WCA May 2010

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Photo credit: Gladding Braided Products

Braiding, knitting and weaving machinery & equipment D rawing on textile, nautical, and fibre techniques, these procedures have a dual background that may be unique in the wire and cable industry. More than other methods of turning wire to sophisticated purposes, they require an artisan’s feel for the possibilities of materials together with an engineer’s grasp of their limitations. And they recall attention to such basics as wire gauge: too thick and it is difficult to manipulate; too thin, it will be prone to breakage. Elementary, yes, but in a braided flexible connector with a 15-inch 2 cross-section, a minute error in either direction could mean a breakdown in a huge power or distribution transformer. An Internet site for jewellery designers describes knitting with wire as “the ultimate in unusual, versatile crafting.” The professionals whose products and services are reviewed here would very likely agree.

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Wire & Cable ASIA – May/June 2010