Product Description
Conductor:
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- Material: Commonly made of annealed or tinned copper. Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, which can ensure the efficient transmission of signals. The annealing process makes the copper more flexible and easier to work with, while the tinning helps to prevent oxidation and improve the durability of the conductor.
- Size and Core Number: The cross-sectional area typically ranges from 0.5 square millimeters to 2.5 square millimeters. The number of cores can vary from 1 core to 50 cores or more, depending on the specific requirements of the application. For example, a simple instrument connection might only require a single-core cable, while a more complex system with multiple signal channels would need a multi-core instrument cable.
Insulation:
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- Materials Used: High-quality insulation materials such as polyethylene (PE) or cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) are often used. These materials have good insulation properties, high resistance to electrical breakdown, and can ensure the stability of signal transmission.
- Insulation Thickness: The insulation thickness is designed to provide sufficient electrical insulation and protection against external interference. Different cable specifications may have different insulation thickness requirements to meet various application scenarios.
Jacket:
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- Materials: The jacket is usually made of materials like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or LSZH (low smoke zero halogen). PVC is cost-effective and provides good mechanical protection. LSZH is a more environmentally friendly option that emits less toxic smoke and fumes in the event of a fire, which is suitable for environments with high safety requirements.
- Color: The jacket is available in various colors, such as black, which is common, or other colors as per specific customer requirements. This can help in cable identification and management in complex systems.
Performance Characteristics:
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- Anti-interference: Instrument cables have high anti-static and anti-electromagnetic interference capabilities. This is crucial in ensuring the accuracy and stability of signal transmission, especially in environments where there are many electrical devices or strong electromagnetic fields.
- Temperature Resistance: Depending on the application environment, instrument cables can have different temperature resistance ratings. Some can operate stably in normal temperature environments, while others are designed to withstand high or low temperatures, such as in industrial processes or extreme weather conditions.
- Signal Transmission Accuracy: The cable is designed to minimize signal attenuation and distortion during transmission, ensuring that the received signal is as close as possible to the original signal for accurate instrument reading and control.
Applications:
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- Industrial Automation: Widely used in industrial process control systems, such as in power plants, mining, metallurgy, and petrochemical industries, for the connection of various instruments, sensors, and control devices to transmit data and control signals.
- Laboratory and Testing Equipment: Essential for connecting laboratory instruments such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, and analyzers to ensure the accurate acquisition and transmission of test signals.
- Audio and Musical Equipment: Commonly used in audio systems, such as connecting guitars, basses, keyboards, and mixers, to transmit high-quality audio signals.
Standards and Certifications: Instrument cables need to comply with relevant international and national standards, such as BS/PAS 5308, BS EN 60228, BS EN 6234, and BS EN/IEC 60332-1, to ensure their quality and performance meet the requirements.
Our Advantages
Before producing cables and wires, we will test and calibrate each piece of equipment until it can perfectly and accurately produce cables and wires that meet standards.
High-quality raw materials are a prerequisite for cables and wires to meet standards. All copper materials in our factory use oxygen-free copper rods with a purity of 99.99%.
Not only for copper materials, but also for insulating materials, sheath materials, and other polymer materials as well as auxiliary materials such as armor tapes, fillers, and copper tapes, we strictly screen. Even to ensure the supply of raw materials, we have established our own auxiliary material production plants (for example, polymer particles). Moreover, we record the source of each batch of cable raw materials and conduct retained sample test .
Carefully refine every step. Triple inspections, including self-inspection on the production line, random sampling inspection for cost control, and routine inspection by batch, ensure product quality.
Not only do we have cables and wires. We are a group company. Under the company, there is a power design institute, a power installation company, a production plant for power distribution boxes and cabinets, a production plant for cable trays and cable accessories, and a production plant for cable conduits. We can provide integrated services from design and research to products and then to construction. If you have any power-related issues, we welcome you to discuss with us. We will do our best to provide a solution. And these services are permanently free of charge!!!
FAQ
What is an instrument cable used for?
Answer: Instrument cables are used to transmit weak electrical signals in various applications. For example, in audio equipment to transfer sound signals between musical instruments and amplifiers, and in industrial settings to send signals from sensors or measuring instruments to control systems or data loggers.
How do I choose the right gauge (size) of an instrument cable?
Answer: The choice of gauge depends on the length of the cable run and the power or signal strength requirements. For shorter distances and low - power signals, a smaller gauge (e.g., 20 - 22 AWG) may be sufficient. For longer runs or when transmitting signals over a distance where attenuation could be a problem, a larger gauge (e.g., 16 - 18 AWG) is often recommended to reduce signal loss.
Are all instrument cables shielded? What's the purpose of shielding?
Answer: Not all, but many instrument cables are shielded. The purpose of shielding is to protect the signal - carrying conductors from external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio - frequency interference (RFI). This is crucial in applications where a clean, accurate signal is required, such as in audio and precision measurement systems.
Can I use an instrument cable for power transmission?
Answer: Generally, instrument cables are not designed for power transmission. They are optimized for transmitting low - level electrical signals. Using them for power can be dangerous as they may not be rated to handle the necessary current and voltage levels, and it could also cause damage to the equipment connected to the cable.
How do I know if my instrument cable is defective?
Answer: Signs of a defective instrument cable can include intermittent signal loss, noise or static in the transmitted signal, or a complete lack of signal. Physical inspection may also reveal damage to the cable jacket, exposed conductors, or a loose connection at the plugs or connectors.
What types of connectors are commonly used with instrument cables?
Answer: In audio applications, common connectors include 1/4 - inch jacks (both TS - Tip/Sleeve and TRS - Tip/Ring/Sleeve), XLR connectors (used for balanced audio connections), and RCA connectors (for some audio and video applications). In other instrument and industrial applications, various types of screw - on or snap - in connectors specific to the equipment may be used.
How long can an instrument cable be without significant signal degradation?
Answer: The maximum length without significant signal degradation depends on the cable quality, the signal frequency, and the cable's shielding. For audio signals, a well - made, shielded cable may be able to transmit without noticeable degradation up to 20 - 30 feet (6 - 9 meters) for typical consumer - level applications. For higher - frequency or more sensitive signals in industrial or scientific applications, the maximum length may be much shorter, sometimes only a few feet.
What is the difference between a balanced and an unbalanced instrument cable?
Answer: A balanced instrument cable has three conductors (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) and is designed to reject common - mode noise. It does this by inverting the phase of the signal on one of the conductors and then recombining the signals at the receiving end. An unbalanced cable has only two conductors (Tip and Sleeve) and is more susceptible to interference, but is simpler and less expensive. Balanced cables are often used in professional audio and some industrial applications where noise rejection is important.
How should I store my instrument cables to ensure their longevity?
Answer: Instrument cables should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and sources of heat. They should be coiled loosely (not tightly wound in a small loop which can cause kinks and damage to the internal conductors) and preferably hung or placed on a cable rack. Avoid storing them in a tangled mess, as this can also lead to damage over time.
Can I repair a damaged instrument cable myself?
Answer: Minor repairs, such as replacing a broken connector or soldering a loose wire, can be done by someone with basic electronics skills. However, for more extensive damage to the cable itself (e.g., internal conductor breakage deep within the cable), it may be more practical to replace the cable, as accurately repairing it can be difficult and may not result in a reliable connection.
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