The aerospace industry has applications which can be very critical of weight

The aerospace industry has applications which can be very critical of weight; Such as, missiles, rockets and satellites. When looking for ways to cut down equipment, payload, or satellite weight, the cable can be the last thing considered. One way to accomplish weight reduction in aerospace cables is to use metal clad aramid fibers for the shield and braid material instead of the standard copper. Aracon® is one such material which provides exceptional EMI shielding, strength and flexibility. Typically Aracon® fibers can reduce weight 60% in the braid, an overall reduction in cable weight of 26% on the average. Aracon® is combined with DuPont Kevlar® to provide high tensile strength and excellent conductivity. The large number of fine threads and the tendency of yarn to flatten and spread give this material more shielding coverage than copper. In the first photo you can see the amount of fibers on the end of the braid

Benefits for switching from copper braid to Aracon include:

• Overall cable weight reduction
• Added flexibility
• Increased strength
• Withstands repetitive flexing
• Improved EMI shielding coverage

Aracon® fibers are manufactured by only one company Micro-coax Inc. The Aracon® braid can be purchased either with the braid only (sock) or having the braid manufactured onto cables by cable manufacturers such as Calmont Wire & Cable. Calmont has had great success manufacturing cables using Aracon® for the space and military related applications.

The cost of using this type of material is considerably more expensive than the standard copper braid. The cost savings for applications such as satellites where weight savings equate to rocket fuel cost, definitely makes it a value. Depending on your shielding requirements, Aracon® is available with several metallic coatings, thickness and fiber sizes to meet your resistance needs. Consult your cable manufacturer or Micro-Coax for options available to you.

If you would like to learn more about EMI shielding, Aracon® or similar materials contact Calmont today. Your comments are welcome and if you find this article useful, please share it.

ARACON® is a registered trademark of Micro-Coax, Inc. KEVLAR® is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company