Leading manufacturer of industrial automation cables
At Custom Designed Cables, we design and manufacture custom automation cables for production lines, robotics, materials handling and process control systems. Automation cable has a harder life than almost any other cable type, because in an automated facility the cable is rarely still.
Cables on a drag chain flex hundreds of thousands of times. Cables on a robot arm twist as well as bend. Cables in a wash-down area meet cleaning chemicals daily, and cables near a welding cell face heat, sparks and significant electrical interference. A cable that fails in that environment does not just need replacing, it stops the line.
With over 20 years’ experience, we build bespoke automation cable engineered for the specific movement, environment and electrical demands of your equipment.
Why automation cables need specialist construction
Standard cable is built on the assumption that it will be installed once and then left alone. Automation cable cannot make that assumption, and the differences in construction follow directly from that.
Conductors use finer stranding, so the copper flexes rather than fatigues. The lay length of the cores is shortened and controlled so they move around the cable axis rather than being stretched and compressed at the outside of a bend. Jacket materials are chosen for abrasion resistance and flexibility at the temperatures the machine actually runs at. Screening has to survive flexing too, since a braid that breaks down under movement stops protecting the signal.
Getting any of those wrong tends to show up as an intermittent fault months into service, which is considerably more expensive to diagnose than it would have been to specify correctly.
Types of industrial automation cable
We manufacture a broad range of cable types for automation applications.
Polyurethane (PUR) sheathed cables
PUR cables are the default choice for much of the automation industry. Polyurethane offers excellent abrasion resistance, good performance against oils, coolants and many chemicals, and it stays flexible at low temperatures where PVC would stiffen.
Robotic and drag chain cables
Robotic cables are built for torsional movement as well as bending, which is what separates a robot cable from a standard flexible one. Flexible cables cover continuous-flex applications on linear axes and drag chains.
Control and data cables
Control cables carry the signals operating the equipment, while data cables handle communication between controllers, drives and networked devices. Both frequently need screening in an automation environment.
Multicore and hybrid cables
Multicore cables and hybrid constructions combine power, control and data within a single sheath. On a moving axis, replacing three cables with one reduces drag chain fill, simplifies routing and cuts installation time.
High temperature and harsh environment cables
High temperature cables and harsh environment cables handle the areas of a plant where standard materials will not survive, including welding cells, ovens and chemical processing.
Uses for the industrial automation cable market
Automation cable is used wherever equipment operates without continuous manual control.
Warehouses and logistics
Automated storage and retrieval systems, conveyors, sortation equipment and AGVs all rely on cable that flexes continuously through every shift.
Pharmaceutical and cleanroom
Cleanroom and pharmaceutical environments demand cables that tolerate frequent cleaning and sterilisation without degrading, alongside materials that do not shed particulates.
Food and beverage
Food and beverage production involves wash-down procedures, temperature extremes and cleaning chemicals, all of which attack cable jackets. Material selection is the critical decision here.
Automotive and manufacturing
Automotive production lines combine robotics, welding and heavy materials handling, which means heat, interference and constant movement in the same environment.
Custom automation cable manufacturing
Automation equipment is rarely standard, so the cable serving it often should not be either. We can customise:
- Conductor size, stranding and lay length for the required flex cycles
- Core count and colour coding or numbering
- Screening configuration built to survive continuous movement
- Jacket material, including PUR, PVC and LSZH
- Overall diameter and minimum bend radius
- Hybrid constructions combining power, control and data
- Cable printing and identification
- Cut lengths, drums and coils
We can also produce prototype cables so a design can be tested on the machine before committing to a production run.
Why choose Custom Designed Cables?
At Custom Designed Cables, we combine technical expertise with fast, reliable manufacturing to deliver bespoke automation cable built around your equipment.
We offer:
- ISO 9001:2015 quality management
- UL & CSA approved options available on selected product ranges
- Fast turnaround times
- Bespoke cable design and manufacturing
- Access to a comprehensive materials library
- Free technical consultation and support
Frequently asked questions
Why are resistant cables important in the automation industry?
Automation environments expose cables to continuous movement, abrasion, oils, chemicals, heat and electrical interference at the same time. A cable that is not built to resist those conditions fails in service, and in an automated facility a cable failure usually means unplanned downtime across the whole line.
What types of resistance can industrial automation cables provide?
Depending on specification, automation cables can offer resistance to abrasion, oils and coolants, chemicals and cleaning agents, high and low temperatures, UV exposure, torsion and continuous flexing, and electromagnetic interference.
How are industrial automation cables different from standard cables?
Standard cable is designed to be installed once and left in place. Automation cable uses finer conductor stranding, controlled lay lengths, flexible screening and hard-wearing jacket materials so it survives repeated movement over millions of cycles.
What is the difference between a flexible cable and a robotic cable?
A flexible cable is built to bend repeatedly, typically on a linear axis or drag chain. A robotic cable is built to twist as well as bend, because a robot arm applies torsional stress that would fatigue a standard flexible cable much sooner.
Can automation cables be made to a custom specification?
Yes. We manufacture bespoke automation cables to order, with control over conductor construction, core count, screening, jacket material, diameter, bend radius and hybrid combinations of power, control and data.
Get a quote for your automation cables
Looking for custom automation cables built for your equipment and environment? Contact Custom Designed Cables today to discuss your requirements.
