Introduction to Cable Engineering The Fundamentals of Cable Engineering

Continuous supply of electric voltage, by insulation ageing, 1. What cables and con- 2. Explanation
power, or faultless data trans- corrosion, sneak currents, as ductors are required for of general terms
fer respectively, provided well as by unqualified installa- • Electric power transmission
mostly through wiring, are a tion or by incorrectly or badly – for power supply 2.1 Conductor
primary requirement affec- dimensioned design. What Conductor (conductive core)
ting virtually all areas of our is also important is techni- represents a conductive route
life. This results in tough cally correct elaboration of a of electric power and together
requirements for production, wiring project and proper with insulation it forms a wire.
installation and operation of crosscheck of all installation Several wires form a core. A
cables. To be able to design work. Then, in operation, it is sheath protects a cable from
the cables suitably and to necessary to observe rele- external actions.
install them correctly, it is vant operating conditions, a
necessary to have good cable was designed for. • Transmission of data, Metals are conductors of the
knowledge in various fields, signals or impulses – for 1st class. Conductance of
e.g. physics, electrical engi- Employees of the Lapp Group data communication metals is related to the num-
neering, mechanic and other are prepared anytime to help ber of electrons in their outer
applied engineering sciences. you professionally in preven- layer. The most often used
ting any and all consequen- conductor materials are as
Cable failure can be caused, ces, which may be caused by follows:
for example, by mechanical a wiring failure. • Copper (Cu) (in more than
action or electrically by over- 99 % of all applications)
• Aluminium (Al)
Generally, the term of electric • Silver (Ag)
cable means a route for
transmission of el. power, Conductors can be bare or
data or signals betweeen a treated (tinned, silver-coated,
source and an appliance (for gold-coated).
data cables → transmitter and
receiver).

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 Braiding/screening Inside sheath Conductor
Minimum bending radius C, H2, O2, N2, S, e.g.:
It is a characteristic value, • Thermoplastics:
which gives you a degree of PVC, PE, PP, PTFE
Outside sheath Nonwoven textile wrapping Twisted wires
possible cable bending with- • Elastomers (rubber):
out its damaging. It is absolu- CR, SR
Classification according to Stranded core classes tely necessary to respect this • Thermoplastic elastomers:
design: Class 1: compact value, when using a cable in PUR, TPE-E
• Compact core: of a single Class 2: made of tow chains („FD“ cables in
wire (up to 16 mm²) or of multiple wires the Lapp Group programme). An insulated conductor is
multiple wires Class 5: made of fine wires Only maximum outside dia- called a wire.
• Stranded core: made of 7 Class 6: made of meters are shown for highly
to several hundreds of thin extra-fine wires flexible cables; tolerance is
single wires (VDE 0295/ possible only downwards. 2.3 Twisting
IEC 602258). While producing a multiwire
LAPP KABEL ÖLFLEX® FD 90 cable the wires are twisted
Classes of stranded cores are 1 2 5 6 together.
specified in VDE 0295, or
from 0.5 mm² in compliance Example of a conductor with
r 3xD
with IEC 60228 respectively. nominal cross-sectional area
Max. diameter of a single of 16 mm² D

wire and max. conductor D = Cable outside diameter

resistance are critical for the A = π r² or A= π d²/4
core design. The larger cross- A = geometric A cable of wires, a bundle of
sectional area, the lower cross-sectional area 2.2 Insulation wires or a twisted bundle
resistance; the larger length, r = radius Insulation is electrically non- (cable core) is created.
the higher resistance (similar- d = diameter conducting protective layer
ly as for water supply piping). around the conductor. Insula- Reasons for twisting are:
1: solid wire (1 x 4.5 mm) ting materials are applied on • Lower need for space →
2: multiple wires (7 x 1.7 mm) conductors by extrusion. The smaller outer diameters
3: fine wires (122 x 0.41 mm) mostly used insulating mate- • Circular form
rials are compounds of orga- • Flexibility
∅ 1,7 mm ∅ 4,1 mm
nic elements.
Axis of rotation
m
m
5
4,

