Reverse Engineering: Why you need it and when.

Do you need a wire or cable and have no idea what it is? You are not alone, it happens more times than not especially for equipment repairs, obsolete parts and failure analysis. When do you need to have a cable reversed engineered? You may like a particular cable’s performance or you have a piece of cable that you or your customer may want more of but don’t know what it is or who manufactured it. Then reverse engineering is the answer. Who performs this service? Most custom wire and cable manufacturers can assist you.

Reverse engineering wire or cable is commonly performed to determine:

• Conductor stranding and material.
• Cable construction
• Insulation and jacket materials

Custom wire and cable manufacturers routinely reverse engineer wire and cable to identify the materials used and the cable construction. It is best to provide a sample between 1 to 2 feet if possible and keep in mind it will be dissected in the process.

Outer jacket
Reverse engineering wire and cable begins with measuring the outside diameter (OD) of the wire or cable. The longer the piece the better it is to obtain the nominal OD. The outer jacket is carefully removed to expose the core. Normally, cross sections are taken of the outer jacket to measure wall thickness. Jacket material is tested to identify the type of material used.

Braid, shield or tape
If there is a braid or shield the construction will be examined. The pitch, number of ends, material and coverage can be determined at this point. If there is a tape wrap present, the overlap,  type of material and size will be examined.

Core construction
The next step is to examine the cabling construction. Once the shield and/or tape is removed the following can be determined: Cable lay or twists per inch, filler material used, the use of strength members, number of conductors and conductor color code.

Conductors
The conductor material, plating used (if any), gauge and conductor strand count and construction are checked. A cross section of the conductor will identify the wall thickness of the insulation and OD. At this point the insulation material will be identified.

Insulation and jacket materials
There are several ways to identify the materials used for insulation and jackets.  The obvious is the look and feel of the insulation or cable jacket. Computer analysis and burn testing are also used. Plastics and rubber each have distinct characteristics when placed on a flame. Experienced engineers can determine the type of insulation material by whether it burns, melts, or self extinguishes. The odors produced when burned also are distinct to each type of material. Burn testing should only be done by experienced individuals in a controlled environment, gases can be toxic as well as the risk of fire is present.

Failure analysis
Failure analysis is another reason for reverse engineering wire and cable. When a cable fails, determining the cause can many times be done  with reverse engineering to pinpoint the problem. Common problems with handheld devices with poor strain relief is damage to conductors or conductor stranding due to excessive bending. Shielding material can over time damage conductor insulation. Dissecting the cable at the problem area can expose the problem. Custom wire and cable manufacturers can make material suggestions such as the use of higher conductor stranding or alloys, insulation materials or cable construction design alterations based on the findings of reverse engineering.

Applications for Flexible Wire and Cable

Flexible wire can be used for a wide variety of applications in a wide variety of industries. Medical device, aerospace and automation manufacturers often require flexible cables for several of their products. Sometimes a simple description such as, “the wire needs to be as limp as a wet noodle” is enough to understand your needs.  The choice of type of conductor and insulation can greatly influence the flexibility of the cable performance. Understanding what the flexibility requirements are will help to determine the materials and construction for the flexibility of the wire or cable.

When specifying a flexible cable you need tell your cable manufacturer what the intended use will be.  Being as specific as possible when it comes to the requirements of the application will help the engineers design the cable to meet these specifications.

• Do you need to route it through equipment or a tight space?
• Will it be subject to continuous flexing?
• Do you need the cable to flexible during use?

There are several characteristics of flexible wire that make it unique, such as:

• Conductor stranding
• Shield types
• Cable lay 
• Insulation materials. 

In conductor stranding, the more strands a conductor has the more flexible the cable will be.  “Off the shelf” wire and cable is stranded in 7 or 19 strand configurations, which is not flexible enough for most applications requiring flexible or high flex cycles. The general rule is the higher the strand count of the conductor, the more flexible the wire is. Stranded conductors are composed of un-insulated “strands” of wire twisted together. The advantages of stranded conductor over a single strand are increased flexibility and flex-fatigue life. When you see 22AWG (19/34) for example, what the description means is that there are 19 strands of 34 AWG making up the 22 AWG conductor. Other common options for a 22 AWG is a single strand (solid) up to 168/44 strands. The construction of the conductor also plays a role in the cable’s flexibility, for example a rope stranding is the most flexible.  For repetitive flexing applications, the use of high strand alloy material is recommended.
Choosing the right insulation can also add to the cable’s flexibility. Silicone is one the most flexible of the compounds used in wire and cable.  Silicone wire is used to meet a variety of demands such as extreme high and low temperature requirements, flame resistance, flexibility, strength and purity. The application of the cable and the environment that it will be exposed to also plays a role when choosing the right jacket material. Harsh environments, chemicals, and abrasion will narrow down your insulation and jacket options.  Discussing your flexible wire application with an experienced cable manufacturer can help you choose the right materials for the performance and longevity of your product.
To learn more about the applications of flexible wire and other custom cable solutions, please visit: http://www.calmont.com/robotics.php

