En Sumcab fabricamos todo tipo de cables a medida, con el fin de adaptarnos a cualquier proyecto, cliente, aplicación o mercado. Esto implica a veces utilizar los cables de mayor resistencia posible a factores externos. Para situaciones que requieren hacer frente a este tipo de agentes, elegimos el cable armado.
What is armoured cable?
Armoured cable is cable that is manufactured with a metallic layer of straps or wires. The purpose of these components is to protect electrical conductors from any external aggression.
That layer of "armour” is what gives these cables the name they are known by and, thanks to their high level of resistance, they remain intact in difficult environments, as well as on occasions when these cables have to be buried.
Therefore, when looking for cable structures that provide safety, reliability and protection at the highest level, armoured cables are usually our first choice.
Characteristics of an armoured cable
An armoured cable stands out mainly for the materials that make up the armour layer, such as steel straps, corrugated straps or steel wire braid. It usually helps to improve protection, in terms of traction, compression and impacts, and also, thanks to this coverage, helps to increase the service life of machinery.
With regard to their technical characteristics in terms of manufacturing, armoured cables usually have a large bending radius and the armoured layer should be able to be connected to ground to protect the cable. Usually, we are dealing with fixed power cables.
The best materials for the manufacture of armoured cables with regards to their "armour" are steel wires, aluminium tapes and tubes or also steel tapes. Using steel to reinforce these cables enables their high magnetic conductivity and maintains the optimal magnetic shielding effect.
In addition, armoured cables resist low-frequency interference better than other types and, if necessary, they can usually be buried without the use of other accessories such as tubes.
If we add the fact that they are more economical than other options, it is logical that when tackling projects where resistance is a key factor, they become the appropriate choice.
Applications of armoured cable
Each cable has specific characteristics that underpin its practical application. This presents them with a greater or lesser advantage, depending on the purposes we have in each project.
In the case of armoured cables, they are used, above all, in outdoor or industrial and military installations, where the installation conditions are somewhat demanding. In fact, where they are most used are in areas classified as explosive atmospheres (ATEX).
One of the recommended installations for the application of armoured cables is in industries that use chemical products.
Their ability to withstand products such as oil or all kinds of chemical compounds, as well as corrosion, make armoured cables one of the best options for hazardous installations.
Steel-armoured cables also typically offer resistance of up to 1.500 PSI, which is very important in certain industrial environments.
If we opt for plastic coating, it is also a material that can offer crush resistance of up to 800 PSI. Therefore, it is an alternative that is also proposed in many applications.
In addition, armoured cables are used in buried locations, where excavation work may subject them to the impact of picks or shovels, which could damage the cables. These cables also prevent possible damage to their own structure caused by animals.
As a disadvantage, we can only highlight the difficulty involved in installing this cable type compared to other wiring processes carried out with other materials.
Our advice is that you take advantage of the experience of specialized professionals, which will enable you to get the job done perfectly, with the most appropriate choice of armoured cables for your business.
Types of armoured cables
Armoured cables differ from each other due to the materials used in their armour and, in addition, the degree of coverage they are capable of offering.
Thus, we can distinguish above all 3 types of armoured cables:
- Cables with steel wire braid armour under sheath continuously over several conductors - minimum coverage of 80%.
- Cables with steel thread armour under sheath in a helical shape - minimum coverage of 90%.
- Cables with double steel strip armour under sheath in a helical shape - minimum coverage of 100%.
Depending on the required characteristics of the armoured cables, at Sumcab the available options are classified among the following:
- Cables armoured with ATEX steel wire core, power and control.
- Cables armoured with ATEX steel wire core, instrumentation and control.
- Cables armoured with steel straps, power and control.
- Cables armoured with steel straps, instrumentation and control.
- Cables armoured with steel braid (anti rodent), power and control.
- Cables armoured with steel braid, instrumentation and control.
Within each of these classifications we offer different types of armoured cables that, depending on their characteristics, can help optimize and provide security to installations. Contact us and we will advise you on a custom installation, with the most suitable cables for your project.
