World Class Engineered Cable Blog

Reduced Diameter Exane 15 Wire
Meets NFPA 130 for crowded locations

Today’s Transit Vehicles and Locomotives are more sophisticated requiring much more electronics which necessitate the use of more transit cables and wire. Cable trays, conduits and wire raceways have become very crowded. More space is needed in cabinets and wire panels to handle the increased number of transit cables and wires. Wire bundles and harnesses contain more wires and are larger than ever before. How can we bring these wire bundles down to size and reduce overall weight at the same time?

RSCC’s Exane 15 transit cable and wire is the answer to these problems. Exane 15 is a reduced diameter low voltage power, control and instrumentation wire for Rolling Stock applications in sizes 22 AWG to 10 AWG and available as both a single conductor and multi conductor configurations. It is a 600V 125C wire that employs a dual layer insulation system that meets the requirements of NFPA 130.

The use of Exane 15 will result in
1 - Weight savings of up to 30%
2 - Space Savings
         Up to 32% diameter reduction on wire bundles
         Up to 54% volume reduction in wire raceways and conduit fill.

How to specify the right communication cables for train cars for mechanical, physical, and electrical requirements

New generation train cars use communication cables and data protocol such as CAT 5E, CAT 6, CAT 7, MVB (Multifunction Vehicle Bus), WTB (Wire Train Bus), RS-485, LON (Local Operating Network), RS-422 and Canbus demanding 30-40 years in harsh environment.  As long as the electrical characteristics are achieved (like impedance and cross-talk), the cable can be made in different AWG sizes and materials for the conductor, insulation, shields and jacket.

When designing a communication cable for train cars environment, the following shall be considered

- Stranded conductor needs tol survive vibration and torque. The use of solid conductor should be avoided.
- Cross linked thermoset insulation and jacket should be preferred over thermoplastic materials. The cross-linked material is better in abrasion, cut through and notch propagation.
- The shield should be made of Tin Copper braid with an optional addition of an Aluminum/Mylar tape. The braid shield make the cable ruggedize with great resistance to crush and rough installation practices.

Other critical attribute is the capability of the cable to withstand temperature cycling and extreme hot or cold temperatures as the train exit out of the tunnel or parked and operated outdoors.

In addition to the mechanical, physical and electrical requirements of the communication cable, it needs to comply with local specifications for Flame, Smoke and Toxicity. (FST).   (Please refer to my other Blog regarding FST by visiting the RSCC Blog site)

To learn about communication cables for train cars FST requirements, please search the blog on the www.r-scc.com web site.

Properly designed high performance oil and gas cables for ocean rig drilling and land rig drilling can meet the challenge of maintaining equipment efficiency, reducing operational cost, and minimizing unscheduled maintenance.  Unforeseen and consistent rig downtime can directly affect top line day rates and contract renewal.  Key drilling components such as top drives, drawworks, pipe handlers, BOP controls, mud equipment and drilling control systems are the lifeline to a safe and efficient rig operation.

How can electrical cable minimize rig downtime?  One cable type is not fitting for each application.  Close collaboration with customers can determine cable turnover rates as it relates to mode of failure.  Products designed for certain applications can increase performance and minimize equipment downtime.

The good news is that EXANE cables are among those that can help!  State of the art cross-linking technology coupled with high grade compounds generate cables with improved life expectancy and field reliability.