When you think of extremely flexible wire, silicone insulated wirecomes to mind because of its flexible properties. But what about using silicone in ribbon cable? Manufactures turn to silicone ribbon cables when applications require flat cables with specialized requirements or extreme flexibility. Flat cables and ribbon cables are often used when space is a factor ribbon cables can also be easily mass terminated using
an insulation displacement connector (IDC). Ribbon cables are manufactured in a variety of materials and configurations including silicone; the most common and least expensive insulation is PVC.
Space is a luxury as devices become smaller. Manufacturers are using flat and ribbon cables for more applications.
These types of applications often need insulation materials other than PVC due to special requirements such as extreme temperature, low smoke, flammability, flexibility, sterilization and chemical contact. Silicone is an excellent choice for these types of requirements. Not only is silicone wire extremely flexible, it can withstand millions of flex cycles, and has good steam and chemical resistance. Silicone ribbon cables can be extruded or bonded depending on the type of termination that is used. Extruded ribbon cables have a tighter center to center tolerance than the bonded ribbon cable. When using a bonded ribbon cable, terminating with IDC is recommended. Extruded ribbon cables normally require tooling to control shape and pitch which may add to initial cost. Bonded ribbon cables normally do not have special tooling used.
Flat cables can be manufactured in a variety of constructions which may include zip cords, ribbon cables and flat cables with an outer jacket. Custom cables can also be constructed with shielded twisted pairs, overall shield, and with tubing or lumens. Custom flat cables are also available in smaller gauges which you cannot find "off the shelf".
Silicone insulated wire and cables do have their drawback. Silicone has poor abrasion resistance, which can be a critical problem for applications where the cable comes in contact with sharp objects. Higher abrasion resistant formulas are available for silicone. Consult your wire and cable manufacturer regarding your application to find out the options available to you.
To find out more about flat cable options or if silicone cables are right for your application contact Calmont for assistance with your design or request a quote. Feel free to leave a comment.
With custom cable it is not uncommon to hear “Copper prices just dropped, why didn’t my cable price go down?” Copper prices are a major factor affecting custom wire and cable prices but not the sole factor. Custo
m cable is normally made to order and many times in smaller quantities which is affected by the prices of materials at the time of ordering. “Off the shelf” commodity wire is usually made continuously and in large volumes which absorb day to day cost fluctuations of copper/metals, compounds and labor/set up keeping the price more stable.
Here are just a few factors which affect the prices of custom wireand cable products
Petroleum prices- Which can range from transport and freight costs to the actual compounds which are made from petroleum products.beside copper:
Material shortages- An example is the fluoropolymer (FEP), earlier this year due to the earthquake in Japan affected production for Daikin and DuPont which are the only manufacturers of fluoropolymers in the world today. In addition with China cutting back on their fluorospar exports which happened at the same time resulted in an increase of 20-30% for the compounds.
Material minimums- Custom cable designs sometimes use conductors and compounds which are not commonly used and are subject to minimum buys which are factored into the per foot price of the cable.
Set up- Setting up equipment takes time and material, the higher the volume the less the set up costs affect final price.
There are ways to help keep your cost down, for example:
Plan ahead – Placing blanket orders, scheduling orders over multiple shipments over time. Buying higher volumes helps absorb minimums by amortizing material, set up and labor costs. Sometimes the overall cost for ordering 1000 feet is less than ordering 200- 500 feet. Ask for price breaks to evaluate your options.
Request samples – Custom wire is usually specialized to the design however you can check to see if your manufacture has a similar item they can sample you. This is helpful when you need prototype of proof of concept quantities. Many custom cable manufacturers have sample stock and overruns available which may be similar to what you need.
Wait for it- If you time to wait, ask your cable manufacture if they have any upcoming jobs using the same material. Running your order along with another may save you on set up costs and/or minimums. It's a long shot, but can be done if your material is a more common one.
Substitutions- Ask what is driving the price. If a material minimum is involved, find out if there is a substitute material which may be readily available you can use. Sometimes just changing the plating or strand count can make the difference.
