Conscientious cabling creates

People don’t live by bread alone and control applications can’t live on just software. Hardware, I/O devices, and cabling give computers a nervous system that links them with reality, and so its crucial for cabling to be installed correctly.

Olflex Wire & Cable Inc., which offers a variety of field bus cables for high-speed environments, recently compiled a list of “Key Considerations for Cable Installation in an Automatic Setting” to help engineers set up applications properly. Oflex advises cable installers to:

• Use only continuous flex cable for maximum cable life. Cables used should be based on bend radius and speed of movement;

• Unpackage cables without kinks or curls. Cable should be laid out and relaxed for 24 hours;

• Relax or shake cable before installing. If cable has kinks or curls, shake the cable while sliding hands down to the end of the length. Repeat until the cable lies flat on the floor without kinks or curls;

• Don’t weave or twist the cable when threading it into the cable carrier;

• Allow at least 5% clearance between cables. Use separators between cables to prevent cable crowding interference;

• Distribute weight of cables evenly throughout the cable carrier. Place heavier cables toward track edges and place lighter cables in the center of the cable carrier;

• Don’t pull cables tight against the inner surface of the cable carrier and don’t push them against the outer surface of the carrier. Also, don’t allow cables to cross over or under other cables. Cables randomly stuffed into a carrier will fail;

• Clamp cables to both ends of the cable carrier at a distance equal to 15 times the largest cables’ diameter measured from the point where the cables begin to flex. Attach cables to the carrier only at each end of the carrier, never any anywhere else, or to other cables. Always cycle the carrier several times before clamping to verify there is no cable-to-cable, cable-to-hose, or cable/hose-to-cable carrier interference;

• Clamp cables so they’re only snug enough to hold. Don’t crush the cables when clamping. After all points are checked and the system is operational, always cycle the cable carrier several times.

For more information, visit www.controleng.com/info .

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