Finding Wire and Cable for Industrial Applications

Whenever you're dealing with any type of complex wire and cable solution, you have to make sure that you have the best resources available. With things like conductor stranding and other special requirements, there is a lot to take into consideration before you make any kind of investment.  Fortunately, there are several custom wire manufacturers that provide solutions to different types of wire and cable applications. For example, if you need high quality wire that will meet up to the standards required in aerospace applications, you have to find a company that specializes in that product to make sure that you are getting the best, and so on.

It doesn't matter what you have in mind when you are in the market for advanced wire and cable. You really have to take into consideration the special design and characteristics that you need from wire and cable for your project.  From this, you can contact a wire and cable company and they can advise you on the best cable for your usage or if it will require a custom design.  Many people assume that they are limited to the wire and cable that is sold off the shelf because it is more affordable, but that is not the case.  In reality, you are more likely to save money if you take the time to consult with an experienced custom wire company that can make sure you can get the most for your money.

There are hundreds of different industrial applications for specialty cable and wiring including everything from flexible wire and to high temperature cable.  Regardless of how much cable you need or how much money you are willing to spend, wire and cable experts will take the time to find a solution to your problem.  Finding an experienced, professional wire and cable company will ensure that you don’t encounter any problems in the future when putting your wire into use.

Specialty cables have a variety of different purposes out in each industry. Whether you need a wire or cable for a specific type of industry or even for a specific job, it's easy for you to find what you need when you take advantage of having custom cable manufacturers to rely on. With specialty wire and cable, your business can get what it needs and get back to work faster and with less hassle than ever before. Plus, you don't have to spend fortune cables, which is great news to everyone who assumes 'custom' means expensive.

visit http://www.calmont.com/ for more details

                                                                               

Flexible cables or high flex?

Robotic and automation applications require specialized cables that can handle repetitive flexing and movement. Design engineers must consider using custom cables designed to withstand flexing to prevent product failure and down time down the road. Robotic wire applications don't always require extremely flexible wire and cable, withstanding hi-flex environment is usually the main concern.

Flexible cables or high flex? These two terms are often misunderstood. Flexible can mean the limpness of a wire or cable and is used by some to describe high flex. The term high flex wire and cable is usually used to describe repetitive flexing. Can you have both? Yes you may. Ultra flexible wire designs use high strand count conductors for higher flexibility as does high flex wire. High flex wire normally will use alloys for the conductor material while maintaining the high strand count. High strand count conductors are made up of many fine strands of wire, the higher the number of strands the more flexible and resistant to breaking the wire will be. Depending on the wire gauge, strand counts can be in the thousands. Typical off the shelf wire is available in solid, 7 or 19 strands. These stranding configurations are better suited for static type of applications. When a wire has fewer strands, the strands will fatigue and begin to break under repetitive bending, vibration and flexing situations. As the strands break, conductivity will be compromised and may result in damage to the wire insulation. Conductor stranding is available in a variety of configurations.

For best results for high flex robotic cables need to be designed with high strand count conductors preferably using an alloy for added strength. Insulation can vary depending on the application. When designing the insulation and jacket, the environment must be considered. A few considerations are:

• Chemical resistance
• UV resistance
• Abrasion resistance

For super flexible cables, silicone insulation and/or jacket is a great choice. Silicone is resistant to chemicals and one of the most flexible of material choices. The downside to silicone is abrasion resistance. Other flexible wire insulation and jacket materials choices include TPE, polyurethane and Calmont's Superflex which is a special flexible PVC to name a few. Cable construction and shielding options also play a role in flexible wire and cable. Consulting a custom cable manufacturer and discussing the application, environment and use of the robotic cables prior to product design is recommended. Making the right cable design choices from the start will prevent down time and product failure in the future.

Top 3 Choices for Ultra Flexible Wire or Cable

Flexible wire in terms of how limp it is starts with the wire design options. The choices you make can greatly impact how flexible the wire or cable will be. The right choices can make the difference between flexible wire and a super flexible wire. Designing a flexible wire or flexible cable begins with the design. We start at the core, conductor stranding and construction.