Torsion length
1 2 3
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2.4 Identification of wires Coloured wires • or by braiding made of Mechanical actions:
(wire identification code) Protective green-yellow wire copper „D“ wires, e.g. abrasion, impact, bending,
To be able to connect the Colour ratio 70:30 ÖLFLEX® ROBOT 900 DP tension, twisting (torsional
wires correctly, they must be swinging)…
uniquely identified. Examples of protections:
braiding of steel wires, bea-
Numbering • or by braiding made ring members, supporting
• All wires are identified of metallized foil (e.g. alu- braiding, protective hoses
by numbers in ascending minium bonded (steamed)
order from 1 to … 2.5 Protection, polyester sheet), e.g. Chemical actions:
• Mostly by white digits on screening, armouring UNITRONIC® BUS EIB acids, caustics, oils, solvents,
black background (insula­ It has 2 main functions: water (from 50 °C)
tion) • Mechanical protection by Examples of protections:
• The only exception is a pro- braiding made of steel sheath materials, such as
tective conductor, which is wires protected from „S“ TEFLON, ROBUST, PUR; pro-
always green-yellow oxidation, e.g. ÖLFLEX® 2.6 Sheath tective hoses
CLASSIC 100 SY The sheath is a closed cover
Numbered wires protecting elements laying Thermal actions:
Protective green-yellow wire under the sheath from exter- cold, heat
Colour ratio 70:30 nal actions (mechanical, ther- Examples of protections:
• Electromagnetic protection mal, chemical or physical mixture with thermal stabili-
(EMC) by braiding made of damages). Correct selection sers, teflon, silicone
1 tinned copper „C“ wires, of sheath material is decisive.
2 3 e.g. ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 110 Physical actions:
CY black 0.6/1 kV 
Protection from Protection from UV radiation, radioactive
immissions emmissions
radiation
Colour code Examples of protections:
• All wires are differentiated mixture with UV stabilisers
by different colours of in­-
sulation The mostly used sheath
• Individual colours are spe- materials are as follows: PVC,
cified in the „Wire Identifi- PUR, SR, CR.
cation Code“
• e.g. according to DIN VDE
0293-308/HD 308 S2
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3. Labelling products of the Lapp Group programme 3. Where the cable will be 6. Other requirements
used? Behaviour in case of fire/
ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 110 4 G 1.5 mm² Environment Non-halogenity
1 2 3 4 Indoor or outdoor Chemical actions:
• Thermal resistance free of compounds har-
1. Brand, identification 4. Cross-sectional area or • UV radiation resistance ming varnish wettability,
2. Number of wires diameter (J-Y(St)Y • Weather resistance free of lead, resistance to
3. G with a protective 4 x 2 x 0.6 mm) … and oils, acids, water
conductor or X without relevant quantity 4. How the cable will be laid? Mechanical actions:
a protective conductor Way of laying resistance to torsional
(green-yellow) Fixed or movable, in a tow strain, to abrasion, to ex­-
chain, positively guided tension strain
(pulleys…)
Cable groups and types
• minimum bending radi- 5. Standards,
Control cables Servo cables Power cables Data cables
us, reversed bending approbations, norms
cycles, tensile forces Approbation is a defined
NF VF
In open or closed cable special standard for cables
ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 110 NYCY; NYCWY; NAYY; Coaxial cables RG
systems (troughs, pipes…) issued by an authorised
ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 130 H H07RN-F; H01N2-D; UNITRONIC® LAN
HITRONIC® HUN
• Current-carrying capa­ body including description of
ÖLFLEX® 191 ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 100
ÖLFLEX® CONTROL TM HITRONIC® POF SIMPLEX PE city, reduction factors design (compositions, materi-
ETHERLINE® TORSION UL
(AWM) CAT.5 In the vicinity of inter­ als, diameters, etc.) and the
ference fields (EMC) use. (see Table T6 and T18).
ÖLFLEX® SERVO FD 755 P UNITRONIC® LiYCY
ÖLFLEX® SERVO FD 795 CP UNITRONIC® FD CP (TP) plus UL/CSA • Screening by copper
ÖLFLEX® FD 90 CY J-Y(ST)Y
UNITRONIC® BUS L2/FIP braid

5. What requirements for

4. Selection criteria norms should be fulfilled?
Which criteria are important? 2. What nominal voltage is National norms, e.g. VDE,
required? HAR, UL, CSA, NOM...
1. What is the purpose of Uo/U
use? 300 V, 500 V,
Description of application 600/1000 V ...

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