EoW July 2008

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EuroWire – July 2008 59
taping, armouring & sheathing of cables
Mixer compounds
Mixer has been manufacturing cable compounds since 1996. The company now produces
insulation, sheathing, filling and masterbatch cable compounds with both rubber and
thermoplastic. The trademark Ekopren® products are based on halogen free polymers
and additives with low toxicity and clear smoke emission. The Mixer range includes heavy
metal free, high LOI and fire/oil/ozone resistant compounds. Fully automated production
lines and advanced testing facilities maintain consistent quality of an annual production
of 20,000 metric tons of cable compounds. Banbury internal mixers and strainer extruders
are used to manufacture compounds in granule (pellet) form.
Mixer offers technical and engineering services to assist cable manufactures to adapt
their equipment to extrude compounds in pellet form. Mixer’s on-site laboratory is at
customers’ disposal for testing material properties and behaviours. Clients can request
tests of their products in order to verify the correct cross-linking of materials, the correct
extrusion behaviour and if product complies with standards. Engineering assistance
is available to maximise the results of extruder machinery. Mixer expertise includes
designing and constructing modifications to existing equipment as well as optimising
operational parameters during extrusion.
Mixer SpA – Italy
Fax: +39 0545 47038 Email: Website:
Geca-Tapes offering
better protection
for less
The newly developed GT609 from
Geca-Tapes is a semi-conductive,
nonwoven, strong, light, impermeable
tape that can be used as a wrapping,
bedding and separating layer. GT609
was developed at PGI Geca-Tapes’ R&D
facility in Bailleul, France.
The thin (0.15mm), strong construction
(90N/cm) of GT609 allows it to be
applied longitudinally as well as heli-
cally, protecting the conductor or the
insulation sheath during extrusion,
wire armouring, handling or temporary
storage, and makes it a lighter
alternative to existing wrapping and
bedding tapes.
More importantly, the high quality of
the GT609’s base web and carbon black
finish provides Geca-Tapes’ users with a
pinhole-free, impermeable, peripheral
wrapping tape, preventing the extruded
compound from migrating towards the
conductor during the extrusion process.
A variety of tapes are already used for
similar purposes but, in order to be
fully effective, they need to be applied
in two layers.
GT609 can be applied longitudinally in
a single layer, hence providingmaterials
usage savings as high as 30%.
PGI Geca-Tapes – France
Fax: +33 3 28 43 74 63
Email:
Website:
Dow Wire & Cable has announced a complete portfolio of insulation, semi-conductive and jacketing compounds for high and extra
high voltage underground cables in Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa. Dow Wire & Cable is building on the success of its
super-smooth, extra-clean semi-conductive compounds, HFDA-0801 BK EC for high voltage and HFDA-0801 BK HV for extra high
voltage. Both have already been proven in many high and extra high voltage underground transmission systems across Europe.
“Demand for reliable underground power cable systems is growing rapidly in many parts of the world. Drivers for growth include
the increased power demand globally, difficulty for utilities to obtain new rights of way for overhead lines, as well as the need to
interconnect national/regional power grids for greater supply security,” said Robert Tarimo, market manager for Europe, India, the
Middle East & Africa.
Dow Wire & Cable’s range for the manufacture of high and extra high voltage underground cables (from 66 kV to 500 kV) in the
Europe, India, Middle East and Africa regions includes:
• insulation: HFDK-4201 SC and HFDK-4201-EHV, extra-clean crosslinked insulation compounds for HV and EHV respectively
• inner and outer semi-conductive layers: HFDA-0801 BK EC and HFDA-0801 BK HV, super-smooth, extra-clean semi-conductive
compound for HV and EHV respectively
• jacketing: A choice of DGDR-6800 BK (a black high density polyethylene compound) or DGDK-6862 NT (a self-colouring
polyethylene compound, where an alternative colour to black is required); also DHDA-7708 BK (a semi-conductive black
polyethylene compound that can be added into the jacketing mix to enhance cable integrity testing after production, installation
and during usage)
DowWire & Cable – Europe Tel: +32 3450 2240 Website:
Plastics for high and extra high voltage underground cables
Polifibra (Milan) invests each year more
than 4% of its turnover in R&D activities.
A recent development has been a range
of shielding tapes that are produced with
a lubricant applied to the aluminium
face. The purpose of this additional layer
is to help to reduce the adverse effects
of friction created during the forming
process. The friction can cause stretching
and even breaking of the tape, which
in turn creates problems with machine
down time and costly repairs. Polifibra
worked closely with one of its customers
to develop a coating that was both
indistinguishable to the naked eye and
indeed inert. The application of the
slippery coating enabled considerably
fewer breakages; improved performance
of the tape itself when forming around the
wires and of course increased productivity
for the customer.
Polifibra’s dedicated R&D resource has
also developed a shielding tape, destined
for the high-speed (10gbps) LAN cable
market. This product, described as
“revolutionary”, is working well and has
enabled the development of a previously
untapped market; the product and design
have now been patented, protecting both
the customer and Polifibra.
Polifibra SpA – Italy
Fax: +39 039 60 61 300
Email:
Website:
Specially developed cable
products from Polifibra