The Cable Connection – Choosing the Perfect Lifeline for Your Machines

With the availability of different brands and grades of cables in the market, it can be pretty challenging to narrow down the options to a few good ones. As with several other things related to wires, a high price tag or big brand name doesn’t actually help in making the right selection. Instead, one has to look out for particular characteristics and specifications for picking the right cable.

The choice of a perfect cable or wire, for transmitting the operational signals to the machine, has a significant impact on the availability of the machine. Normally, when deciding the right instruments for plants and machines, a great deal of attention is given to picking an ideal sensor. For instance, a user needs to decide the measuring principles that will prove helpful in measuring the level of the power supply that the machine needs and the kind of signal to be used for transmission.

Normally, the cables that are displayed in the wiring schemes as just an ordinary connection between the SPS and the sensor are tricky. This can be considered as a major inconsistency in the automation technology. Sensors are usually tested for ensuring that they are a perfect match for the application requirements and demands. However, the cable is just a simple component that apparently assures an effective connection with the machine in all possible situations.

Guide On Electrical Wire Sizes Selection :

• http://www.generalcable.com/NR/rdonlyres/5EF31BDA-6D5C-4599-90A6-1D6DC9F...
• http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/10_How%20to%20Select%20&%20Properly%...
• http://www.panduit.com/heiler/SelectionGuides/WW-WASG03%20Electrical%20W...

Error Zone

Cables and connectors are one of the most common sources of application errors. In more than 50% of the cases, popular cable manufacturers found mechanical failure of the cable as the primary reason behind sensor failure in machines, which normally results from improper installation, faulty handling and poor choice of cable used for specific machine applications.

Increased Availability

This is exactly the point where the unexpected possibility of increasing the availability of the machine can be easily spotted. Ideally, there is no sure shot mantra behind selecting a perfect cable and plug connector for an application, as it depends upon a number of technical factors. For instance, the flexibility is not a deciding factor for the cables used for measuring levels through level probes in deep wells, whereas transverse and longitudinal water tightness and tensile strength are.

When it comes to plugs, there is no need of plug connectors because of their inability to provide permanent leakproof tightness. For machine tools, which find their place in large manufacturing units and factory floors, simple M12 connectors are used for connecting with cables made from simple materials.

In such situations, the use of perfect cables, which are able to withstand the ambient conditions permanently, including fluctuations in temperatures, and feature the strength to resist oils and fats, can be used for enhancing the availability of the machines. Factory pre-assembled connectors can also be used with cable assemblies for reducing the chances of failure due to a risky on-site assembly.

Final Word of Advice

At the end of the day, it is the mistaken belief that all cables are the same and cables with any number of sufficient wires are perfect for all applications as it hampers the availability of the machines. One just needs to formulate practical criteria and follow a reformist approach for selecting the best cables and the connectors.

Investing some time in doing the homework would do no harm in the long run. In fact, it will only help in making the selection process of ideal cables for machine applications an easy and reliable task. The individual demands of plug connections to sensors as well as PLC must be taken into due consideration for making the right selection. Individually matched wiring concepts are the only practical way for achieving a measurable increase in the availability of the machine and increasing the level of safety during its applications.