On August 30, Cicoil will celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the invention of the flat IDC ribbon cable, which allowed companies like IBM, Sperry/Univac, Honeywell, GE and NCR to move forward and replace bulky, stiff round cables with sleek, flexible ribbon cables.
Due to advanced developments of mainframe computers, the need arose for a cable that could contain many wires within a single cable, provide flexibility in tight spaces and offer unparalleled reliability over long term operation. In 1955, finding such a cable was considered an impossibility, however Cicoil’s Engineers figured out a way to encase individual wires within a flat profile design. After a year of development, the flexible flat IDC cable was born and introduced to the world in 1956.
Cicoil’s Ribbon Cable is designed to work directly with standard Insulation Displacement Connectors (IDC). For this reason, it is often called IDC cable, and it is used frequently where simple flat cable signal connections are needed. The wire spacing and dimensions are standardized, with the wire ‘pitch’ (wire spacing) set at 0.050 in. for the English version, or 1 mm for the metric version. Cicoil’s ribbon cables are constructed using Ultra High Flex 28 AWG, bare copper wire, and feature the exclusive Cicoil Flexx-Sil rubber extrusion process for a strong, flexible, clear cable. All Cicoil ribbon cables meet the standard ribbon cable dimensions, and are completely compatible with any IDC connector.
For applications that require a reduced width design, Cicoil now offers a standard Micro IDC Ribbon Cable that features a 0.025 in. pitch. Approximately, half the size of standard 28 AWG IDC Ribbon Cables, the 30 AWG Flexx-Sil rubber jacketed cables offer twice the flexibility of stiff PVC and Teflon versions. All Cicoil IDC cables are available with up to 64 conductors and fully terminated assemblies are offered in 3, 6 and 12 ft lengths.
Cicoil’s halogen-free, low smoke and flame resistant IDC Ribbon Cable are UL Recognized, CE Conforming, RoHS & REACH Compliant, Class One Clean Room Rated and are cured continuously, with no debris or material contamination in an automated, climate controlled environment. In addition, the non-particulate generating cables exceed the outgassing requirements of ASTM E595 and are also excellent for use in vacuum environments. When a non-adhering jacket surface is desired, Cicoil offers its SlideRite and GlideRite low friction coating options by request.
Cicoil
www.cicoil.com
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.