EoW September 2008

Feature

cables, compounds & extruding

Cables, compounds & extruding F or every cable a compound? Not quite, but the number and variety of compounds developed for use in cable applications can suggest custom- craftsmanship. Medium and high voltage cables bound for the power, industrial, mining, distribution and transportation industries incorporate the compounds that uniquely fit them for the work. Control, secondary network and tray cable require compounds for low voltage service. Flame retardant compounds are designed for use in cables for low-smoke, no-halogen and low-toxicity applications. High temperature, appliance, motor lead, automotive: cables able to stand up to the rigours of these specialities are first made robust by their compounds. Similarly, extruding can seem customised, so focused are the concerns of extrusion process engineering. A trade journal in the rubber field reported that improved screw designs for cable extrusion have typically come from extruder equipment manufacturers or polymer compound suppliers, each with a cultivated interest in, and pronounced preference for, a particular polymer. The end user is the ultimate beneficiary of all this particularity but first, the wire making professional will benefit from the highly specialised products and services showcased here.

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EuroWire – September 2008