Contributed by Frances Richards As with many things in life and engineering, it depends whether you should use shielded servomotor cables. However, in most industrial environments, the answer is a definite yes. Later in this entry, the few instances where unshielded servomotor cables may be appropriate will be discussed. For now, let’s consider some of […]
Basics
What’s the difference between copper and aluminum industrial cable?
Contributed by Frances Richards It’s no secret that copper and aluminum are both effective conductors of electricity. Further, most engineers and system designers know that copper is a better conductor and easier to work with, while aluminum is lighter weight and less expensive. Beyond these widely known characteristics, let’s take a closer look at the […]
What are some disadvantages of unshielded twisted pair cable?
Contributed by Frances Richards Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable is comprised of anywhere from two to 1800 unshielded twisted pairs of 100-ohm copper encased in an outer plastic jacket. This widely used data communication cable is most commonly found in local area networks (LANs) for applications such as computer networking, telecommunications, and Ethernet networks. Benefits […]
What is unshielded twisted pair cable and where is it used?
Contributed by Frances Richards Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable is a widely used data communication cable consisting of anywhere from two to 1800 unshielded twisted pairs of 100-ohm copper encased in an outer plastic jacket. This type of cable has no metallic shield, which keeps the diameter streamlined but offers minimal protection against electrical interference. […]
Single-Pair Ethernet: simplifying your Ethernet connectivity from sensor to cloud
A physical layer for Industrial Ethernet, Single-Pair Ethernet combines high data rates with a lightweight cable design, streamlining communication across automation levels. By Sagar Patel, Product Manager at Lapp North America With the rise of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), many manufacturers want to connect their plants’ machines, controls, actuators, and sensors. That’s easier […]
How can EMI be eliminated from an industrial cable system?
Contributed by Frances Richards Electromagnetic interference, or EMI, is an unfortunate fact of life in industrial environments due to the wide variety of equipment and devices operating in close proximity. Every piece of electric or electronic equipment generates signals that can interfere with other nearby machinery, potentially causing suboptimal performance or even total failure. While […]
Why should one worry about voltage drop?
By Frances Richards, Contributor To put it simply, excess voltage drop can reduce the operating efficiency of motors, lights, appliances, and other electrical equipment. If too much voltage is lost while passing through wires, equipment may not function properly, or at all. For certain equipment such as pumps, large motors, or machines that use compressors, […]
Different ways to secure cable tracks (cable carriers) to machinery
Contributed by Jody Muelaner Cable carriers guide and protect electrical cables, as well as hydraulic or pneumatic hoses. They limit the minimum bend radius and therefore bending stresses, while often also constraining bending to a single plane. They shield and protect cables from wear, prevent entrapment in moving machinery and avoid entanglement. To do this […]
When should you use pre-harnessed (pre-engineered) cable carrier assemblies?
Contributed by Jody Muelaner Cable carriers are hollow chains which guide and protect cables and hoses during motion. They are typically installed on-site with the cables and hoses fitted through manifolds and junction boxes, and fixing plates, brackets and guide or support structures installed. Although it can make sense to carry out this work in-situ, […]
Is an open or closed cable carrier better for a given application?
Contributed by Jody Muelaner Open cable carriers have an open chain-link structure with cross bars that contain cables and hoses. Enclosed cable carriers form a complete tube; this can be achieved using a chain-link structure with sliding covers, or as a homogeneous fully sealed corrugated tube, such as a flexible conduit. All cable carriers prevent […]
