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Transporting earth cables, fibre optic cables, and other wire products is not easy and requires great manpower. For this reason, cable drums in Singapore have been created in order to facilitate the transport of various electrical wires during industrial operations. Nowadays, nearly every industry utilises a cable reeling drum to streamline its cable-related processes. Read on to better understand what a cable reeling drum is and its main parts. 

What is a Cable Reeling Drum?

A cable reeling drum is usually a round, spool-like object used to carry different kinds of electrical wires. Its main function is to transmit electric power through a cable from the junction box situated at the end or centre of the runway to moving machines. Cable reeling drums serve the automatic winding and unwinding of cables. A cable’s winding and unwinding operation is guided through a roller guideway.

Cable reeling drums typically come in four various types, each with its specific uses, namely steel, wood, plywood, and plastic cable reeling drums. Among these types, wooden cable reeling drums are the most conventional. They are usually constructed in resinous wood and can transport heavy loads. For carrying lighter loads, on the other hand, plywood cable reeling drums are often utilised.

However, these days, steel cable reeling drums have already replaced the traditional wooden drums in the wire and cable industry, specifically in the offshore sector. These steel drums can be loaded with various ranges of wires and cables, from the lightest wires to the heaviest cables. Because they are considered sturdier, the offshore industry nowadays prefers steel cable reeling drums over wooden, plywood, and plastic drums.

Primary Components of a Cable Reeling Drum

1. Drum Body

The design of a cable reeling drum is dependent on cable diameter and its characteristics. Oftentimes, the drum body is made from a square or rectangular hollow section.

2. Drive Units 

A cable reeling drum’s drive unit consists of a slipping unit called the ‘contorq unit’, which is mounted on the worm gear box’s worm shaft, and geared motor with brake. The function of the contorq unit is basically to provide reeling cables with an accurate control torque. To adjust this unit, one must remove the flanged mounted geared motor and access the castellated nut designed for such adjustment.

3. Slipring Assembly 

Slipring is utilised to transmit electric power through cable from a cable reeling drum to a moving machine. In order to achieve good contact, this slipring requires a cleaned and well-polished surface. It must be of a type and size adequate to carry a voltage system and nominated cable current. The slipring assembly also needs to be enclosed in a dust-proof cover.

4. Roller Guide Ways

Like the drum body, the selection of the roller guide is dependent on cable diameter. Usually, the roller guide in a mono-spiral type of cable reeling drum is fixed with a crane structure. The rollers of this roller guide must be contoured in order to provide precise guidance with the cable’s winding and unwinding process on the drum.

Conclusion

The primary purpose of a cable reeling drum is to expedite the transport of electric cables and other wire products during industrial operations. This purpose is ultimately achieved by the working of a cable reeling drum’s different components. If you are planning to invest in a reeling drum for cables to be used in your industrial processes, be sure to get one only from a reliable supplier like Cable Source.

As a trusted supplier of different industrial and marine power cables, Cable Source offers an array of cables and other cable-related products that are 100% safe, high-quality, and long-lasting. Among the most excellent products we provide are flexible control cables, instrumentation cables, solar cables, flame retardant and fire resistant cables, rubber insulated cables, and many more. Feel free to browse through our website to learn more about our cable drums in Singapore.