Cables

The history of LAPP begins in 1957 with the invention of the first cable with different colour-coded cores and LAPP was initially just a manufacturer of cables and wires. Today you can enjoy the considerable variety of our ÖLFLEX®, UNITRONIC®, ETHERLINE® and HITRONIC® product brands.

A cable is an electrical conductor sheathed with insulating materials. During cable production, several insulated conductors are usually stranded together and provided with additional protective layers (e.g. inner sheath, electrical screening, outer sheath).

The design of a cable can be simplified as follows:

A core is an electrical conductor isolated by core insulation:

• Conductor: primarily copper, rarely aluminium or nickel
• Core insulation: various plastics (PVC, PUR, PE, TPE, PTFE; FPE, rubber, etc.) are used as insulation material

Possible protective layers:

• Inner sheath: various plastics are used as the sheath material, see outer sheath.
• Electrical shielding: braided shields and foil shields
• Outer sheath: plastics are used as the sheath material, see typical outer sheath materials.

Note: Excludes fibre optic cables (LWL) at this point. Fibre optic cables are a category of data cables, but have a fundamentally different structure to the ones shown above. In addition, data is not transferred electrically using energy, but rather optically with the aid of light. Are you interested in fibre optic cables and want to learn about this transmission media as an alternative to copper?

Delve into the exciting world of fibre optic cables here!

The layman in the private sector will usually refer to power cables and LAN cables. Electrical companies, on the other hand, want to lay electrical cables from the domestic junction box to the counter cabinet while telecommunications companies, in turn, work with telephone power cables and fibre glass fibre cables. However, when it comes to extending the power grid, people hear about overhead power cables and electrical earthing cables.

But what is the difference between electrical and power cables? Is there a difference, and if yes, are we currently using the two designations correctly?

In specialist circles, it is first and foremost important that power cables conduct the electrical current or electrical signals. Electrical cables can be referred to as a sub-type of cables. They are generally hidden and fixed underground (cables for direct burial, telephone cables) or under the sea floor (sea cables). They are characterised by additional mechanical protection under the outer sheath and are resistant to environmental influences. Most electrical cables are also characterised by their much larger diameters and higher weight than power cables. 

Power cables, on the other hand, are laid above ground, but are often hidden in cable ducts, shafts or machines. They are also suitable for occasional flexing as they are made of flexible stranded conductors. However, power cables can also be installed in fixed installations, for example under plaster or as overhead lines between power masts. Additional mechanical protection is not required in these cases, however, because the plaster or the open air take on this function themselves. In conclusion, power and electrical cables are not actually synonymous, but are used synonymously in everyday speech. 

It is particularly common in data technology to speak of electrical cables when power cables are often meant!

Different cable types, different tasks

But what tasks do electrical and power cables have?

Cables are used 

• to supply power to machines, devices and components,
• to transmit signals,
• to transmit data.

The function that a cable assumes depends heavily on the type of cable. Some types of cables, known as hybrid cables, can combine several tasks, e.g. primarily transmit data and additionally supply the receiver with power, or primarily supply a device with power and also transmit signals.

Cables and wires must be selected such that they are suitable for the relevant operating conditions (e.g. voltage, current, protection against electric shock, bundling of cables and wires) and external influences (e.g. ambient temperature, presence of water or corrosive materials, mechanical stress, incl. stress during installation, fire risks).

LAPP offers countless cables and wires for almost every application. 

1. First, determine the type of cable you need: power cable, control cable, or data cable. 

2. In which geographical region do you want to use the cable? Do you need special certifications for export to other countries?

3. What influences will the cable be exposed to? 
Electromagnetic interference (EMI): shielded cables
Chemicals: cables with ROBUST outer sheath
Extremely high or low temperatures: cables with HEAT materials
Mechanical stress: cables with PUR outer sheath
Outdoors: UV-resistant cables

4. Do you use the cable in a special application?
Rail transport: TRAIN cable
Commercial vehicles: TRUCK cable
Robot: ROBOT cable
Photovoltaics: SOLAR cable
Cranes: CRANE cable

5. Will the cable be fixed or moved?
Choose FD or CHAIN cables for use in the cable chain.

Typical outer sheath materials
A cable sheath protects the inside of the cable against mechanical stresses, mixed chemical substances and temperature influences. There is a variety of materials that can be used to protect the cable from damage. 

The following materials are often used for the sheathing of LAPP cables. In principle, however, flame retardants or other additives must be added to these materials to enable increased heat resistance, for example. These mixed sheath materials are known as compounds.