Medical Wire and Cable-Applications of Medical Wire
Posted at 6:45 AM on Jan. 29, 2012
Medical wire and cable is different than wire and cable
used in other applications. Design engineers need to keep this in mind when specifying their cable. Often time custom medical cables are needed due to bio-compatibility, sterilization and possibly smaller sized device requirements.
When specifying a medical cable one needs to keep in mind several factors such as:
Will the cable come in contact with the patient? Bio compatibility.
Flexibility requirements.
How will the device be used day to day?
Due to time constraints many times engineers will sometimes settle for a readily available off the shelf cable for prototypes or proof of concept, which is fine for the short term. When it comes to field and clinical trials a prototype should be made with wire or cable specifically designed for the application to better measure longevity and functionality. Medical cable applications fall into several categories; handheld medical devices are a large segment of medical cable applications.
Medical Hand Piece Cables
Cables for medical hand pieces must carry the power, control, sensor and data to and from the hand piece. The cable may be as simple as a two-conductor cable, providing power to a cut & cauterize scalpel or a multi-conductor power, control and sensor cable used on an orthopedic surgery device. Cables for handheld medical lasers likely contain lumens for cooling. Ablating hand piece cables can also contain lumens for irrigation and suction removal.
The design of medical hand pieces falls into two categories: re-useable and disposable. See below for information on Disposable Medical Cables and Re-useable Medical Cables.
Disposable Medical Cables
Disposable medical cables are made from the lowest cost materials that will meet the design needs of the device. Conductor cost is dictated more by the number of strands used to make the conductor. The higher the strand count the more flexible the wire becomes. A marketing trade-off is often made for disposable cables, i.e. increase stiffness can be tolerated by the need to hold cost down. 7 or 19 strand conductors can be used, where in re-useable cables the strand count can be well over 50. The use of plating is reviewed and bare copper is the most often used. Tin plating is used only to enhance solder ability. Crimping the wires is often the cheapest means of terminating the conductor. Silver plating is rarely used for disposable cables. Conductor sizes are determined by the current needs of the device.
Insulation and jacket materials are chosen by cost. Low cost materials such as Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) or Thermo Plastic Elastomers such as poly urethane are often used. Polyethylene can be used as insulation. Insulation and jacket thickness are determined by the voltage ratings of the signals in the cable.
Shields, when required, are usually of a spiral type rather than braid to hold the cost down. Spiral shields may lose shield effectiveness during repeated flexing, but the number of flexes for disposable cables is limited.
Jacket colors usually are chosen by the program. The need for gamma sterilization may limit the color shades available. Colors can change during gamma sterilization and are usually required to be stable for less than 10 cycles to allow for re-sterilization when repackaging is needed.
Re-useable Medical Cables.
Medical cables designed for re-useable devices have to use materials that will withstand several cycles of sterilization by alcohol based agents or autoclaves.
Conductors are made from high strand count conductors for maximum flexibility and often they are made from high strength copper alloys. The size of the conductors is determined by the current they must carry to the device. To withstand the rigors of sterilization, plating’s of tin or silver plating may be required.
Insulation must also withstand the rigors of sterilization and are often either Teflon’s such as FEP, PFA or Tefzel® or Silicone Rubber. The use of lower cost materials may be made on a case by case basis.
When shields are required, they must be made from materials resistant to many sterilization cycles and are often silver plated copper or silver plated high strength copper alloys. Shield construction is usually of a braid rather than a spiral, as spiral shields can move during flexing and compromise the shielding effectiveness.
The more popular choice for cable jackets are made from Santoprene™ TPE which is good for up to 100 cycles of autoclave, or Silicone Rubber.
Medical cable applications also include implantable, medical robotics, therapeutic devices, sensors and monitoring equipment.
To find out more or discuss your applications with medical wire and cable please contact Calmont Wire & Cable.
Please feel free to leave your comments; we would enjoy hearing from you.
Custom Cable-High Performance Custom Wire and Cable
Posted at 6:43 AM on Jan. 29, 2012
What makes a wire or cable a custom wire or cable? One would think it would have to be an elaborate cable design, but in reality something as simple as a unique color or printing can make the cable become a custom cable.
