How do the products of control cable manufacturers adapt to different industries?

The products of control cable manufacturers are adapted to different industries in the following multiple ways:

Material selection:

Conductor material: Usually, high-quality copper, aluminum or aluminum alloy is adopted. Copper has excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, making it suitable for industries with high requirements for signal transmission quality, such as electronics and communications. Aluminum or aluminum alloys have the advantages of light weight and low cost, and can be used in industries that are cost-sensitive and have relatively low requirements for electrical conductivity, such as general industrial power transmission.

Insulating materials: Select appropriate insulating materials based on the demands of different industries, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), low smoke zero halogen (LSZH), etc. PVC insulating materials are low in cost and easy to process, making them suitable for industrial control and building electrical fields in general environments. XLPE features high-temperature resistance and high insulation strength, and is often used in industries such as power systems and transportation where cable performance is highly demanded. LSZH material produces less smoke and toxic gases when burning, and is highly safe. It is suitable for crowded places or industries with high environmental protection requirements, such as subways and high-rise buildings.

Sheath material: Generally, materials such as PVC or LSZH are used as the sheath to provide mechanical protection. In some special industries, such as the petrochemical industry, sheath materials with oil resistance and chemical corrosion resistance may be adopted. In situations where UV resistance or weather resistance is required, such as outdoor power facilities or airports, corresponding weather-resistant sheath materials will be selected.

Structural design

The number of cores: The number of cores of control cables is determined according to the control signal requirements of different industries. In the field of industrial automation, due to the need to control multiple devices and transmit various signals, multi-core cables, such as 10-core, 24-core or even more core cables, may be adopted. For some simple control scenarios, such as lighting control in buildings, cables with fewer cores, such as 2 cores or 3 cores, may be used.

Shielding: For industries with complex electromagnetic interference environments, such as the electronics industry, power distribution in the power system, and power grid monitoring, Shenhua Electric Group (Anhui) Co., Ltd. will use control cables with shielding layers. The shielding layer can effectively prevent the interference of external electromagnetic waves to the control signal, ensuring the stability and accuracy of signal transmission. The shielding methods include overall shielding, individual shielding and double-layer overall shielding, etc. The appropriate shielding structure can be selected according to the specific interference intensity and signal type.

Armored: In some industries that need to withstand significant mechanical external forces or have high requirements for cable protection, such as mining and railways, armored control cables are used. The armor layer usually adopts steel wire armor (SWA) or copper wire braided shielding, which can enhance the cable's tensile resistance, compressive resistance and puncture resistance, and protect the core wire inside the cable from damage.

Performance characteristics:

Flame retardant and fire-resistant performance: In some industries with high requirements for fire safety, such as construction, transportation (subways, tunnels, etc.), petrochemicals, etc., control cables need to have flame retardant and fire-resistant performance. Manufacturers will adopt flame-retardant insulating materials, add flame retardants, and set up fire-resistant layers, etc., to ensure that the cables can prevent the spread of flames during a fire and maintain normal working capacity for a certain period of time, thus buying time for personnel evacuation and fire rescue.

Temperature resistance performance: The working environment temperatures in different industries vary greatly. For instance, in the steel and metallurgy industry and near high-temperature furnaces and kilns, the ambient temperatures are relatively high. However, in some cold regions or special low-temperature environments, cables need to have low-temperature resistance performance. Manufacturers will select appropriate materials and processes based on different temperature requirements to produce control cables that maintain stable performance at high temperatures, do not become brittle at low temperatures, and do not affect signal transmission.

Anti-interference performance: In addition to anti-interference through the shielding layer, manufacturers will also optimize the structural design and material selection of the cable, reduce crosstalk between different core wires inside the cable, and enhance the cable's resistance to external electromagnetic interference. For some industries with extremely high requirements for signal accuracy, such as aerospace and precision instrument manufacturing, special anti-interference technologies and materials are adopted to ensure the accuracy and stability of control signals.

Product standards and certifications: Different industries have different requirements for product standards and certifications of control cables. Manufacturers need to produce in accordance with relevant industry standards and international standards, such as GB/T 9330-2008 "Plastic Insulated Control Cables" for the electrical industry, GB 50303-2015 "Code for Acceptance of Construction Quality of Building Electrical Engineering" for the construction industry, and TB/T 3073 "Cables for Railways" for the transportation industry, etc. At the same time, in order to meet the demands of exports and international markets, it is also necessary to obtain international certifications such as CE certification and UL certification to prove that the products comply with international standards and enhance their market competitiveness.

Customized services: Control cable manufacturers usually provide customized services for different industries. According to the special requirements of customers, such as special cable lengths, colors, markings, packaging, etc., as well as specific technical requirements, personalized product design and production are carried out. For instance, in some large-scale engineering projects, customers may require cables to have special waterproof and moisture-proof structures, or to print specific labels and numbers on the cable surface. Manufacturers can customize according to these requirements to meet the personalized needs of customers from different industries.