Seven basic rules for good cables

Motion plastics specialist, igus, has more than 25 years’ experience developing and producing cables for moving applications. Over 2billion double strokes are carried out in its 2,750m2 test lab each year. This week’s video shows the seven basic rules for good dynamic motion cables.

  1. Strain-relieving core: a genuine centre cord is essential, providing protection for the stranded structure during moving applications.
  2. Conductor structure: stranding material must be optimised to cope with the most demanding applications.
  3. Core insulation: high quality, proven insulation materials such as PVC or TPE offer support for the stranded wires.
  4. Cable core: individual conductors should be bundled in groups, then cabled together around the core, a design optimised to deal with compressive and tensile forces.
  5. Inner jacket: a gusset-filled extruded inner jacket helps maintain cable core integrity better than filler or fleece, providing a continuous base for the shield.
  6. Shield design: high-quality, optimised angle braided shield protects the cable from external interference, as well as shielding cable interference into the outside environment.
  7. Outer jacket: the outer jacket must be resistance to UV rays, oils and chemicals, as well as wear and abrasion.