Three news stories this week highlighted the continued growth of fiber networks, as users search for higher bandwidth speeds in more compact cable and network designs. In one major development, researchers from the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) may have come up with an idea to increase ten-fold the throughput in telecommunications systems. Currently, pulses […]
Shielded Cable: When To Use
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is prevalent throughout the factory floor. This is why data and signal cables are usually protected with insulated conductors and wrapped with a conductive layer. Shielding reduces electrical noise and reduces its impact on signals and also lowers electromagnetic radiation. Shielding prevents crosstalk between cables near each other. Shielding not only protects […]
Shielded signal cables provide uninterrupted data transmission
Hi-Flex Shielded Signal Cables from Cicoil, Valencia, Calif., are compact, flame retardant cables free of contaminants and halogens that have been engineered to provide uninterrupted data transmission, space efficiency and consistent electrical characteristics. Cicoil’s patented computer-controlled extrusion process allows each individually shielded pair to be placed in a flat parallel profile, precisely controlling the spacing of […]
TPU for higher temperatures
Last month, after my visit to the International Wire & Cable Symposium in Charlotte, I promised write-ups about several new cable jacketing materials available on the market. One such product came from Lubrizol, with its new Estane TR92AP7, high-heat resistant TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) resin. Lubrizol’s Estane TR92AP7 features hydrolysis and chemical resistance as well as low-temperature […]
Copper vs. fiber wire in cable design
By Frank Koditek, Product Line Manager, Belden Since the invention of the stone hammer, tools and equipment have helped humankind achieve great things. Yet, sometimes the equipment can make life a little more challenging too. Take communications cables, for example. Cables are an important component of the Ethernet-based industrial networks that are becoming more common […]
Shielded cable assemblies provide high EMI/RFI protection
Woodhead MAX-LOC Plus shielded cord-grip assemblies from Molex Inc., Lisle, Ill., feature a nickel-plated aluminum housing and shielding ring for superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) protection. The assemblies allow OEMs and end-users to connect high-power electrical currents directly to an application with an exterior mounting enclosure, simplifying the installation process for high-volume, […]
Single, hybrid cable for servomotors available with bus element
If there is one trend that seems to be growing larger and larger, it’s the move towards single-cable solutions in motion control applications. Several interview participants earlier this year indicated that 2014 will see this trend continue, and more companies, especially those that provide servo control drives and motors, are using these designs more and […]
Cable carrier basics
More than 60 years ago, Dr. Gilbert Wanninger, an engineer at Waldrich Siegen Gmbh, a machine tool manufacturer, invented a simple device to improve cable management and lengthen cable life in moving applications. This initial design of the cable carrier kicked off a whole industry, with Tsubaki Kabelschlepp being the original designer of steel link […]
3D cable carrier makes changing cables quick and easy
Energy Chain specialist igus, East Providence, R.I., has expanded its 3-dimensional cable carrier line, Triflex, with the new series TRLF-100. Unlike any other 3D cable carrier from igus, the TRLF-100 has three pivoting crossbars that can be opened at any time, making inserting or exchanging cables and hoses quick and easy. With an inner height […]
Industrial-grade cable cutter for high-voltage cables
The Big Kahuna Power Blade professional-grade cable cutters from Ideal Industries Inc., Sycamore, Ill., features a 3.5-in. jaw opening, making easy work of cutting large diameter copper and aluminum electrical cables, for clean, installation-ready cuts on high-voltage cables up to 1250 MCM in less than twenty seconds. These large cables are commonly deployed in industrial […]