Wire and cable: the core material of power transmission
Wires and cables are wire products used for electrical, electrical and related transmission purposes, which are mainly used to transmit electrical energy, information and realize electromagnetic energy conversion. Here is a detailed explanation of the definition of wire and cable:
definition
- In a broad sense: wire and cable, also referred to as cable, generally refers to various wire products used to transmit electric (magnetic) energy, information and realize electromagnetic energy conversion.
- In a narrow sense: cable refers specifically to an insulated cable, which consists of one or more insulated cores and their respective possible cladding, total protective layer and outer sheath, and may also include additional uninsulated conductors.
Main composition:
- Wire: It is the most basic component of the product for current or electromagnetic wave information transmission function, made of copper, aluminum, copper-clad steel, copper-clad aluminum and other non-ferrous metals with excellent conductivity, and sometimes optical fibers are also used.
- Insulation layer: Wrapped around the periphery of the wire, it plays the role of electrical insulation, ensuring that the transmitted current or electromagnetic waves and light waves only travel along the wire and do not flow to the outside, and at the same time isolate the potential on the conductor to ensure the safety of external objects and people. The main materials include PVC, PE, XLPE, polypropylene PP, fluoroplastic F, rubber, paper, mica tape, etc.
- Filling structure: It is used for multi-core cables, so that the outer diameter of the finished cable is relatively round, which is convenient for tape wrapping and squeezing the sheath. The main material is PP rope.
- Shielding layer: isolate the electromagnetic field in the cable product from the external electromagnetic field, and some cable products also need to isolate each other between different pairs or wire sets. The main materials include bare copper wire, copper-clad steel wire, tinned copper wire, etc.
- Sheathing: Protect the wire and cable product as a whole, especially the components that protect the insulation layer, so that it can operate safely in various environments.
Classification and use
- Classified by structure and use: wires and cables mainly include bare wires, cloth wires and power cables for electrical equipment, cross-linked cables and communication optical cables. Among them, there is no strict boundary between “wire” and “cable”, and products with a small number of cores, small product diameter, and simple structure are usually called wires, those without insulation are called bare wires, and others are called cables.
- Classification according to conductor cross-sectional area: the larger conductor cross-sectional area (more than 6 square millimeters) is called a large cable, the smaller one (less than or equal to 6 square millimeters) is called a small wire, and the insulated wire is also called a cloth wire.
- Classified according to the use environment: such as flame retardant cables, fire-resistant cables, low-smoke halogen-free cables, etc., which are used to meet the safety and use requirements in specific environments.
The main process and technical processes
The production of wires and cables involves a number of technological processes, such as drawing, stranding, insulation extrusion, cable formation, armoring, sheath extrusion, etc. The combination of production processes varies depending on the product model and specification.
The main place of use
Wires and cables are widely used in the power generation, distribution, transmission, transformation and power supply lines of the power system, as well as the power connection and control signal transmission of various electrical equipment and appliances in urban and rural, rural, industrial and agricultural areas.
To sum up, wires and cables are indispensable basic materials in the fields of electricity, electrical and related transmission, with a wide variety of applications and play a vital role in the development of modern society.