Choosing the right type of cable for your application can be a complicated affair, no matter if the cable is for a medical, industrial, aerospace or other market. There are multiple factors for cable selection that directly affect the performance of a given cable choice. These factors will also have a direct impact on the application or assembly of the cable, which impacts speed, cost and efficiency of production. Selecting the right cable is not just an exercise in choosing materials and products. Building the right cable assembly demands an understanding of all phases of design, testing and production, ensuring that from the first to the millionth, the product is perfect every time.
Specific Cable Selection Criteria
When determining cable selection criteria, it’s vital to think about the end product and purpose. Of course, your customized Cable Solutions® allows your organization to hold an ISO 9001:2015 certification, follow RoHS and REACH standards or maintain FDA and ITAR registered status. But when choosing the correct cable for your operation, you also need to consider what is important to your specific application and Sava will help you figure out how to meet those sophisticated requirements.
Performance Expectations
Another critical cable specification is the desired lifespan of the cable assembly. For example, if flexibility is required, the cable’s construction and jacketing, pulley diameters and load coalesce to determine the proper cable selection. Thus, the life expectancy needed for the intended usage involves the balancing of these and other variables. On cyclical applications, the ideal cable choice should be capable of handling at least 10 times the load it will bear under tension.
Elasticity
In some cases, the cable function needs to be elastic and handle stretching. It must return to original shape and integrity after the load is released. For example, this could apply in systems in which shock needs to be absorbed repeatedly.
Working Environment
The environment influences the product choice as well. In some cases, cable is insulated to protect itself from damage, but that may introduce additional friction, which would hamper performance of push pull assemblies.
Cable Terminations
The groundwork of all cable assemblies is cable end preparation. For many applications, the cable has to be cleanly cut and fused, so the integrity of the strand is not compromised. In other cases, a fitting is swaged on the cable end. Alternatively, if the application doesn’t require fused ends, a cost-effective solution would be to mechanically cut the cable ends.
Customers should always make sure that the assembly and design has been fully tested. Proof loading is a vital step in ensuring world-class quality along the entire production line. It demonstrates that that assembly can handle the load desired, as well as removing constructional stretch.
Get Started with a Trusted Manufacturer
The cable selection process always starts with identifying the expected purpose and function of the end product. Sava can help. With almost 50 years of cable manufacturing experience, we can provide industry-leading advice from concept to production. Contact us today for your custom cable manufacturing and supplies.
