The state of Washington had a need for tray cables to be used in some of their dams. The inquiry to Galaxy came via an electrical contractor working with the State of Washington and the Army Corps of Engineers that manages the state’s dams. Along with the specifications, there was a need for some assistance with the design of the tray cables to meet the requirements of the use in a harsh environment.

The project called for 12 different tray cables, each with 2 conductors, so they were all multi-conductor cables. They ranged in size from 10 gauge to 4/0 gauge (small to large). All had a different colored insulation on the conductor to be able to differentiate them, which is not a big design issue, but is very important in use. Agency approval ratings were required, such as UL certification and flame testing. These tray cables were to be used for both power and signal transmission.

Environmental challenges included:

• Used indoors or outdoors, so the design had to consider both
• Possible harsh environments and exposure to oil/chemicals/sunlight
• Possible underground burial
• Flame rating requirements

To meet the specifications and usage needs, Galaxy proposed using CPE jackets for all of the tray cables, because of CPE’s excellent resistance to water, chemicals, UV exposure and fire. Multi-conductor tray cables were recommended because tray cables are better than regular off-the-shelf cables for applications that require rigorous testing. Further, tray cables have a lower installation cost compared to multiple individual cables.

Because Galaxy was able to provide some design recommendations and meet the customer’s requirements for the production and lead time needed, Galaxy was awarded the contract for all of these 12 different tray cables to be used in dams in Washington state.

Please contact Galaxy for assistance with designing and purchasing tray cables for many different applications.

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In this case, the customer needed hook-up wire with UL designation: UL 1726. This is a nickel-plated PFA/ Teflon® wire and it would be exposed to high heat in the product it was being used in. This UL style is not a custom wire, but the customer was having trouble sourcing it. With other suppliers, the usual lead time was 2-3 weeks. But with the current state of the supply chain, the lead times were being extended, first to 5-6 weeks, then it jumped to 15 weeks. These delays were going to affect production, so they sought other sources.

In many cases, Galaxy is able to provide the needed wire with quicker lead times than competitors. Using its vast network of resources, Galaxy was able to provide a quote to supply this high temp wire with shorter lead times while maintaining competitive pricing. So the customer was able to maintain their production schedule because Galaxy was able to deliver faster than the competition.

To take advantage of Galaxy’s capabilities, contact a Sales Engineers at 215-957-8714 today, or use the convenient inquiry form or the custom cable quote form.

Teflon® is a registered trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.

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Galaxy was able to devise a new configuration for this audio cable that replaced the PTFE with FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene). The cable design was also given a few more tweaks, including a larger conductor size. The new cable is not a standard RG142 specification, but RG142 was not a requirement.

The new cable from Galaxy has a lead time of 7-8 weeks, which is about half the previous lead time, and since the FEP material is less expensive than the PTFE material, the cost savings was about 10-20%. So the customer is now ordering from Galaxy, getting these coaxial audio cables faster and at a lower cost.

Galaxy can provide custom audio and video cables as well as assist with design and material selection. Please contact Galaxy for assistance.

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One reason to choose PFA for wire and cable insulation or jacketing is if the application is a high temperature environment. Whereas other fluoropolymers are only rated to 200°C, PFA can withstand temperatures up to 260°C. It exhibits mechanical strength at high temperatures superior to FEP and other fluoropolymers. The higher temperature properties make it hold up longer against heat cycles that might otherwise cause stress cracks. For this reason, PFA is the preferred compound for multi-conductor cables that are sterilized in medical applications via autoclaving.

PFA is also a great choice for low temperature applications, where it maintains useful properties down to temperatures of -200°C. PFA is known for its low-temperature toughness.

Another benefit of PFA is that it can be extruded with very thin walls, due to its dielectric constant. Therefore, the wire will take up significantly less room when bundled together as a cable or grouped together as leads in a wiring harness. It is commonly the material of choice for miniature signal wire applications.

