EoW January 2009

english technology news

Newmanufacturing concept for precision micro flexible flat cables (FFC)

ABB’s BritNed contract

ABB is providing the cables for a high-voltage connection between the power grids of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The company began manufacturing the high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables in August 2008 and expects to complete the 500km of cable needed for the contract in April 2010. The $350 million contract was awarded jointly by UK’s National Grid and state-owned TenneT in the Netherlands. The 260 kilometre BritNed link will allow energy trading between the two countries and increase the reliability of electricity supplies to both. “BritNed is another step towards an integrated electricity network for Europe,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s power systems division. “We are proud to demonstrate once again that we have the technologies needed to modernise the European grid, stabilising supplies and increasing capacity.” The cables will provide a link between the Isle of Grain in Kent and Maasvlakte in the Netherlands. Laying of the land-based sections was scheduled for late 2008, while the marine cable installation is expected to begin in April 2009. The 119mm diameter sea cables will weigh approximately 44kg per metre and will be installed by cable-laying vessels. When completed, the system will have a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW) and is expected to be in operation by the beginning of 2011. HVDC technology is used to transport electrical power over long distances with low losses using underground or submarine cables. Power flow can be exactly controlled and the technology also prevents disturbances from spreading, making a significant contribution to the stability of the European grid. ABB pioneered the technology in the 1950s, when the company built the world’s first commercial HVDC transmission link in Sweden, and has since supplied more than half of the world’s HVDC projects, providing an installed transmission capacity of more than 45,000 MW. Previous ABB HVDC projects include the world’s longest underground power link (in Australia) and the world’s longest underwater connection, the NorNed project.

FFC with 12 Cu conductors 0.035 x 0.6mm ▲ ▲

for the production of FFCs using UV cured resins, thus ensuring the perfect geometrical accuracy of the cable at high production speeds. The procedure can also be employed inline with an extruder to position the individual flat cables accurately as they enter the extruder head. The same system, with some detail modification, also allows the coating of fine steel wire in varying colours. Medek & Schoerner GmbH – Austria

Flexible flat cables (FFCs) have found widespread use in the automotive and IT industries. Lamination and extrusion are the processes most commonly used for the production of FFCs but the disadvantage of lamination is its extremely low production speed. Extrusion is unsuitable for the production of micro FFCs due to the high temperatures and pressures encountered in the extruder head, and these make it impossible to maintain accurate geometrical dimensions and precise positioning. Medek & Schoerner has developed a new unpressurised cold process

Fax : +43 1 982 72 96 Email : m+s@medek.at Website : www.medek.at

ABB Ltd – Switzerland Website : www.abb.com

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EuroWire – January 2009