EoW July 2007

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EuroWire – July 2007 46
english technology news
Production line for
sheathing high
voltage cables
The specifications for high voltage cable
require a special cable design. The cable
core of such cables can be provided with
a metallic sheath (aluminium, copper,
steel or even their alloys) in a very high
stability. The metal sheath with helical
corrugation is water and gas tight and
ensures flexibility, as well as high impact
and pressure stability.
Nexans has developed its UNIversal
WElding machine (UNIWEMA®). For
sheathing of high voltage cables the
UNIWEMA® 200 is best suitable in the core
diameter range of 45-200mm.
The sheath can be applied continuously
with, for instance, aluminium of approx.
0.5-2.5mm wall thickness, depending on
the cable core diameter in a very economic
process compared to the conventional
extrusion or press technology.
In the UNIWEMA® process, a metal strip
is introduced into the machine and, in
a single operation, the strip edges are
trimmed and formed around a cable core.
The opposing strip edges are welded
with the TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding
method.
The standard UNIWEMA® is equipped with
a single electrode. In case of applications
where the maximum allowable welding
current with one electrode is insufficient
(eg for thicker strips or if higher speeds
are desired) the UNIWEMA® can also be
operated with a 3-electrode welding torch
system, Polyarc welder.
For fully continuous TIG welding, Nexans
has developed a new system called
TwinTorch® which consists of two torches,
control programme and two welding
rectifiers.
If the worn out electrode has to be
changed the PLC controlled process will
ignite the second torch. The worn out
electrode can then be exchanged easily.
The TwinTorch® technology ensures an
uninterrupted, high quality welding seam
without any welding defects. A split clamp
caterpillar capstan located downstream
from the welding station pulls the
sheathed cable through the machine and,
if added flexibility is desired, pushes it to
the corrugation unit.
The perfect coordination of the forming
and welding operations with the split
clamp caterpillar capstan is a precondition
for obtaining a uniform welded seam, thus
ensuring optimum product quality.
Nexans Deutschland Industries GmbH
& Co KG – Germany
Fax: +49 511 676 3777
Email:
Website :
On the production line ▲
High-speed ultrasonic
wire cleaning
GEO-Reinigungstechnik (GEO), Germany,
offers tailor-made surface cleaning
solutions for continuous line profiles.
Due to a patented high-performance
ultrasonic cleaning method, the surfaces
of wires and tapes can be cleaned in-line
at high-processing speeds and within
confined spaces.
The company’s product range is
enhanced through the brush and high-
pressure cleaning processes, which offer
solutions for many applications.
GEO has recently supplied a high speed
cleaning unit as part of a multi-level steel
wire cleaning and processing system to
a French customer.
The machine is designed for speeds
up to 10m/sec. Cleaning, rinsing and
drying are integrated in a stable casing
of 4.30m long.
To increase the contact time with the
ultrasound, the wire is guided three
times through a pair of ultrasonic
sonotrodes by redirection. Designed to
user specifications, the water treatment
units are separated and easy to access.
For all its lines, GEO uses specially
designed high-pressure water rinsing and
ultra efficient air wiping that can also be
purchased by itself or added to existing
lines. These particular features can be
used on single-wire or multi-wire lines.
GEO-Reinigungstechnik GmbH
– Germany
Fax: +49 25429 29791
Email:
Website :
New to the range
Cemsa, Italy, has recently produced a new
machine belonging to the GRG–NT-3PH
series, which is designed for the production
of gratings for walking surfaces or for
protection fencings, and for the production
of panels for stairs or gangways.
Cemsa – Italy
Fax: +39 022533307
Email:
Website :