Protect Yourself: The Dangers Of Counterfeit Cable

 

If you’re worried about counterfeit cable, you have good reason to be. It’s one of the hottest topics in the cabling industry today as the prevalence of non-compliant cable continues to grow. It’s estimated that as much as 20% of the cable for sale now is unsafe, unapproved, or counterfeit.

So how do we identify the risks and hazards associated with purchasing counterfeit cable? From pricing to UL numbers, wire and cable material and jacketing as well as the weight of the cable and conductors inside the cable, all are key indicators to the reality of counterfeit material and goods.

The following link offers a fascinating insight into the dangers and risks of counterfeit cable!

Click to access Counterfeit-Cable.pdf

Local vs Global: Which is best when choosing to manufacture your wires and cables?

The ‘Blades of Glory’

 

 

No I’m not here to talk about that moderately successful ice skating film starring Will Ferrell, this post is all about the wire processing blade and its properties.

As published in this month’s Assembly Mag, the humble blade does not get much attention these days, yet the importance of it remains vital to the success of your wires and cables.

Choose the wrong blade and your wire can become feathered – where strands of wire have been cut out completely,  if the blade cuts too deep it can leave marks in the conductors or it may not strip the wire at all.

“For decades, manufacturers have relied on three types of blades to strip and cut wire: V, rotary and die. All blades are made of hardened tool steel, but each type is unique in design, function and capability”  1

So how do we know which blades to use for each wire and cable we use?

The first blade and for me the most common in cutting and stripping wires and cables is the V-Blades. Versatile and variable, these blades feature a 90-degree V configuration that provides good quality stripping and cutting of a wide range of wire sizes (26 to 10 AWG) and insulation types (PVC, Teflon, fiberglass)

V blades are used in sets (top and bottom) that bypass each other to cut wire. Stripping V blades penetrate the insulation at four points that, when connected, form a diamond 2. V-Blades should be the main choice of blade in most wire and cable processing applications.

Rotary blades, interestingly, are square, not round. Their name stems from the fact that the blades rotate around the insulation to strip it. With similar properties to the V-Blades, rotary tooling can cut up various sized wire and cable but at a much slower and less efficient pace. Interestingly, experts say these blades are not designed to cut wire. Instead they mark wire which is slightly thicker and rounder in shape.

Die blades are custom made to strip or cut a specific AWG wire. The most common die blade for stripping is the collinear radius (CL-R) type. It features a ground half circle at the center of its straight shear edge 3.

When a set of duplicate CL-R blades are closed around the wire, the circle’s radius matches the wire conductor exactly. This perfect fit produces precise stripping and clean shoulders without any conductor damage.

Die blades are often required for stripping tougher insulations, standard die blades strip 4 to 30 gauge wire, ground-edge blades strip 8 to 26 gauge wire and precision blades with guide strip 28 to 36 gauge wire.

So to conclude, the right blades are critical to your product’s success.

The most important consideration is the application range that it must process. Some applications only require a machine that can measure, cut to length, and strip one or both ends of a wire or cable. This is considered basic and can be done using a machine with a cutter head that can only accept one set of blades. In this case use the V-Blades.

With the rotary blades, “the rotary stripping head can be programmed to make incisions at any depth into the insulation, this design eliminates the need for changing blades (radius blades, die blades, etc.) when processing different wire or cable sizes. But the production rate is somewhat slower“4

The die blades should only be used when faced with cutting wire regularly that has tough insulation. It can cope with more material thickness that standard V-blades and rotary blades can’t.

HOPE THAT HELPS!!!

 

1 = http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/91830-cutting-it-close

2 = http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/91830-cutting-it-close 

3 = http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/91830-cutting-it-close  

4 = http://www.schleuniger-na.com/en-us/news-events/news/news/2012/03/01/choosing-the-right-cut-and-strip-machine-its-all-about-the-apps/ 

 

Under the Spotlight: Ribbon Cables

Under The Spotlight: Wire and Cable Soldering

 

Wires and Cables: The Ultimate Playlist

It may not be at the top of everyone’s download list or not make number one in the album charts, but this is the definitive guide of songs and artists relevant to wire and cables. The ultimate playlist, so why not take a listen:

Artist                                                                                                                            Song

Athlete                                                                                                                    Wires

Haim                                                                                                                     The Wire

Chumbawumba                                                          Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire

Electric Wire Hustle                                                         Numbers and Steel

Leonard Cohen                                                                      Bird on the Wire

Kanye West                                                                         Through the Wire

Wire                                                                                  I Should Have Known Better

Adrenaline Mob                                                              The High Wire

Razorlight                                                                      Wire to Wire

Basic Cable Preachers                                                The View

Marty Robbins                                                              Jumper Cable Man

Eddy Grant                                                                      Electric ‘Wire’ Avenue

In Focus: The Bootlace Ferrule

 

Using the bootlace ferrule acts as a reliable electrical connection and protects the outer conductors and wire strands of flexible stranded wire from ‘bending’ and splaying. Ferrules are available uninsulated and insulated with colour coded plastic sleeves for single or dual wire applications.