Custom wire and cable is not readily available or stocked by distributors or manufacturers. Simply put, custom wire and cable is anything that is made to order specifically for a customer. Hypothetically, let's say you have a commodity cable that you use regularly but now your product design has changed and you need one or two more conductors. You check with your distributor and the manufacture doesn't offer that construction. You now need to turn to a custom wire and cable manufacturer which is set up to run special construction cable with little or no minimums
.Yes you will pay a little higher per foot than you do with the commodity wire however, you get exactly what you need and the performance you require. Prices between custom and commodity cable can't be compared as the construction and materials are different and the quantity produced are much lower with the custom cable. In the end it's all about having choices available to make a better product.
A few benefits of using custom wire and cable include:
Engineered specifically for your application
Custom configurations
Custom colors and/or printing
Improved performance
You have choices! When having a custom wire or cable designed you a wide range of options to assist in building the right wire or cable for your needs. Some options include:
Reverse engineering is used in situations where the origin of a cable is unknown or there is no information about the wire or cable. Engineers in most cases will carefully dissect the wire or cable taking measurements and noting the construction of conductors, cable lay, shielding, fillers and other vital information. A series of tests are performed to determine the insulation and jacket materials. At this point if a customer would like to see improvements in the cable's performance such as a more flexible cable, or higher flex life it should be mentioned to the engineers so changes can be made to the design.
So who uses custom cables? Just about every industry including medical, robotics, aerospace, music/audio, and more. Building a better mousetrap often means designing a product that will exceed its expected performance and the wire and cable needs to be considered as well.
If you do not know much about wire and cable properties, don't be alarmed. Custom cable manufacturers have engineering resources to assist you with every step of the way starting with deermining the right materials and construction based on your application and requirements.
If you have questions about custom wire and cable or a project that you need assistance with, contact Calmont for assistance. Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have. If you enjoyed this article please feel free to share it.
Medical Cable- Applications of the Lumen in the Medical Industry
Posted at 5:01 AM on Jan. 9, 2012
In the medical device industry a lumen is a term used to describe tubing which is typically used to transfer liquids, gases/air or even other cable components such as fiber optics and cameras. Lumens can be manufactured in a variety of configurations and incorporated inside a cable with multiple lumens (multi-lumen).
If you have been to the dentist then you have had experience with lumens. The handpiece used for air and water has lumens within the cable. The suction piece placed in your mouth is a disposable lumen. Other uses for lumens include micro-surgical instruments and pressure transducers. Cables for handheld medical lasers likely contain lumens for cooling. Ablating handpiece cables can also contain lumens for irrigation and suctioning.
Lumens are not limited to the medical cable industry. Lumens are used in many industries and are often called other names such as tubing or hose.
Other industries using lumens include:
Industrial
Automotive
Instrumentation and sensors
Automation/ robotic
As products become smaller and more compact and it is more common to see tubing and cable incorporated into one component. A few examples outside the medical industry include hi-tech hand sprayers with electronic controller in handpiece, cables with hydraulic fluid tubes, pressure transducers and air controlled switches.
Often when designing a device or equipment with tubing or lumens acustom cablesolution is needed. It is important to tell your cable manufacture as much information as possible about the application and its intended use.
Key information may include:
Used for fluid, air or other?
Will it be pressurized?
Type of fluid or gas?
Flexibility requirements?
Bio-compatibility requirements?
The more your cable manufacture knows, the better the design will meet your needs. Working with a cable manufacturer early in your design phase will help to determine tubing size, material and construction to insure your project goes smoothly from the start.
Comments are welcome! Tell us about your lumen application or challenge.
Choosing co-extruded silicone wire for applications that require suppression of electrical noise, corona resistance, low loss of power and extremely flexible nature is ideal. The co-extrusion process forsilicone wire involves the combination of two extruders running simultaneously to produce the semi conductive silicone insulation and the silicone outer jacket. There are many applications which require this type of performance.
Extruding the semi-conductive insulation and the outer jacket layers of silicone at the same time insures that there is no air or any contamination particles at the joining of the two layers. The use of a semi-conductive silicone layer over the copper conductor reduces corona by filling the space around the conductor with semi-conductive silicone to remove the air. The semi-conductive material also increases the effective corona inception diameter from that of one of the strands in the conductor to a diameter slightly larger than the total conductor diameter. This results in the higher corona inception values and increase effective radius of conductor found in co-extruded silicone wires.