1. Conductor stranding: Conductors are made up of fine strands of wire assembled together into several configurations. The more strands in the construction, the more flexible and resistant to repetitive flexing the conductor will be. Conductor stranding options range from a solid strand (one strand) to over a thousand strands depending on the wire gauge. The construction of conductor stranding is important as well. Stranded conductors can be manufactured in a variety of configurations, the most common being concentric (true concentric, equilay concentric, unidirectional concentric, and unilay concentric), bunched and rope.

Conductor stranding with rope construction makes for a more flexible wire. This construction has the advantage of increasing flexibility by using a larger number of finer strands while maintaining a tighter diameter tolerance than a simple bunched construction. Ropes are more evident in the larger AWG sizes, such as 8 AWG and larger, but there are also many applications that require the flexibility of rope constructions in the smaller gauges. Constructions vary and can contain hundreds or thousands of strands. To achieve the most flexible wire design, be sure to use the higher stranded conductors. For flexible wire with repetitive flexing applications, consider using an alloy for fatigue resistance.

2. Insulation: Flexible wire and cable requires a flexible insulation material. There are many choices for insulating materials. The most flexible wire insulation is silicone, together with the right conductor stranding can be as limp as a wet noodle. While silicone is the most flexible wire insulator, it does have poor abrasion resistance. Choosing the right material will depend on your application and use, consult your wire and cable manufacturer to determine which material will work best for your application. Flexible insulation and jacket materials include TPE/TPR, polyurethane and even PVC, Calmont's Superflex® uses a special PVC formula for increased flexibility. When choosing an insulation or jacket material, consider your requirements. Is your application requiring sterilization? Is abrasion resistance required? Temperature, chemical contact and bio-compatibility are other requirements to consider. Calmont's insulation and jacket material chart is a helpful tool.

3. Cable construction: Cable construction is another component for super flexible cables. Cable lay length and shielding can increase the cable's flexibility. The cable lay is how the conductors are cabled together, the wires can run parallel or be twisted around each other. The length between each twist can be adjusted for maximum cable flexibility. Shield options include spiral, braid and Mylar or foil wrap. The application is important when considering shield types. For flexible cables which undergo repetitive flexing, spiral and foil type shield are not good options as the shield coverage will be compromised over time.

If you want a more flexible cable design, contact Calmont Wire & Cable to learn more about material choices.

Conductor Stranding: Poor designs lead to breakage.

Conductor stranding is an important component for applications with hi flex cycles or vibration. The higher the conductor stranding the better the resistance to stress caused by flexing. Custom cables with high strand count conductors are the best choice for these types of applications. Higher conductor stranding also makes for an ultra flexible wire when using the right insulation. Discussing the flex requirements with your wire and cable manufacturer is critical to choosing the right cable construction.

Are there circumstances when conductor stranding doesn't help with wire breakage and loss of conductivity? Yes! Recently, I was asked what type of wire I would recommend for an application that required the wire to be soldered onto a PCB. This person was repairing PCBs experiencing conductor breakage at the solder point due to vibration and he thought the wire was to blame. This is a common problem when the wire is soldered onto PC boards especially now with the use of lead free solders.  Applications such as aerospace that are subject to vibration and movement of the wire can cause stress at the solder point.  The problem has nothing to do with conductor stranding or flexibility of a wire, while it is true that high strand conductors and the use of alloy materials adds strength to the conductors. The reason for this has nothing to do with the conductor stranding or how flexible a wire is, but the termination. Termination with connectors is recommended to solve this problem. Cable assembly and contract manufacturers understand this problem and are using edge cards and other types of connectors for termination with newer PCB applications. The problem is more prevalent among legacy boards that are being repaired where retrofitting connectors is usually not an option. Often times a strain relief cannot be installed due to the nature of the application. The solution to repair this type of problem with the old boards may be as simple as using an epoxy to secure the wire to the board to prevent stress at the termination point.

Having the right strain relief is important especially with handheld devices. The lack of or using the wrong type of strain relief can actually cause a stress point and product failure. Strain reliefs can vary in sizes and materials, consult your cable assembly house or contract manufacturer for guidance. I had a customer experiencing conductor breakage on his handheld tool and sent us a sample for analysis. Though his design used high strand count conductor strands, we found the conductor stranding to be damaged at the strain relief, it was discovered the strain relief design had been changed to a spring which caused added strain to the conductors. He changed his design and the returns on his product ceased.

The moral to the story is that though high stranded conductors do resist the stresses of flexing, the cause of the problem may not be in the cable design. Take the time to consult your cable manufacturer and the contract manufacturer for the best material options for your device.

Conductor Stranding: How important is it?