Used in various components from terminal blocks, motor drives and a range of circuit breakers, the insulated bootlace ferrule prevents conductor breakage and allows for a simple insertion into final products. Generally used as an alternative to tinning or soldered connections, the bootlace ferrule is becoming the leading choice for wire and cable termination.

At Express Assemblies Ltd, bootlace ferrules are used daily with a variety of ferrules suited for customer specifications. From uninsulated to insulated collar and twin ferrules, the need for ferruling a wire or cable is now essential for our business prospects.

Choosing the correct ferrule therefore is critical to ensure a quality connection. There are two basic versions; French and German. Categorised by colour, the ferrule is determined by the size of the wire or wire gauge [AWG].  Both systems are equally good and to be honest unless specified by the customer, go with the simplest.

1

“Insulated ferrules also come in twin entry versions making a 2-1 termination quick and simple and we in the cable assembly business like them because they are not messy and require very little labour” 2

1.  https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=insulated+ferrule+colour+chart
2. http://www.electronicsweekly.com/electro-ramblings/industry-comment/only-connect-a-guide-to-insulated-ferrules-2013-02/#sthash.QaCdkzXl.dpuf 

 

We are well equipped to deal with any ferruling enquiry.

Express Yourself: Make Us Your Manufacturer

Choosing a custom wire or cable assembly supplier is a huge decision. With so many companies who specialise in this niche of the electronics manufacturing industry, out there, it is difficult for a potential customer to differentiate between them.

Ultimately you want a supplier that is efficient, good value for money, productive, reliable and that can meet the requirements of your job specification.

However, finding one that exceeds your requirements, and offers an impeccable quality of product, combined with the most competitive of lead times is often a tricky task.

That’s where we come in.

Express Assemblies has been trading for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in this industry. With a vast product portfolio, modern production plant and an unbeatable customer service record, we like to think we are working at the ‘cutting edge’ of wire and cable manufacturing and aim to be your number one choice for all your assembled product requirements.

So what makes us stand out?

E = Evolutionary: from humble beginnings on the kitchen table to now being a certified, accredited wire and cable business, operating to over 250 customers, the company has evolved into a huge force in the wire and cable assembly market.

X = eXcellence: Working to the pinnacle of quality excellence, Express Assemblies offers a range of services to add value to your business

P = Performance: catering our business to deal with any enquiry means we are flexible and adaptable in our approach. Not only this but we strive to meet production deadlines and demonstrate consistent work process performance from start to finish.

R = Reputation: As our product portfolio continues to expand and with a rapid rate in the growth of our business, we are achieving a strong reputation as one of the leading companies in the wire and cable assembly industry. We work hard to ensure our name reaches the masses and with repeat orders from over 97% of our customer base, our reputation speaks for itself.

E = Expertise: we have experienced, extremely capable staff on hand to deal with any questions or issues you may have regarding your wire and cable assembly.

S = Skilful: Express Assemblies can help bring a concept or idea to reality using highly skilled methods and training practice.

S = Successful: We like to think we are, 20 years and still going strong.

Without you, the customers, we would have no business. We want to work with you and offer you a process that provides simple, yet highly effective solutions to all your wire and cable assembly needs.

So why not Express yourself today and choose Express Assemblies Ltd, where we make the right connections!

In Focus: The Thermistor

 

PURPOSE

A thermistor is a semiconductor device with an electrical resistance proportional to temperature. The name is formed from a combination of the words “resistor” and “thermal.” Thermistors come in two types: one type is PTC, which stands for positive temperature coefficient of resistance; the other is NTC, which stands for negative temperature coefficient of resistance.

SIGNIFICANCE

All conductors have an electrical resistance proportional to their temperature. Everyday devices such as toasters, heaters, hair dryers and light bulbs operate on this principle. Thermistors are created to deliberately optimise this property and are more temperature sensitive than regular resistors. This sensitivity enables them to determine thermal measurements to within ranges of plus or minus .05 per cent to plus or minus .02 per cent. This accuracy makes them very effective as thermometers and sensors.