Features and Benefits:
Corona, moisture and ozone resistant
Lightweight and extremely flexible design
Radiation resistance
Excellent electrical characteristics
Resistant to temperature extremes
Lower EMI
Increased Customer Benefits:
Reduces noise on radar
Spots on Xerox copies
Error spots on medical x-ray's
Built in stripes
Other uses for Co-extrusionIn 1958, The Wham-O Company had a problem: The stripe in the original Hula Hoop was painted on and was wearing off quickly after a short time of use. The Wham-O Company asked Calmont Wire & Cable's founder Bill Chilcote to find a solution to the problem. Bill seized the opportunity and developed a co-extrusion process and built the equipment to add the stripe right into the tubing, which made the stripe permanent. The stripe has evolved over the years but the fundamentals of Bill’s technology are still being used today for the Hula Hoop and many other applications in a variety of industries.
Flexible Wire- Conductor and Insulation selection for flexible wire and cable
Posted at 6:33 AM on Dec. 30, 2011
Medical device, aerospace and automation manufacturers often require flexible cables for their products. Flexible wire and cable can have many interpretations. Sometimes a simple description such as, “the wire needs to be as limp as a wet noodle” is enough to understand your needs. The choice of type of conductor and insulation can greatly influence the flexibility of the cable performance. Understanding what the flexibility requirements are will help to determine the materials and construction for the flexibility of the wire or cable.
When specifying a flexible cable you need tell your cable manufacturer what the intended use will be.
Do you need to route it through equipment or a tight space?
Will it be subject to repetitive flexing?
Do you need the cable to flexible during use?
There are several factors which make a cable flexible, a few are:
Conductor stranding
Shield types
Cable lay
Insulation materials.
Typically in conductor stranding, the more strands a conductor has the more flexible the wire will be. Normally “off the shelf” wire and cable is stranded in 7 or 19 strand configurations, is not flexible enough for most applications requiring flexible or high flex cycles. The general rule is the higher the strand count of the conductor, the more flexible the wire or cable will be. Stranded conductors are composed of un-insulated “strands” of wire twisted together. The advantages of stranded conductor over a single strand are increased flexibility and flex-fatigue life. When you see 22AWG (19/34) for example, what the description means is that there are 19 strands of 34 AWG making up the 22 AWG conductor. Other common options for a 22 AWG is a single strand (solid) up to 168/44 strands. The construction of the conductor also plays a role in the cable’s flexibility, for example a rope stranding is the most flexible. For repetitive flexing applications such as robotics and automation, the use of high strand alloy material is recommended.
Choosing the right insulation can add to the cable’s flexibility. Silicone is one the most flexible of the compounds used. Silicone wire is used to meet a variety of demands such as extreme high and low temperature requirements, flame resistance, flexibility, strength and purity. The application and environment also play a role when choosing jacket material. Harsh environments, chemicals, and abrasion will narrow down your insulation and jacket options. Discussing your flexible wire application with a cable manufacturer can help you choose the right materials for the performance and longevity of your product.
For Every Application: Medical and Military Cables
Posted at 9:44 AM on Aug. 26, 2010
Cable and extrusion devices for applications serve a vital role in critical fields like health and national security. In fields ranging from heart surgery to military communications, wire devices supply equipment with electrical power and transmit data. Many kinds of materials are used to transmit electrical energy, but those most frequently specified in medical wires and military wires are copper, copper-covered steel, high strength copper alloys, and aluminum. For more unusual applications, conductors are fabricated from pure nickel, pure silver, copper-covered aluminum, and a host of metals, metal alloys, and metal combinations as dictated by the application.
Here are details on the most widely-used types of materials found in silicone cables and wires for various applications.
Copper– Copper is by far the most widely used conductor material in the industry. Among its physical properties are high electrical and thermal conductivity, ductility, malleability and solderability, high melting point, and high resistance to corrosion, wear and fatigue. Copper is also cost-effective when compared to other conductive materials commonly used in military and medical cables.
