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High-Speed Cable
High-Speed Cable Assembly System
Cable Definitions and Options
II. Physical Property Parameters
A. Definitions.
B. Selection Criteria and Properties.
1.Cable Conductors:
A. Cable conductors carry power, signal, or ground path current depending on cable assembly application.
B. Selection is based on mechanical and electrical properties. Solid and stranded wires are available. Materials used are usually copper with coatings such as silver or tin.
Larger AWG = less attenuation.
Smaller AWG = more flexibility.
Higher strand count = more flexibility.
2. Cable Dielectric:
A. The dielectric material, which acts as a buffer between the conductor and shielding components, allows the cable to maintain consistent electrical properties and minimizes signal loss.
B. The material can be either solid or foamed. This is where the dielectric constant (Er) defined below comes into play. The foaming of the dielectric is also important for keeping Er to a minimum. Some dielectric constants are listed below:
• Polyethylene, Er = 2.3
• Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP), Er = 2.2
• Solid FEP, Er = 2.1
• Polytetraflouroethylene (TFE, Teflon), Er = 2.1
• PVC, Er = 4 to 5
Quick Note about Loss Tangent.-
Loss tangent is a unitless number used to indicate the loss of the dielectric material. Typical value is .0003.
Quick Note about Dielectric Constant (Er): Dielectric constant is a unitiess number used to indicate the capability of a material to resist holding an electrical charge when placed between two conductors.
It is compared to a vacuum with a Er = 1.
All other insulating materials will have a Er greater than 1.
3. Cable Jacket:
A. The cable jacket is an additional form of insulation as well as a protectant against environmental dangers.
B. A jacket typically is made of PVC, polyethylene, or FEP. The material used will determine the jacket's temperature rating as well as minimum and maximum operating temperatures.
• PVC - Good weathering and abrasion resistant.
• Teflon - Ability to withstand high temps and chemically inert.
• Crosslinked PVC - Irradiation vinyl jacket has superior mechanical properties and short term heat resistance.
4. Shielding:
A. Shielding materials protect against signal loss and help prevent electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference in the circuit.
B. Several combinations of foils and/or braids are used to achieve various levels of shielding performance. Some shield examples follow:
• Single Round Braid - Excellent.
• Double Round Braid - Excellent.
• Spiral Wrap Shield - Good.
• Alum/Polyester Foil - Good.
• Helical Ribbon Foil - Good.
• Flat Braid Alum/Poly/Foil - Excellent.
Quick Notes about foil, braid, and semi- rigid shields:
Spiral wrap foils are most flexible.
Longitudinal wrap foils - better performance/ less flexible.
Braid Shield offer 95 to 98% coverage. Semi rigid are best but least flexible.
III. Cable Comparisons
A. Uses
B. Advantages
C. Disadvantages
1. Ribbon Cable:
A. Internal applications, repeated flexing, printers, scanners, EIDE cables, .025" CC and below.
B. Typically low cost, high longitudinal flexibility, variety of dielectrics and cable pitches available.
C. Not easily shielded, normally internal applications, difficult to route, low speed applications.
2. Controlled Impedance Ribbon:
A. High speed applications.
B. High longitudinally flexibility, variety of impedance options, high temp, abrasion resistant.
C. Higher cost than PVC ribbon.
3. Miniature Coaxial:
A. High speed single ended driven applications, microwave, RF transmission, Internet and other applications requiring high bandwidth.
B. Better performance over controlled impedance ribbon.
C. Generally lower density because of single conductor.
4. Twin-Ax (Parallel Pair):
A. Twinaxial cable is coaxial cable that contains two inner conducting wires rather than one. Used in high speed data transmission and differential driven applications.
B. Easy to terminate, more consistent electrical parameters.
C. Not many standard constructions.
5. Twisted Pair (UTP):
A. Low speed data transmission, analog and digital applications and differential drive.
B. Reduces crosstalk or electromagnetic induction between pairs or wires, as two insulated copper wires are twisted around each other.
C. Automated processing is difficult.
6. Shielded Twisted Pair:
A. High speed data transmission.
B. Further reduces pair to pair crossialk over UTP and adds additional protection against EMI.
C. Automated processing is difficult.
Attenuation performance of cable and cable assembly systems depend greatly on many factors including conductor size, dielectric utilized, and physical construction. Contact Amphenol InterCon Systems to assist in selecting the optimal cable for your application.
