In today’s interconnected world, cable design plays a crucial role in not just the cable construction process, but across various industries – from designing those that power our homes to those that facilitate high-speed data transmission across continents.
Whether you rely on custom cables for specialised applications or generic retractable cables for charging your phone, it’s important to understand the intricacies of cable design and why it is key to both everyday life and the running of almost every industry imaginable.
Keep reading, as we delve into what cable design is, the detailed steps involved in the design process, and the benefits and challenges associated with creating high-quality cables.
What is a cable design?
A cable design refers to the detailed process of creating and configuring cables, used across the wide variety of industries that depend on cables. This design process includes selecting appropriate materials, determining the cable’s physical structure, and specifying its electrical and mechanical properties to ensure optimal performance, reliability, and safety.
What are the different types of cables that can be designed?
Every type of cable needs to be designed, regardless of whether they’re custom or mass-produced. These cables include:
1. Power cables
Used to transmit electrical power, power cables can range from low voltage for household wiring to high voltage, like those found in transmission lines. Power cables typically consist of conductors, insulation, and protective sheathing.
2. Data cables
Designed for transmitting data signals, data cables include many specialistic cables such as Ethernet cables, coaxial cables, and fibre optic cables. They are used across a wide variety of applications, including networking, telecommunications, and internet connections.
3. Control cables
Control cables are used to transmit control signals, usually found in industrial machinery and automation systems. These cables typically feature multiple conductors and are designed with durability and flexibility in mind.
4. Instrumentation cables
Used in process control and instrumentation systems, instrumentation cables are designed to handle signals from sensors and instruments – often with bespoke shielding to protect against the transmission against interference.
5. Flexible cables
Flexible cables are designed for applications that require a lot of movement or bending – such as in robotics, automotive, or portable devices. They feature special insulation and construction to withstand repeated flexing without causing damage to the cable.
6. High-temperature cables
High-temperature cables are built to operate in extreme temperatures, both high and low, without causing damage to the cable or further safety risks. This type of cable is often in environments like aerospace, military applications, or industrial furnaces.
7. Ribbon cables
Consisting of multiple parallel conductors, ribbon cables are designed to be used for internal connections. These cables are often found in electronic devices and computers, providing them with a compact and organised solution for cable management.
The cable design process
So you may be wondering, ‘How are cables designed?’. The cable design process typically goes through seven different steps – starting from understanding what is required from the cable to finalising the complete design. These steps include:
Step 1: Understanding the application requirements
The first step of cable design is understanding what is needed of the cable; the cable’s primary function. From there, the cable designer will then be able to determine what the cable will need, such as:
Electrical requirements
All cables will have distinct electrical requirements, depending on its purpose. These electrical requirements include the voltage rating, for suitability in specific applications, and the current capacity, which will prevent the cable from overheating.
Mechanical properties
The cable designer will also need to determine what mechanical properties the cable requires, to function as intended. Here, they will design how flexible the cable needs to be and how much tensile strength it requires.
Environmental factors
Understanding the cable’s intended purpose also requires designing for the environment it will be in. Here, cable designers will determine how much temperature resistance it needs, depending on the climate of the application, its chemical resistance, if needed for chemical environments, and whether it needs to be waterproof for underwater or moisture-exposed applications.
Step 2: Selecting the conductor material
Once the cable designer has a full understanding of what is needed for the cable, they can then select the conductor material. Common materials used as cable conductors include:
- Copper: Known for its excellent electrical conductivity and flexibility.
- Aluminium: Lighter and less expensive than copper, but with lower conductivity.
- Optical Fibre: Used for high-speed data transmission with minimal signal loss.
Then, they will determine the appropriate gauge or diameter of the conductor needed – based on the current-carrying capacity and voltage requirements that they planned for in the step above.
Step 3: Insulation design
The third step in the cable design process is to design the cable’s insulation. Cable and wire insulation is used to isolate the conductor, preventing electrical shorts and protecting the cable against environmental factors. The most common cable insulation materials are:
- PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): Commonly used for general-purpose cables.
- Polyethylene (PE): Known for its low dielectric constant and high insulation resistance.
- Rubber and silicone: Used in high-temperature or flexible applications.
Then, the designer needs to calculate the required insulation thickness, ensuring an adequate protection without compromising the flexibility of the cable.
Step 4: Shielding considerations
Next, the cable designer needs to consider what shielding the cable needs. Cable shielding is designed to protect the cable from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk. The different types of shielding include:
- Foil shield: A thin layer of aluminium, effective for high-frequency interference.
- Braided shield: Made with woven mesh of copper or aluminium, providing low-frequency EMI protection and mechanical strength.
- Combination shield: Both foil and braided shields used together, designed for comprehensive protection.
Once the type of cable shielding is decided, the cable designer must then determine the percentage of shielding coverage needed – based on the application’s EMI susceptibility.
Step 5: Jacket design
The fifth step is to design the cable’s jacket. The jacket is the outermost layer of the cable, protecting it from both physical damage and environmental exposure. Cable jackets are commonly made with:
- PVC: A common and cost-effective solution for many applications.
- TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer): Offers flexibility and resistance to chemicals and abrasion.
- Polyurethane: Known for its high durability and resistance to both oil and mechanical wear.
At this stage, the cable jacket can also be custom designed with other additional features, including flame retardancy, UV resistance, and specific colour coding for needed identification and cable management.