Mechanical toughness is another bonus when choosing PFA as an insulation and jacket material. The low coefficient of friction of PFA allows “pull” installation of long wire lengths, making installation more efficient.  Additionally, PFA can withstand harsh chemicals. When exposed to most industrial solvents and chemicals, PFA is inert.

Galaxy Wire & Cable has been supplying PFA wire and cable for decades and recognizes applications where PFA should be recommended.  Please contact Galaxy to see if PFA is a good choice for your application.

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Why is a vented cable necessary for certain applications?
A device that is measuring pressure, level, or flow in some sort of liquid generally requires a vent tube. This is because any pressure or level transmitter is affected by the atmospheric pressure surrounding it. For cables not in water, it can be equalized by venting the inner chamber of the sensor to the atmosphere around it. Water, or other liquid, poses more of a challenge – it would ruin the electronics of the transmitter or sensor if the liquid were to come in contact. So a vent tube is placed inside the cable to allow for accurate readings while submerged, since it compensates for pressure changes of the surrounding area.

Who uses vent tube cables?
There are numerous types of sensors that utilize vented cables. Devices such as submersible level transmitters that measure the level of liquid are large users. This could be wastewater treatment plants, sewer flow monitoring systems, oil and gas reservoirs, and more. There are overflow alarms and autonomous water level loggers that require breather tube cables. Also, pressure transmitters are often associated with these cables, dependent upon the environment that the transmitter is sensing.

What can Galaxy offer for vented cables?
As with almost any custom cable, the design and performance dictates the materials that can and should be used. Particularly in a submerged cable, it is necessary to think about the type of liquid that the cable jacket will be exposed to. Is it fresh water? Sea water? Sewage with chemical exposure? All of these factors are critical to get a cable jacket that is resistant to the environment and does not degrade. Depending upon the application, Galaxy supplies many types of vent tube cables using Polyurethane, Hytrel, Polyethylene, ETFE, Tefzel, and FEP. Other jacket compounds might be used when appropriate to the application. Vent tubes can utilize a number of different materials, for a range of temperature applications and flexibility. Measurements and tolerances of the vent tube and finished cable are often critical, and Galaxy can make sure the cable delivers in all quality aspects.

Whether you have already specified the materials for your vent tube cable, or you need assistance in engineering the right vented cable for your application, contact Galaxy to supply the right vented cable.

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A PUR jacket is often specified when polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jackets will not withstand the environment in which the cable is being used. This is typically the case when flexibility, durability and chemical resistance are of greater importance than resistance to flame and high temperatures.

PU jacketed cables offer excellent flexibility, abrasion resistance and “memory” properties along with outstanding resistance to oxidation, oil and ozone. The typical temperature range for polyurethane is -55°C to 80°C. There is a PUR compound that is flame retardant; however, strength and surface finish is sacrificed when choosing this option.

Due to its flexibility and memory properties, polyurethane cables are ideal for retractable cords and other continuous flexing applications. Because PU will remain flexible at low temperatures, it is frequently used in low-temp military applications. It can also be a solid compound choice for products that are prone to salt spray. Industries that typically utilize PUR cables include, among others: Military, Communications, Aerospace, and Oil & Gas.

The main disadvantage of selecting polyurethane is its poor electrical properties. This is why it is mainly used as a jacketing material instead of insulation. Also, polyurethane is a flammable compound, so it should not be used in high temperature environments.

If you think polyurethane is the right solution for the cable in your application, or you would like to determine if it is a viable option, Galaxy Wire & Cable is a trusted industry partner with engineering and design support. We can also supply the finished cable, and offer value-added assembly services to complete the scope of work as required. Contact Galaxy for future assistance with PUR cable and wire.

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(from Nicole Lutz, Galaxy President)

As a supplier of wire and cable products that focuses on custom constructed items, Galaxy gets a lot of requests for quote for both custom and commodity types of wire. Many times we get a wire or cable to quote that has been appropriately spec’d – the correct insulation type for the electrical requirements, the appropriate jacket for the insulation, the correct materials for temperature requirements, etc. Other times a customer doesn’t really know what they need, and we help them all along the way. For those that have an existing specification, we’re happy to provide a quote for a wire or cable with any insulation and jacket material that a customer needs.  However, more often than not, a simple conversation and subsequent questions answered might lead us down a path to realizing that perhaps something can be tweaked to improve functionality, lead time, performance, and of course, price.

