How to avoid cable shielding failure

Broken cable shields can cause major issues, such as increased electromagnetic interference (EMI), and costly downtime. That’s why it’s important to consider cable shield design when selecting the right cables for your moving mechanical application.

Many industrial power and control cables use metallic shields, many copper, to limit the effects of EMI, but not every manufacturer uses the same braid angle for those shields. So-called “chain-suitable” cables for continuous flexing typically use lower braid angles, which can cause the shield to expand over the radius and break apart. Those broken ends can make their way into other parts of the cable and cause conductor shorts or other problems.

igus® chainflex® cables, on the other hand, are designed with a larger, optimized braid angle that helps prevent the shield strands from breaking over the linear axis and increases torsional stability. The shield has an optical coverage of approximately 90% for maximum shield effectiveness. Below is a list of additional chainflex® cable design features that can help you avoid cable failure:

• Strain-relieving center element
• Optimized conductor design
• Optimized insulation material
• Special bundle design
• Gusset-filled extrusion
• Shielding with optimized braid angle
• Abrasion-resistant jacket materials
• Torsionally-optimized insulation materials and mechanical damping elements
• Shield structure optimized for torsion

Benefits:

• Prevents conductor breakdown and short circuit
• No corkscrewing
• Minimized wear
• For tough environments
• Highest EMC protection
• For torsional movements (on robots, for example)
• Reliable data transmission CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6A, CAT7