.3 million passengers a day. Together, the lines comprise 40% of the LUL network and carry 25% of the total ridership.
Silver Fox Ltd,
www.silverfox.co.uk
Bob Little says
Impressive. Congratualtions to Silver Fox for highlighting this issue.