Conductor stranding can be a bit confusing. Wire and cable is manufactured in a variety of configurations, not all wire is the same. The conductors for wire (aside from solid core) are made of multiple strands of fine wire bunched or twisted together. Conductor stranding plays an important part of the flexibility and the performance life of the wire. The more individual wire strands in a wire, the more flexible, break-resistant and stronger the wire is. Hi flex applications where repetitive flexing is required use different stranding than wire used to wire a building or home. "Off the shelf wire normally is available in solid, 7 strand and 19 strand constructions which is fine for applications not requiring flexibility or repetitive movement.

Repetitive flexing can cause conductor strands to break over time which lowers the conductivity of the wire. Using higher strand wire helps eliminate this problem. High strand wire is used in medical handheld devices, robotics and even headphones.

Many custom wire and cable manufacturers offer high strand wire which you cannot obtain easily from distribution. For example, a 20AWG wire can be manufactured with a solid conductor or solid core all the way to 168 strands. Knowing which conductor stranding option will best suit your needs is important.

Identifying the conductor call out: A typical call out is XX (YY / ZZ). The "X" is the gauge of the wire, "Y" is the number of strands and "Z" is the gauge size of those strands. Once you understand what these numbers mean, identifying the conductor construction is simple. A wire gauge chart is a handy tool to view wire gauge stranding options

The more common conductor stranding configurations are concentric (true concentric, equilay concentric, unidirectional concentric, and unilay concentric), bunched and rope.

Rope stranding is conductor construction consisting of single strands assembled together into concentric or bunched configurations. Rope constructions consist of concentric or bunched members stranded together into the final concentric or bunched configuration. Rope stranding has the advantage of increasing flexibility by using a larger number of finer strands while maintaining a tighter diameter tolerance than a simple bunched construction. Ropes are more evident in the larger AWG sizes, such as 8 AWG and larger, but there are also many applications that require the flexibility of rope constructions in the smaller gauges. Constructions vary and can contain hundreds or thousands of strands.

Depending on the use, the type of conductor is important. Hi flex and load bearing applications would require conductors with higher tensile strength such as alloys. Copper conductors are normally for less rigorous flexing

Flexible wire is a term which can be interpreted in many ways from hi flex to the actual flexibility of the wire. Letting your cable manufacturer know what your expectation is for the flexibility of your wire or cable will help in choosing the right conductor stranding. Calmont has manufactured extremely flexible large gauge wire and cable as big as 4/0 which is limp and flops over the end of a table. Of course insulation and jacket material also plays an important role in making a flexible cable, but the conductor stranding is where you start

Flexible Wire- Conductor and Insulation selection for flexible wire and cable

Medical device, aerospace and automation manufacturers often require flexible cables for their products. Flexible wire and cable can have many interpretations. Sometimes a simple description such as, “the wire needs to be as limp as a wet noodle” is enough to understand your needs. The choice of type of conductor and insulation can greatly influence the flexibility of the cable performance. Understanding what the flexibility requirements are will help to determine the materials and construction for the flexibility of the wire or cable.

When specifying a flexible cable you need tell your cable manufacturer what the intended use will be.

• Do you need to route it through equipment or a tight space?
• Will it be subject to repetitive flexing?
• Do you need the cable to flexible during use?

There are several factors which make a cable flexible, a few are:

• Conductor stranding
• Shield types
• Cable lay
• Insulation materials.

Typically in conductor stranding, the more strands a conductor has the more flexible the wire will be. Normally “off the shelf” wire and cable is stranded in 7 or 19 strand configurations, is not flexible enough for most applications requiring flexible or high flex cycles. The general rule is the higher the strand count of the conductor, the more flexible the wire or cable will be. Stranded conductors are composed of un-insulated “strands” of wire twisted together. The advantages of stranded conductor over a single strand are increased flexibility and flex-fatigue life. When you see 22AWG (19/34) for example, what the description means is that there are 19 strands of 34 AWG making up the 22 AWG conductor. Other common options for a 22 AWG is a single strand (solid) up to 168/44 strands. The construction of the conductor also plays a role in the cable’s flexibility, for example a rope stranding is the most flexible. For repetitive flexing applications such as robotics and automation, the use of high strand alloy material is recommended.

Choosing the right insulation can add to the cable’s flexibility. Silicone is one the most flexible of the compounds used. Silicone wire is used to meet a variety of demands such as extreme high and low temperature requirements, flame resistance, flexibility, strength and purity. The application and environment also play a role when choosing jacket material. Harsh environments, chemicals, and abrasion will narrow down your insulation and jacket options. Discussing your flexible wire application with a cable manufacturer can help you choose the right materials for the performance and longevity of your product