Cable Definitions and Options
 |
• Assembly Overview • Product Performance and Capabilities • Electrical Definitions and Options • Cable Definitions and Options • Mechanical Specifications |
II. Physical Property Parameters
A. Definitions.
B. Selection Criteria and Properties.
1.Cable Conductors:
A. Cable conductors carry power, signal, or ground path current depending on cable assembly application.
B. Selection is based on mechanical and electrical properties. Solid and stranded wires are available. Materials used are usually copper with coatings such as silver or tin.
Larger AWG = less attenuation.
Smaller AWG = more flexibility.
Higher strand count = more flexibility.
2. Cable Dielectric:
A. The dielectric material, which acts as a buffer between the conductor and shielding components, allows the cable to maintain consistent electrical properties and minimizes signal loss.
B. The material can be either solid or foamed. This is where the dielectric constant (Er) defined below comes into play. The foaming of the dielectric is also important for keeping Er to a minimum. Some dielectric constants are listed below:
• Polyethylene, Er = 2.3
• Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP), Er = 2.2
• Solid FEP, Er = 2.1
• Polytetraflouroethylene (TFE, Teflon), Er = 2.1
• PVC, Er = 4 to 5
Quick Note about Loss Tangent.-
Loss tangent is a unitless number used to indicate the loss of the dielectric material. Typical value is .0003.
Quick Note about Dielectric Constant (Er): Dielectric constant is a unitiess number used to indicate the capability of a material to resist holding an electrical charge when placed between two conductors.
It is compared to a vacuum with a Er = 1.
All other insulating materials will have a Er greater than 1.
3. Cable Jacket:
A. The cable jacket is an additional form of insulation as well as a protectant against environmental dangers.
B. A jacket typically is made of PVC, polyethylene, or FEP. The material used will determine the jacket's temperature rating as well as minimum and maximum operating temperatures.
• PVC - Good weathering and abrasion resistant.
• Teflon - Ability to withstand high temps and chemically inert.
• Crosslinked PVC - Irradiation vinyl jacket has superior mechanical properties and short term heat resistance.
4. Shielding:
A. Shielding materials protect against signal loss and help prevent electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference in the circuit.
B. Several combinations of foils and/or braids are used to achieve various levels of shielding performance. Some shield examples follow:
• Single Round Braid - Excellent.
• Double Round Braid - Excellent.
• Spiral Wrap Shield - Good.
• Alum/Polyester Foil - Good.
• Helical Ribbon Foil - Good.
• Flat Braid Alum/Poly/Foil - Excellent.
Quick Notes about foil, braid, and semi- rigid shields:
Spiral wrap foils are most flexible.
Longitudinal wrap foils - better performance/ less flexible.
Braid Shield offer 95 to 98% coverage. Semi rigid are best but least flexible.
III. Cable Comparisons
A. Uses
B. Advantages
C. Disadvantages
1. Ribbon Cable:
A. Internal applications, repeated flexing, printers, scanners, EIDE cables, .025" CC and below.
B. Typically low cost, high longitudinal flexibility, variety of dielectrics and cable pitches available.
C. Not easily shielded, normally internal applications, difficult to route, low speed applications.
2. Controlled Impedance Ribbon:
A. High speed applications.
B. High longitudinally flexibility, variety of impedance options, high temp, abrasion resistant.
C. Higher cost than PVC ribbon.
3. Miniature Coaxial:
A. High speed single ended driven applications, microwave, RF transmission, Internet and other applications requiring high bandwidth.
B. Better performance over controlled impedance ribbon.
C. Generally lower density because of single conductor.
4. Twin-Ax (Parallel Pair):
A. Twinaxial cable is coaxial cable that contains two inner conducting wires rather than one. Used in high speed data transmission and differential driven applications.
B. Easy to terminate, more consistent electrical parameters.
C. Not many standard constructions.
5. Twisted Pair (UTP):
A. Low speed data transmission, analog and digital applications and differential drive.
B. Reduces crosstalk or electromagnetic induction between pairs or wires, as two insulated copper wires are twisted around each other.
C. Automated processing is difficult.
6. Shielded Twisted Pair:
A. High speed data transmission.
B. Further reduces pair to pair crossialk over UTP and adds additional protection against EMI.
C. Automated processing is difficult.
Attenuation performance of cable and cable assembly systems depend greatly on many factors including conductor size, dielectric utilized, and physical construction. Contact Amphenol InterCon Systems to assist in selecting the optimal cable for your application.