Copper-covered steel– Copper-covered steel combines the conductivity and corrosion resistance of copper with the strength of steel. Three types are presently available, differing primarily in method of producing the composite metal. In one type, molten welding permanently bonds the two components; in another, a copper layer is electroplated over a steel rod; and in the third, the copper and steel are metallurgically bonded.
High-Strength Alloys- Though more expensive than copper-covered steel wires, copper alloy conductors are specified because they permit significant size and/or weight reductions especially important in computer and aerospace applications. They offer high breaking strength and greater flex life with only a small increase in DC resistance. Cadmium-chromium copper, cadmium copper, chromium copper, and zirconium copper are most frequently used.
Stainless Steel- Stainless steel is used for medical lead wires and cables. Stainless steel has poor conductivity compared to copper and may have to be gold plated to improve the conductivity.
TheQPL (Qualified Products List) is a listing that identifies both materials and suppliers whose materials are approved for use on certain federal or government projects without the need for any additional documentation or testing. On the QPL, only specified manufacturers are approved to make selected parts for federal, military or airframe applications because they have proven they can produce the standard products to particular requirements. If a federal agency needs to purchase a product, it will seek out businesses that already have products on the suitable QPL. For additional information on military and medical wires, please contact www.calmont.com to learn more.
Important Milestones In History of Wire And Cable Manufacturing
Posted at 2:43 AM on Jul. 10, 2010
Due to technological advances, the medical wire and cable manufacturing industry has experienced tremendous change over the years both in its operations and systems as well as the needs of its customers. The modern wire and cable industry emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century during a time when American industrialization created a need for medical wire and cable products and made available a means for their production.
When the US became industrialized, wire became a fundamental product underpinning the nation's growth both industrially and commercially. For years, copper had been the preferred metal for a majority of the wire and military cable manufacturing industry's products; its high conductivity made it the metal of choice for a majority of manufacturers.
Aluminum, which would similarly gain widespread acceptance, was introduced as a cable conductor during the thirties, but did not represent an significant portion of the market until the fifties, when a reduced supply of copper forced manufacturers to search for an alternative metal for civilian, military, and medical cables.
Manufacturers selecting aluminum to augment their copper shortage came at an opportune time in the country's development: the population was rapidly rising creating a boom in the housing industry; televisions and radios were being manufactured at unprecedented levels; a community antennae television (CATV) market was burgeoning; more automobiles were being manufactured; and electric power generation in the country was about to begin two decades of exponential growth. Wire and cable manufacturers served each of these markets, experiencing enviable growth as the nation enjoyed an age of prosperity. By the beginning of the 1970s, the industry had evolved into a $3 billion entity, primarily due to the growth of the national economy over the last two decades.
By the late eighties, manufacturers bought more primary aluminum than any other nonferrous metal to produce wire and cable products. As the wire drawing and insulating industry entered the mid-nineties, manufacturing activity resumed its prerecession levels.
From 1989 to 1993, American shipments of fiber optic equipment increased 13 percent every year, with industry observers calling for still greater growth through the end of the decade. In the mid-1990s, experts estimated the world market for fiber optic equipment to be $5 billion, a market in which United States manufacturers maintained a lead over European and Japanese producers, although the gap separating the from other manufacturers was shrinking. It was expected that this market to double in value by the end of the decade, promising lucrative profit potential for manufacturers of fiber optic cable. As the conventional markets supporting cable and wire manufacturers' core business once again fueled the industry's growth, those manufacturers able to afford the costly nature of exploring "next-generation" technology began turning to the production of fiber optic cable in increasing numbers. For more information about the wire and cable industry, please contact www.calmont.com.
Medical technology is one of the most important aspects of technological development as it is used directly in saving lives. Medical wire and other products are used to diagnose, monitor or treat every disease or condition that affects us. Advances in medical technology can go a long way towards saving lives. Innovative technologies have led to improved health care and patient outcomes, earlier diagnosis, less invasive treatment options and reductions in hospital stays and rehabilitation times.
