WCA January 2011

Technology news

Compounds for severe conditions A new material blend from S&E Specialty Polymers, featuring extreme toughness and resistance to severe environmental conditions, is being used by a leading custom cable manufacturer in the USA for wire jacketing for wind turbine applications around the world. The blend, designated Tufflex 2200 series, is a chlorinated thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compound that is flame retardant, UV resistant, oil resistant and extremely temperature resistant.

The nacelle at the top of m m the wind turbine tower

Tufflex 2200 series meets the requirements for (UL) type WTTC and CSA type CIC cable products and is suitable for installation in the tower and nacelle of wind turbines, where it is exposed to extreme conditions that include cold, heat and vibration. The finished electrical cables are used for control and service power for the wind turbines. They are critical components for the operation and maintenance of the tower and nacelle. S&E first developed compounds for wind turbine producers in 2005. Ilia Charlat, S&E’s vice-president of engineering, commented: “The specifications have evolved and become much more stringent since then as the use of wind turbines has expanded significantly around the world.” True sequential footage gives precision Cerro Wire LLC, a manufacturer of copper electrical building wire and cable, has introduced True Sequential Footage™, a sequentially printed cable reel that provides accurate wire length with each cut. True Sequential Footage prevents the need to carry excess cable inventory, providing precision length, accurate footage, and cost control. True Sequential Footage uses a footage mark to document remaining wire, beginning with zero at the bottom of the reel and ending with the finished length at the top. The accurate footage mark allows for quick identification of the re-order point, guaranteeing the full purchased wire length and reducing random lengths. This better controls end-of-reel scrap. The need to carry excess inventory is reduced with the precision cutting allowed by True Sequential Footage. Wire normally lost on each cut made with less accurate cutting systems (3 to 8%) is said to be saved when True Sequential Footage’s precision footage marking system is used. S&E Specialty Polymers LLC – USA Fax : +1 978 537 5310 Email : info@sespoly.com Website : www.sespoly.com

Cerro Wire LLC – USA

Website : www.cerrowire.com

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2011