Cable jackets are not all created equal. In actuality, there are a variety of materials for industrial cables, and depending on your location, each one has a different set of advantages and functions. So why is cable jacketing important? The answer is simple. Cables would be helpless against chemicals, abrasion, severe temperatures, and more without a jacket and require frequent replacement if they are not shielded from external elements. Still, it is not to be confused with other cables like marine armoured cables, which is a specific type of cable. Cable jackets are found in every type of covered cable (although exposed wires should not be utilised in any shape or form for safety purposes). It has to be noted that cable jacket is different from shielded cables.
What is a cable jacket?
A cable jacket is the external covering that connects the internal cable parts. The inside insulation and conductors of cables are shielded by jacketing from the abrasive outside conditions. While it may come in different materials, there are often common materials used due to their high durability, flexibility and other key functions that will be expounded on below.
Features and Benefits Of Cable Jackets
There are many distinct characteristics of cable jackets, but the basic characteristics and advantages they provide are listed below.
- Abrasion resistance: Abrasion refers to any harm that your cable’s jacketing material sustains while moving through a rough surface. Your cable’s conductors are protected by an abrasion-resistant cable jacket.
- Flexibility and flex life: These are two factors that will define how flexible the cable is, how much movement it can withstand, and how controllable it is during installation. The jacket of a cable can also affect its flex life and capacity to tolerate continuous flexing action without suffering damage.
- Chemical resistance: A cable’s jacket may swell, split, or harden if it is exposed to chemicals, coolants, or oils. The life expectancy while exposed to these substances will depend on one’s chemical resistance.
- Flexibility in cold weather: Flexible materials for cable jackets must be able to withstand extremely low temperatures without cracking. This benefit applies to locations where cables are exposed to extremely low temperatures, such as freezers, and to arctic or winter regions.
- Heat and flame resistance: Helps maintain ambient temperature and prevents cable failure and downtime in high-temperature applications.
- Colour: No, it’s not just for decorative purposes. Colour is mostly used for identification, safety, and aesthetic purposes. Various colours are depicted with industry guidelines or utilised in accordance to a company’s internal guidelines.
Common materials for cable jackets
PVC (Polyvinylchloride) is a flexible, low-cost insulating material with great flame resistance, regarded as a general-purpose jacket for OEMs in applications where regulatory ratings, such as TC-ER (Tray) and FT-4, are crucial (Flame).
Medical grades of TPR/TPV (thermoplastic rubber/elastomer) are also available, and their safety functions exceed USP Class VI requirements. They have high chemical resistance and perform well at low temperatures. TPR/TPV materials work well in low-temperature settings like industrial freezers and settings where solvents like Skydrol are present.
Other materials like fluoropolymers, polyurethane, rubber and more are also utilised depending on the specific purpose and function.
So which Cable Jacket Material Is Your Best Choice?
It all depends on the environment and usage you utilise your wires for. A list of factors to consider are listed here:
- Ozone resistance
- Heat
- Cold
- UV exposure
- Abrasion
- Flexing
- Fluid resistance
- Tear resistance
- Chemicals
- Nuclear radiation resistance
- Dielectric strength
- Oil
Choosing the right jacket type can help lower failures and reduce downtime and costs. Every environment or circumstance is different, which is why selecting the right cable jacket is so essential. When in doubt, rely on the help of a trained expert.
Conclusion
The construction of every cable product takes jacket material into consideration. Our engineers and product managers design solutions for each type of environment and application using only high-performance materials. Contact a representative at Cable Source, a Singapore cable company, today and we’ll use our years of industry experience to help make the right wire and cable choice fit for the job of your specification.