Technological advancements in the medical field have greatly improved the efficiency of hospitals and other medical facilities. A good example is the computerization of medical records. This makes patient information more accessible and accurate. Now, there is no point in wasting paper. Instead, offices can organize all their information in an easily searchable computer database. In addition, it is easier to maintain patient confidentiality because the office can make sure that only select authorized individuals have access to a patient’s paper files.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and a good example of how technology ha changed the treatment and prevention of a disease over time. There is a lot of machinery involved in treating a heart attack patient. This machinery has come a long way and can help to save lives. In the 1970s, cardiac care units were introduced to manage irregular heartbeat and lower blood pressure. In the last decade, better tests have become available to diagnose the reason for a heart attack. In addition, new drug strategies have been developed to for heart attack survivors. From 1980-2000, the overall mortality rate from heart attack fell by almost 50 percent! This is thanks to advances in medical technology. Better medical wires and machines have come a long way to help reduce this mortality rates.
In today’s society, health care spending is a big issue. On one hand, everyone should have access to the best health care available. On the other hand, what happens when this new medical technology becomes too expensive per patient? Many treatments are long term and very expensive, even with insurance. However many medical advancements are being made to actually reduce costs! For example custom cables and wires in the medical field are becoming cheaper to mass produce. Also, some medical machinery is able to do the work that used to take several large, complicated machines. A good example is better anesthesia technology. Better anesthetic agents and practices have reduced the burden of surgery on patients, producing faster patient recoveries, shorter hospital stays, and fewer medical errors. These changes have actually reduced the cost per patient for many hospitals.
Whether talking about medical cable or other machinery, it is important to note the immense technological advancements made in recent years. It is important to continue to fund this research, not only to increase patient survival, but also to eventually reduce costs while increasing quality!
Meeting the Needs of the Medical Advances of Today and the Future
Posted at 3:08 AM on Jun. 22, 2010
Medical wire has multiple uses in treating various conditions. It comes in various widths and made of various materials. Silicone wire is only one example. The exact specifications depend on the condition the doctor is treating and the equipment involved in the treatment. Many times treatment requires a flexible wire to snake through various veins or ducts in the body. This flexible cable allows doctors to perform procedures with minimal invasive techniques. Thin wires have many uses in the medical field. Let's look at a few of them.
One common use of medical wire is in patient monitoring. Whether it involves measuring electrical activity of the heart with an EKG or measuring the firing of neurons in the brain through an EEG, these wires help monitor patient health. Most applications require flexible wire since they often require placement in tight or odd places. Getting the right flexible cable is important when placing sensors on the skin to measure heart or brain activity. Often silicone wire leads the way since it provides a nonmetallic surface. No matter how the wire is used, finding the right wire is very important in medical procedures.
Another common use for medical wire is in electrosurgical equipment such as lasers and instruments which doctors use for microsurgery. Many wires are no wider than a human hair. Some are only a fraction of that size. Even at this small sized flexible wire is required since doctors often put it in very tight spaces. When fished through the human body, it needs to move through human organs or veins to the final destination. That is why flexible cable is one of the most important medical advances made in recent decades. It allows doctors to get down to the lowest levels of the human body without invasive procedures. Silicon wire is another important advance.
Whether you need flexible wire or silicone wire, it is important to find a good supplier. Medical wire must be cost-effective yet of high quality to meet the needs of modern medicine. With hundreds of uses, flexible cable is something that modern medicine needs for advanced treatment. There are many other uses for medical wire such as endoscopy, laparoscopy, thermometry, medical robotics, medical imaging, diabetic treatment devices, and many other medical needs. Well into the future, this form of wire will be important. For the best results, manufacturers must rigorously test this wire to make sure it will stand up to the pressures of the medical world
Proper medical cable management is a very important step during the installation of building services and the subsequent installation of equipment providing means to tidily secure cables. Products such as cable trays, cable ladders, and cable baskets are used to support the cable. It is important to make these cables easily accessible as cables often need to be added, moved, or removed many times during the life of the installation. It is also important to keep the cables organized and separated as they can easily become tangled, making them very difficult to work with. In the medical industry, an unplugged cable can mean the difference between life and death so the cables must be kept organized and labeled. At times, color-coding of cables is used to keep track of which cable is which. Color-coding is often an effective method of staying organized because you can easily distinguish different types of cables and connections.