At Galaxy, we live in the wire and cable world all day long. Most of our customers don’t; they live in the world in which they design and build their products – and they look to whatever resources they can find online to spec in the wire or cable for a project. Do they get it right the first time? Sure, sometimes they do. However, many of the commodity and commercial materials that are readily available are often not quite right, or may even be overkill. The designers are limited to the information they have at hand – usually a commodity catalog – to put on their requirements list. So if it works, it’s good, right? Wrong. This is where the opportunity to improve begins.

One of Galaxy’s biggest success stories in re-specifying materials happened when an end user needed high temperature hook-up wire harnesses for their OEM product. The engineers there did what many typically do – they looked up a commodity type of wire by temperature rating, selected it, and put it on their drawing. When Galaxy received the large bid package for the wire harnesses, we realized that this Teflon wire with silver-plated copper conductors was a big chunk of the bill of materials (BOM) costs. So we checked back with the customer. High temperature was required, but was 200°C required? Could the product still function at 150°C? As it turned out, it could. So, with a simple switch of the UL style to one that’s not standard, we presented a SIX FIGURE costs savings in the package, all by paying attention to the application, and asking the customer what they really needed for the application.

Some people think the word “custom” equals expensive. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Galaxy and its team are trained to ask the right questions and offer the best solutions. We’ll either confirm you’re getting the right product (at the right price), or get you a better one or a better value. What have you got to lose?

The post How to Choose the Right Wire or Cable to Meet Specifications appeared first on Galaxy Wire & Cable, Inc..

Extruded FEP and PFA wire and cable offer excellent electrical properties, high operating temperature, are highly flame resistant and are resistant to almost all chemicals. A low dielectric constant and dissipation factors are important electrical properties when transmitting data. Twisted pair or coaxial cables are typically the best products for this application.

These electrical properties are enhanced through the process of foaming. Foamed FEP and Foamed PFA wire and cable transmits a clear, high quality signal at high signal speeds. The density of the compound (amount of foam added) can be tweaked in order to meet the electrical properties desired.

Foamed FEP and Foamed PFA wire and cable not only offer enhanced electrical properties, they also weigh less and have a thinner insulation wall than their extruded counterparts, therefore the size of the finished product is reduced, making it easier to install.

Due to these improved attributes, Foamed FEP and Foamed PFA are very popular in computer manufacturing and installation of network systems. Both products are used across all industries, most notably the medical, military, energy and industrial markets.

Foamed FEP and Foamed PFA wire and cable have low-flame and low-smoke attributes and can be routed through plenum areas and air handling ducts. This reduces the need to install electrical conduit, which can be expensive.

If a data-transmission cable is needed that meets specific, required electrical properties, using Foamed FEP or Foamed PFA may be the solution. Galaxy is a leading supplier of Foamed FEP and Foamed PFA wire and cable, and can offer design assistance to make sure the best product for an application is selected. Contact Galaxy for more on Foamed FEP and Foamed PFA wire and cable.

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The hallmark of LSZH cables are excellent flame resistance, low smoke production and low toxicity in the event of a fire. Many of the compounds used to manufacture cables (PVC, FEP, and many more) contain a high concentration of halogens like chlorine and flourine. When burned, they created very toxic and corrosive gases that can damage or destroy organic or inorganic substances alike. Through engineering advancements, compounds have been created that have both excellent mechanical and electrical properties, as well as achieve the desired flammability and toxicity characteristics. LSZH has become more widely used since its original inception in the military, and later, transportation markets. Its traits make it applicable to uses in the utility market, computer and data centers, and highly populated buildings such as skyscrapers, hospitals, arenas, and hotels.

Contact Galaxy Wire for design assistance and a competitive quote for LSZH cable requirements.

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