Can penguin live in desert?

Industrial environments are harsh. Temperatures vary from extreme heat to extreme cold, machines create strong vibrations. Dust, water, and chemicals make the situation even worse. If you don´t have a suitable cable, your network can´t work reliably. And in a nowadays interconnected world, safety and reliability are very important.

In the traditional office environment, you don’t have to be concerned about cable exposure to abrasive chemicals, extreme temperatures, heavy vibration or water, and other fluids. However, the situation is completely different in the environment with the machines, automation and manufacturing equipment operation.

Even the best Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Ethernet systems are not made to handle these conditions over a long period of time. Extreme conditions call for ruggedized cables.

Consider, for example, the harmful effects, which these common environmental conditions can have on network components:

• Temperature extremes.
• Chemical exposure.
• UV radiation.
• Physical stress/ Hazards.

Belden has conducted the extensive test of Ethernet cables in terms of resistance to:

• Abrasion
• Cold bend
• Cold impact
• Crushing
• Cut-through
• High temperature
• Oil-resistance
• UV exposure
• Operating with Extreme Reliability

Extensive lab testing proves that Belden industrial cables maintain transmission quality even in extreme temperatures. While ordinary cable degrades significantly, Belden Industrial-grade cable remains intact, outside and inside. Belden guarantees its cable features for 10 years.

Typical features of industrial Ethernet cables

Besides shielding by foil, braid or their combination, they have also enhanced:

• Pair conformity/centricity
Bonded-pair cables provide resistance to the rigors of installation by utilizing a manufacturing technique that affixes the insulation of the cable pairs along their longitudinal axes, so no gaps can develop between the conductor pairs. A non-bonded-pair cable construction can be susceptible to pair-gapping during installation (resulting in impedance mismatches).

• Insulation
Most industrial-grade of Ethernet cables utilizes polyolefin insulation. For extreme temperatures, however, a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) insulation and jacket are recommended.

• Jackets
Oil- and sunlight-resistant cables typically have a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacket. If the cables are exposed to moisture, a water-blocking agent should be part of the cable’s construction, as well as inner and outer polyethylene (PE) jackets if the cable is buried. Gas-resistance calls for an FEP-jacketed cable, while LSZH jackets are available for environments where smoke/flames are a risk, in order to avoid smoke toxicity for safety reasons. For extreme temperature environments, the cables should feature an FEP jacket (for an extended operating temperature of -70˚ C to +150˚ C). And, for continuous flexing or robotic applications, which could include the complication of welding spatter, cables with thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) inner and outer jackets are recommended.

If you need a cable for demanding industrial environment, choose the right cable with the proven quality. By selecting field-tested network components that are proven in many industrial applications, you will protect your mission-critical operations. By installing a ruggedized cable, you will prevent costly production failures and ensure your network security for a long time.

Belden has the industry’s broadest range of products, with cable temperature ratings from -70°C to +150°C. In case you are interested in any of the Belden cables industrial solution, we are ready to advise at sales@soselectronic.com