You probably never think about it, but cable shielding actually plays an important role in your everyday life. If you work in an office or industrial setting, you are most likely surrounded by it every time you go into work. In fact, cable shielding is part of what keeps your workplace running smoothly, allowing data to be passed back and forth without interference.
What is Cable Shielding?
These thicker, more rigid cables require care when they are being installed or otherwise manipulated, but they are absolutely necessary for any data-heavy space. According to Wire & Cable Tips, their necessity is based on the fact that the shielding serves to block the effects of electromagnetic interference as the cables transfer data by containing electrical signals and blocking other electrical signals from reaching the wiring.
Why is Cable Shielding Important?
In addition to physically protecting the cable from abrasion or pest damage, cable shielding actively reduces electrical noise, the impact of electrical noise on the transfer of signals, and the creation of electromagnetic radiation. Without shielding radio and data signals can become severely distorted, leading to the industrial equivalent of packet-loss.
As one industry leader indicates, this means that shielding can be a matter of life and death, especially in a high-risk space, such as a plane or emergency room. In these cases, electromagnetic interference can have real and immediate consequences. That being said, cable shielding serves an important purpose in any space where data and radio signals are consistently being transmitted at high volumes.
Science Direct speaks in no uncertain terms of the potential dangers of unchecked electromagnetic interference. As a form of increasing, environmental pollution, electromagnetic interference is capable of doing something as innocent as creating annoying inconsistencies in communication, such as crackling, and something as dangerous as corrupt critical safety systems. In any space where people’s lives are dependent on the uninterrupted communication of electrical signals, shielding is a must to protect those core systems.
What Kinds of Cable Shielding are There?
At Calmont Wire & Cable, shielding is a central part of good practice. For more than sixty years, their custom wire and cable systems have made some of our greatest American projects possible. From the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs to the Hubble telescope, Calmont designed innovative solutions that allowed their cable and wiring systems to withstand the most extreme conditions.
As the leaders of the industry, they offer four types of shielding:
- Round Wire: These shields can be made of bare copper, tinned copper, or another alloy if desired. Calmont typically keeps shields made from 32-44 AWG wires; however, their custom designs can reach a width of 28 AWG. These shields are inflexible, so they are not appropriate for every space.
- Braided Shield: These shields use an interwoven, overlapping pattern that mimics braided fabric. The angle and density of the braiding decide the flexibility of the cable, so the installation space and use of the cable will be taken into account by your engineer prior to discussing braiding options.
- Spiral Shield: A spiral shield is similar to a braided shield, except that the wires are wrapped like a helix rather than fully encased by an interwoven shield. As a result, spiral shields are far more flexible but also markedly less effective at containing the electrical signals being transmitted.
- Foil Tape: Copper or aluminum tape are cost-effective solutions for containing electrical signals and blocking interference. The only marked disadvantage is their extreme inflexibility when compared with a braided or spiral shield.
The type of shielding you choose will largely be decided by the conditions the cables are expected to withstand. Calmont’s engineers will evaluate the temperatures, atmospheric pressures, and levels of electromagnetic interference to identify the best shielding solution for your project or workspace.