 FEATURES

Thermistors make excellent thermometers because they are small, very stable and long lasting, in addition to being accurate. They are better at measuring certain temperatures than thermocouples. The disadvantage is that like typical semiconductors they are non-linear, so circuits must be designed with this limitation in mind. Also, unlike thermocouples, they cannot be used at extreme temperatures and are usually confined to those from zero to one hundred degrees Celsius

NTC

NTCs are the most common type of thermistor. Their temperatures vary inversely with their resistance. When the temperature increases, their resistance decreases, and when the temperature decreases, their resistance increases. Another role is that of current suppressors. Additional tasks include temperature compensation, control and indication. NTCs are made from oxides of materials such as nickel, manganese, copper, iron and cobalt. Some are also made from silicon, germanium or a combination of both.

 PTC

PTC thermistors are the opposite of NTCs. When the temperature increases so does their resistance; when the temperature decreases, their resistance does the same. They are used as thermometers or switches and also for circuit overload protection. Other uses are for light switching, heating regulation, starting motors and telecoms. PTCs are constructed using semiconductors combined with ceramics or polymers.

 USES

Thermistors have important roles in circuit operations. In medicine, thermistors are used as clinical temperature sensors, in stethoscopes and as probes during surgery. They are found in other devices where temperature detection and control is vital, such as in controlling water, steam and air. In the food service industry, this ability is used in food safety and cooking equipment. Since they regulate temperature and provide protection against overheating in circuits, they can be found in cars, cell phones, computers, amplifiers, home appliances and more.

 

 

 

In Focus: The Electrolytic Capacitor

 

DEFINITION

“An electrolytic capacitor is a polarized capacitor which uses an electrolyte to achieve a larger capacitance than other capacitor types”

 

WHAT IS AN ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR?

An electrolytic capacitor is a type of capacitor that uses an electrolyte to achieve a larger capacitance than other capacitor types. An electrolyte is a liquid or gel containing a high concentration of ions. Almost all electrolytic capacitors are polarized, which means that the voltage on the positive terminal must always be greater than the voltage on the negative terminal

Electrolytic capacitors can be either wet-electrolyte or solid polymer and are commonly made of tantalum or aluminum.

 

Capacitance drift

 

The capacitance of electrolytic capacitors drifts from the nominal value as time passes, and they have large tolerances, typically 20%.  Tantalum electrolytic capacitors can be made with tighter tolerances, but their maximum operating voltage is lower so they cannot be always used as a direct replacement.

 

Polarity and safety

 

Due to the construction of electrolytic capacitors and the characteristics of the electrolyte used, electrolytic capacitors must be forward biased. This means that the positive terminal must always be at a higher voltage than the negative terminal. If the capacitor becomes reverse-biased (if the voltage polarity on the terminals is reversed), the insulating aluminum oxide, which acts as a dielectric, might get damaged and start acting as a short circuit between the two capacitor terminals. This can cause the capacitor to overheat due to the large current running through it. As the capacitor overheats, the electrolyte heats up and leaks or even vaporizes, causing the enclosure to burst. This process happens at reverse voltages of about 1 volt and above. To maintain safety and prevent the enclosure from exploding due to high pressures generated under overheat conditions, a safety valve is installed in the enclosure. It is typically made by making a score in the upper face of the capacitor, which pops open in a controlled manner when the capacitor overheats. Since electrolytes may be toxic or corrosive, additional safety measures may need to be taken when cleaning after and replacing an overheated electrolytic capacitor.

 

There is a special type of electrolytic capacitors for AC use, which is designed to withstand reverse polarisation. This type is called the non-polarized or NP type.

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are made of two aluminum foils and a paper spacer soaked in electrolyte. One of the two aluminum foils is covered with an oxide layer, and that foil acts as the anode, while the uncoated one acts as a cathode. During normal operation, the anode must be at a positive voltage in relation to the cathode, which is why the cathode is most commonly marked with a minus sign along the body of the capacitor. The anode, electrolyte-soaked paper and cathode are stacked. The stack is rolled, placed into a cylindrical enclosure and connected to the circuit using pins. There are two common geometries: axial and radial. Axial capacitors have one pin on each end of the cylinder, while in the radial geometry, both pins are located on the same end of the cylinder

Read more http://www.capacitorguide.com/electrolytic-capacitor