The differences between control cables and computer cables

Control cables and computer cables have obvious differences in application scenarios, functional characteristics, structural design, etc. The following is a specific comparison:

I. Application Scenarios

Control cable

· Application: Mainly used for transmitting control signals, power signals or weak currents, and connecting industrial equipment, instruments and meters, automation systems, etc.

· Common scenarios: equipment control on factory production lines, automation systems in buildings, relay protection circuits in power systems, etc.

· Features: It needs to adapt to complex industrial environments, such as wear resistance, anti-interference, high or low temperature resistance, etc.

Computer cable

· Application: It is used for data transmission of computers and peripheral devices, connecting hosts, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, etc.

· Common scenarios: offices, data centers, home networks and other office or civilian environments.

· Features: Emphasizes the stability and anti-interference capability of high-speed data transmission, and some need to support high-frequency signals (such as video and network signals).

Ii. Functional Characteristics

Control cable

· Transmission signal type:

· DC or low-frequency AC signals (such as 4-20mA current signals, 0-10V voltage signals).

· Power supply (such as 24V DC power supply).

· Anti-interference requirements:

Generally, single-layer shielding (such as copper tape shielding) is adopted, and in some scenarios, double-layer shielding is required to resist electromagnetic interference (EMI).

· Transmission rate: Low-speed transmission, with stability and reliability at the core.

Computer cable

· Transmission signal type:

High-frequency digital signals (such as USB 3.2, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet gigabit / 10-gigabit signals).

· It needs to support high-speed data transmission (such as a data rate of several gigabytes per second).

· Anti-interference requirements:

Most of them adopt double-layer shielding (such as aluminum foil + copper braided), and some high-end cables use independent shielding (such as each core wire of HDMI cables being shielded separately).

It may include impedance matching design (such as network cables with a characteristic impedance of 100Ω) to reduce signal reflection and attenuation.

· Transmission rate: High-speed transmission, which must meet protocol standards (such as 40Gbps for USB4 and 10Gbps for 10-gigabit Ethernet).

Iii. Structural Design

Control cable

Conductor:

Most of them are copper cores with relatively small cross-sectional areas (such as 0.5mm², 1.0mm²), and in some scenarios, multi-strand twisted conductors are used to increase flexibility.

· Insulation layer:

The commonly used materials are polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) or cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), with emphasis on insulation performance and mechanical strength.

· Sheath:

· Use wear-resistant and oil-resistant materials (such as PVC, rubber), and some need to be flame-retardant (such as ZR-type control cables).

· Number of core wires:

It has a large number of cores (such as 2 cores, 4 cores, 10 cores or even more), and can be customized for multi-core combinations.

Computer cable

Conductor:

High-purity oxygen-free copper (OFC) or tin-plated copper, and some high-end lines use silver or copper alloys to reduce signal loss.

The conductor structure is more refined (such as 8-core twisted-pair cables in network cables and multiple coaxial cables in HDMI cables).

· Insulation layer:

Shenhua Electric Group (Anhui) Co., Ltd. adopts low dielectric constant materials (such as fluoroplastics PTFE and foamed PE) to reduce signal delay and distortion.

· Sheath:

· The material is softer (such as PVC, TPE), which is convenient for wiring; Some high-end cables use nylon or metal braided sheaths for enhanced protection.

· Core wire structure:

More twisted-pair cables (such as network cables) or coaxial cables (such as HDMI and USB cables) are used to reduce crosstalk and electromagnetic interference through physical structures.

Iv. Standards and Certifications

Control cable

· Common standards:

· National standards (GB/T 9330), IEC 60227 (low-voltage cables), etc.

· Certification:

It must comply with industrial safety standards (such as flame retardant certification and withstand voltage test).

Computer cable

· Common standards:

· Comply with specific interface protocol standards (such as USB-IF, HDMI Forum, IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard).

· Certification:

It needs to be certified by industry associations (such as USB certification, HDMI certification) to ensure that compatibility and performance meet the standards.

V. Comparison of Key Points for Selection

Dimension

Control cable

Computer cable

Core requirements

Stable signal, resistant to industrial interference, and mechanical strength

High-speed transmission, low latency and high bandwidth

Environmental adaptability

Oil-resistant, heat-resistant (such as -40 ℃ to 105℃), and vibration-resistant

Resistant to bending (such as frequent plugging and unplugging of USB cables) and electromagnetic interference

Interface type

Terminal interfaces, aviation plugs and other industrial interfaces

Standard interfaces such as USB, HDMI, RJ45, and DisplayPort

Typical model

KVV (Polyvinyl chloride Insulated control Cable), KVVP (Shielded type)

CAT6 (Category 6 network cable), USB3.0 Type-C, HDMI 2.1

Summary

Control cables are the "nerve veins" in industrial scenarios, with the core of stably transmitting control signals, emphasizing environmental adaptability and reliability.

Computer cables are the "information superhighway" of the digital world, aiming at high-speed data transmission and relying on precise structural design and protocol standards.

When selecting a model, a comprehensive judgment should be made based on the specific application scenario (industrial control/data transmission), signal type (low-speed analog/high-speed digital), and environmental requirements (weather resistance/flexibility).