Step 6: Prototyping and testing
Once the cable has been designed, on paper, it needs to be tested to see if it would work. Here, a prototype cable is produced, to test the design in real-world conditions. These tests include:
- Electrical testing: Verifies the cable’s electrical properties, such as resistance, capacitance, and signal integrity.
- Mechanical testing: Assesses the cable’s strength, flexibility, and durability under various conditions.
- Environmental testing: Ensures that the cable can withstand temperature extremes, moisture, chemicals, and other environmental factors it may face.
Step 7: Finalising the design
Finally, the last step in the cable design process is finalising the design. From the feedback of testing the prototype cable, the design will be refined until the cable is perfect – which may mean the cable designer has to go through the process multiple times.
From there, they will then create detailed documentation, including the cable’s specifications, diagrams and compliance certificates. This documentation will then be sent to the cable manufacturer, who will develop a cable manufacturing process and quality control measures to ensure a consistent production of this specific cable.
Benefits of cable design
Cable design is crucial to the cable construction process, and as such, has a wide range of benefits. These benefits include:
1. Enhanced performance
Cables design enhances the performance of the cable. Proper cable design ensures optimal electrical conductivity, which reduces power loss and improves efficiency. Furthermore, the high-quality insulation and shielding decided within the cable design help to maintain signal integrity, minimising interference and data loss in communication cables.
Tailored cable designs, on the other hand, meet specific requirements for different applications, which help to enhance the overall system performance.
2. Increased safety
Cable design makes cables safer to use. Well-designed cables with appropriate insulation prevent electrical shorts and reduce the risk of fire hazards. Their durable outer jackets and protective features guard against environmental factors like moisture, chemicals, and physical damage, reducing the risk of accidents.
Together, cable design helps adherence to industry standards and regulations, ensuring that cables meet stringent safety requirements – protecting users and equipment.
3. Cost efficiency
Cable design makes cables more cost efficient. The high-quality materials and construction extends the lifespan of cables, reducing the need for frequent replacements and maintenance. Efficient cable design also minimises energy losses, which in turn lowers operating costs – especially in power transmission and distribution. Furthermore, reliable cables prevent system failures and downtime, saving costs associated with repairs and lost productivity.
4. Versatility and flexibility
Cable design makes for versatile and flexible cables. Cables can be designed to handle specific conditions such as extreme temperatures, high-flex environments, underwater applications, and high-stress mechanical situations.
Whatsmore, customised cable designs can cater to various industries, including telecommunications, automotive, aerospace, industrial, and residential.
5. Technological advancements
Cable design leads to technological advancements. Advanced cable designs, such as those using fibre optics, enable high-speed data transmission – essential for modern communication networks and internet infrastructure. And now, with the integration of sensors and smart technologies into cables, it can now allow for real-time monitoring and diagnostics – improving system management and maintenance.
6. Environmental sustainability
Cable design supports environmental sustainability efforts. The use of recyclable and environmentally friendly materials in cable design reduces both the manufacturer’s and the user’s environmental impact. Efficient cables can also contribute to overall energy conservation efforts, supporting sustainability goals, and durable and long-lasting cables decrease the frequency of replacements, leading to less electronic waste.
7. Improved aesthetics and usability
Cable design makes cables more aesthetic and usable. Well-designed cables facilitate organised installations, improving the aesthetics and functionality of residential and commercial setups. And, with thoughtful design considerations, such as flexibility and manageable sizes, cable design makes installation easier and quicker for technicians.
8. Competitive advantage
Cable design gives companies a competitive advantage. Companies that invest in advanced cable design can offer superior products, gaining a competitive edge in the market. Furthermore, high-quality, reliable cables can also enhance customer satisfaction and trust, leading to repeat business and positive brand reputation.
Challenges of cable design
However, all processes have challenges – including the cable design process. These challenges include things such as:
1. Cost
Cable design can be costly. High-quality materials and specialised constructions planned within cable design can increase production costs significantly. Intricate designs and precise manufacturing processes may require advanced equipment and skilled labour, adding to production expenses. This is not to mention the high costs that can also be associated with rigorous testing of the cables, to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
2. Environmental impact
Whilst cable design can support sustainability efforts, it can still have an environmental impact. Some cable materials chosen in the design process, such as certain plastics and metals, can pose challenges for recycling and proper disposal. Furthermore, manufacturing processes and energy-intensive materials used in specialised cable production also contribute to environmental impacts.
3. Technological limitations
Cable design can often come with technological limitations. Rapid technological advancements created in cable design may render existing cable designs obsolete sooner, necessitating upgrades to users. Traditional copper cables also have limitations, in terms of bandwidth compared to newer technologies like fibre optics, which could too begin to render them obsolete in the future.
4. Installation challenges
Installing new cable designs can be challenging. Specialised cables with intricate designs may require skilled technicians for installation, adding to labour costs for the user. Furthermore, the combination of limited space and complex routing requirements in installations can also pose challenges for cable management.
5. Regulatory compliance
Cable design can often be a challenge when it comes to regulatory compliance. As standards change and technology advances, being able to adapt regulatory standards and compliance requirements can become time-consuming and costly – to both the cable manufacturer and the user.
Looking to explore custom cable design and manufacturing? Contact our expert team today, or find more resources on our blog.