Medical wire is often custom-made depending on its intended use. Small size, extreme flexibility, and sometimes insulated conductors are some qualities medical companies look for in their wires. Some applications the flexible wire is used for are patient monitoring systems, ultrasound scanners, medical implants X-ray devices and many more. For high-heat situations, silicone wire is often used. It has a soft silicone coating which is extremely resistant to heat. This coating can withstand a 150 watt soldering iron held directly on it for a long time without melting and burning. In addition it is very flexible so it can bend at extreme angles with no problem. Wires can be made to be more flexible by having many little wires combined to make up a larger wire. This is important in routing of wires in tight spaces, a common situation in the medical industry.
Silicone tubing is typically used in applications such as catheters, drains, feeding tubes, and peristaltic pumps. Manufacturers considering silicone for these types of applications can choose from special grades that meet stringent health agency requirements.
The medical electronics industry produces technically demanding designs and specifications for patient monitoring cables and medical equipment cables and new technologies are constantly emerging. Consequently, patient monitoring cables, electrosurgical device cables and other medical equipment cables must be engineered to provide reliable performance day after day in a variety of environments and be able to continue to functioning properly after repeated exposures to sterilization processes such as autoclave, ETO, gamma, e-beam and disinfectants. They must be flexible, yet able to endure a long life while maintaining their soft and pliable characteristics. The medical cable must be able to perform consistently after repeated cycles, often for millions of repetitions. In addition, medical wire and cable can be tailored for a variety of conditions such as extreme low temperature, flexibility, extreme heat resistance, optimum radiation and flame resistance and high strength and purity.
Cables and wires are used in almost all everyday life settings. This is why it is essential for companies like Calmont to provide us with the top-of-the-line cables and wires to go meet the needs of our newest technology for applications in science, medicine, military, aerospace, and other areas. People need to know and understand which cables are in demand and how to order cables customized to work the best for whatever situation called for.
Super flexible wire and cable applications are at their highest demand yet. The flexibility of these cables is advantageous for such technologically advanced medical procedures as minimally-invasive surgeries. Patients are now able to elect less invasive surgeries which require smaller cuts through the use of laparoscopic video cameras. Flexible wires in this field mean less invasive surgery, in which doctors can view inside the body without major surgery. Opening the body requires much more surgery, stitches, and recovery time. It is important for such fields as the medical and military to have the proper tools to work with in strenuous conditions. Lives depend on these people and when things are not made correctly everyone can suffer. This is why Calmont has made it their top priority to provide the most durable and flexible cable and wire product for all in need.
Calmont pioneered these cables to work in their exact environment and provide what is necessary while being durable. There wires are specially compounded and plasticized polyvinyl chloride insulations applied over ultra-fine stranded wire yield a finished superflex wire. This makes for the wire to have a longer life and a higher flexure index level than attainable with ordinary PVC insulated wire.
Usually when a field is in need of silicone wire or silicone cable those cables must be customized to fit critical temperatures or spaces. Silicone wires and cables can be customized to fit your needs. These cables are individually insulated and made with an extremely flexible flat ribbon form making them great for the medical field. These wires generally do not need any separation although if separation is required these wires work with the durability and purpose individualized. Calmont can provide you with a generic type of these cables how ever there are a combination of different things you also have the option to choose from.
Advanced military technology for our frontline troops
Posted at 3:13 AM on Apr. 29, 2009
Each year millions of dollars are poured into military technology for accuracy and advancement. With the advent of many new technologies, there has been an improvement in the U.S. defense programs. Improvements are toward advanced military wire and cable for support in weaponry, propulsion, sensor systems and automation. Unique custom cable and wire products designed are developed specifically for such military applications. These cables utilize the highest quality materials and the most advanced processing technology. The result is exceptional military cable capable of withstanding the harshest military conditions, from extreme temperatures to severe exposure to chemicals, fuels, lubricants and radiation.
