What types of cables are used in industrial settings?

A variety of cables is used in industrial settings for networking, power transmission, and communication. Coaxial, data, and instrumentation cables are some of the most common designs you will find. These low-voltage cables are usually rated for 2,000 V or less to distribute power, but medium-voltage designs reaching up to 35,000 V can be used if a facility has some responsibility for its utility use.

Low-voltage cables are usually constructed with copper or aluminum conductors, in either single or multi-conductor strands, bundles or braids. They are also available in flat constructions, including Flexx-Sil, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and molded materials. Their construction usually features shielding, tough jacketing, insulation and fillers to withstand high mechanical loads, speeds and accelerations, as well as harsh environments both indoors and outdoors. These cables supply temporary dc or ac power to generators and motors on machines like conveyors, machine tools, robotics, and other large machinery.

Industrial power and data cables must often operate in tight spaces and may even be flexing and moving on a regular basis. To prevent wear and tear caused by these severe conditions, they must have bending radii ranging anywhere from 5 to 15 times the overall cable diameter. To prevent cracking, flexible jacketing materials, such as TPE, PCV, and CPE, should be used. Flat cables are ideal for flexing and tight designs and usually have a high EMI/RFI suppression rate.

Industrial cables can be utilized in a variety of ways, from open-air installations to direct-bury and in cable carriers and conduit and more. Finally, ensure all cables in your application meet the right approvals for its place of manufacture, such as the National Electrical Code (NEC), UL, CE, RoHS, and CSA, among others.