Typical military and defense applications also include:
Each year millions of dollars are poured into the medical field worldwide for research in cures as well as accurate treatment. With the advent of many new technologies, there has been a considerable amount of improvement of new medical equipments that have been invented to provide accurate treatment for different diseases. The quality of medical cable is very important, as this will have a direct influence on the patient’s health. Advanced custom cable for the medical field is critical for producing exact specifications, such as the custom EKG patient cables which can literally mean the difference between life and death.
According to military wire and medical cable company, with years of expertise research, developing and manufacturing high-performance EKG cables, military cable and other custom medical cables assemblies provide the ideal background for satisfying market needs.
Aerospace, medical and military requires state of the art cables that are highly efficient with design support capability to qualify for usage. Depending on the application, medical cablesmaybe have to be rugged, handle high voltages or be ultra miniature cablesto be used in applications that are quite diverse.
Medical device design and cablesoffer aerospace and military customers a full range of rugged, flexible and low outgassing jacketing options. Polyurethane, silicone rubber and thermoplastic rubber are just some of the materials used in these applications.
When beneficial, companies incorporate commercially available QPL subcomponents into custom designed cables. This allows customers to take advantage of readily available approved material, but at the same, address unique requirements for nonstandard shielding, jacketing and other components. Noncommercial materials such as nickel plated Kevlar® are utilized for weight critical satellite applications.
Disclaimer: This blog or article is for information purpose only, and should not be treated a professional advise or price protection guarantee. This blog is mainly used for search engine optimization and other commercial purposes and it is advised that readers seek professional consultation in the field of interest for more information.
Hospitals are one of the biggest and busiest in the health industry so it is important that their medical device design and cables run smoothly and efficiently for configuration. Medical cables in the hospital must withstand both the normal wear and tear of the health care environment and the rigors of pre- and post-operative surgical procedures.
Some of the main custom designed cables being used are: SuperFlex, FluoroFlex and SiliFlex. These wires are used to construct medical cables because of their ultra miniature cables and extreme flexibility. Standard insulated conductors are also available for applications where flexibility is a noncritical requirement.
These applications have been put together by specialized engineering staffs that custom design for any state-of-the medical or dental instrumentation. Attention to minute details and exacting requirements put manufactures of highly specialized cables for the nations health care industry to become the best.
Disclaimer: This blog or article is for information purpose only, and should not be treated a professional advise or price protection guarantee. This blog is mainly used for search engine optimization and other commercial purposes and it is advised that readers seek professional consultation in the field of interest for more information
Calmont Wire and Cable manufacturescustom medical wire and custom electric cable for medical device design and cable, aerospace, military, robotics, computers, telecommunications and other precision applications requiring custom design. Calmont specializes in ultra-flexible and ultra-miniature wire and cable.
Their In-Plant capabilities allow them to quickly evaluate and develop the most effective cost/performance ratios available. After testing and approval, they are able to implement full production runs with the shortest possible lead time, and when they give you a delivery date, you can count on it. In an industry dominated by long lead times and huge minimums, Calmont stands apart from the competition. They also offer a 2-week Rapid Prototyping Service.
Whatever your application, whenever unusual high performance wires or custom electronic cable is needed, call them. With their experience, chances are they’ve done it; if not, they will commit their engineering and manufacturing capabilities to your needs and create a special purpose cable, custom extrusion or wire.
Calmont Wire and Cable has been providing custom wire and cable solutions for exacting applications since 1958. As technology has changed and new markets emerged, Calmont has kept pace. Today we are still the first choice in custom cable design and manufacture for military, medical, robotics, computers, telecommunications and other demanding markets.
Calmont will deliver custom solutions for your specialty wire and cable requirements. We can work from your specifications or assist in developing specifications to fit your application. Calmont’s skilled and experienced engineering staff is ready, whether you require a small prototype or large production run. For over 50 years, companies around the world have relied on Calmont to deliver the finest in wire and cable solutions. We invite you to challenge us with your unique application.
Disclaimer: This blog or article is for information purpose only, and should not be treated a professional advise or price protection guarantee. This blog is mainly used for search engine optimization and other commercial purposes and it is advised that readers seek professional consultation in the field of interest for more information
