Resources
Glossary of Terms
These are the most commonly seen terms in the wire & cable Industry. If something your looking for is not here, please do not hesitate to email us to find your answer.
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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
AAbrasion Resistance - Ability of material to resist surface wear from friction.
Accelerated Life Test - A test in which certain factors such as voltage, temperature, etc, to which a cable is subjected are increased in magnitude above normal operating values to obtain observable deterioration in a reasonable period of time and thereby afford some measure of the probable cable life under operating voltage, temperature, etc.
A.C Resistance - The total resistance offered by a device in an alternating current circuit due to inductive and capacitive effects, as well as the direct current resistance.
Active Current - In an alternating current, a component in phase with the voltage; the working component as distinguished from the idle or wattless component.
Active Pressure - In an A.C. circuit, the pressure which produces a current, as distinguished from the voltage impressed upon the circuit.
Admittance - The measure of ease with which an alternating current flows in a circuit, the reciprocal of impedance.
Aerial Cable - A cable suspended in the air on poles or other overhead structure.
Air-Dielectric Cable - A coaxial cable in which air is the essential dielectric material. A spirally wound synthetic filament or spacer may be used to center the conductor.
Alloy - A metal formed by combining two or more different metals.
Alternating Current (AC) - Electric current that continually reverses its direction. It is expressed in cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).
Ampacity - The maximum current an insulated wire or cable can safely carry without exceeding either the insulation or jacket material limitations. (Same as Current Carrying Capacity.)
Ampere - The unit of current. One ampere is the current flowing through one ohm of resistance at one volt potential.
Annealed Wire - Wire, which after final draw down, has been heated and slowly and gradually cooled to remove the effects of cold working.
ASA - Abbreviation for American Standards Association. Former name of ANSI.
ASTM - American Society for Testing and Materials.
Attenuation - The decrease in magnitude of a wave as it travels through any transmitting medium, such as cable or circuitry. Attenuation is measured as a ratio or as the logarithm of a ratio (decibel).
Audio Frequency - Those frequencies audible to the range of the human ear, generally considered to be 20-20,000 Hertz (Hz).
AWG - American Wire Gage. A wire diameter specification. The higher the AWG number, the smaller the wire diameter.
AWM - Designation for appliance wiring material.
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B
Balanced Circuit - A circuit so arranged that the impressed voltages on each conductor of the pair are equal in magnitude but opposite in polarity with respect to ground.
Balium - A device for matching an unbalanced coaxial transmission line to a balanced two-wire system.
Band Marking - A continuous circumferential band applied to a conductor at regular intervals for identification.
Bandwidth - The difference between the upper and lower limits of a given band of frequencies. Expressed in Hertz.
Bare Conductor - A conductor that has no covering, coating, or cladding on the copper.
Baud - Unit of data transmission speed representing bits per second, 1,200 baud = 1200 bits per second.
BCF - Billion Conductor Feet. A quantity derived by multiplying the number of conductors in a cable by the amount of the cable. Usually used to indicate plant capacity or an annual requirement.
Binder - A spirally served tape or thread used for holding assembled cable components in place.
Blown Jacket - The outer cable covering applied by controlled inflation of the cured jacket tube then pulling the cable through it.
Bonding - The method used to produce good electrical contact between metallic parts of any device. Used extensively in automobiles and aircraft to prevent static buildup. Also refers to the connectors and straps used to bond equipment (e.g. bonding the neutrals).
Booster - A device inserted into a line or cable to increase the voltage.
Boot - A fibrous or metallic group of filaments interwoven in cylindrical form to create a covering over one or more wires.
Braid - A textile or metallic group of filaments interwoven into a cylindrical structure to form a covering over one or more wires or flattened into a strap.
Braid Angle - The smaller of two angles formed by the shielding strand and the axis of the cable being shielded.
Braid Carrier - A spool or bobbin on a braider, which holds one group of strands or filament consisting of a specific number of ends. The carrier revolves during braiding operations.
Braid Ends - The number of strands used to make up one carrier. The strands are wound side by side on the carrier bobbin and lie parallel in the finished braid.
Brazing - Joining the end of two wires, rods, or groups of wires with a nonferrous filler metal at temperatures above 800°F (427°C).
Breakdown of Insulation - Insulation failure which results in a flow of current through the insulation. This may be caused by the application having too high of voltage, by defects, or decay.
Breakdown Voltage - The voltage at which the insulation between two conductors breaks down.
Breakout - The point a conductor or group of conductors breaks out from a multi-conductor cable to complete circuits at various points along the main cable.
B & S - Abbreviation for "Brown & Sharpe Wire Gauge" - Means the same as American Wire Gauge.
Buffer - Refers to Fiber Optic Cable. A soft material which mechanically isolates individual fibers in a fiber optic cable or bundle from small geometrical irregularities, distortions, or roughness of adjacent surfaces.
Building Wire - Wire used for light and power, 600 volts or less, and is usually not exposed to outdoor environments.
Bunch Stranding - A group of wires of the same diameter twisted together without a predetermined pattern.
Bundle - Refers to Fiber Optic Cable. A number of fibers grouped together, usually carrying a common signal.
Burial Cable - A cable installed directly in the earth without use of under ground conduit. Also called "direct burial" cable or "flooded cable".
Bus - Wi re used to connect one terminal to another inside of an electrical unit.
Butt - Joining of two conductors end-to-end, without overlap and with the axes in line.
Butt Splice - A splice where two wires from opposite ends butt against each other, or against a stop in the center of a splice.
Butt Wrap - Tape wrapped around an object or conductor in an edge-to-edge condition.
Byte - Usually a group of eight binary digits.
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C
Cable Assembly - A completed cable and its associated hardware ready to install.
Cable Filler - The material used in multiple conductor cables to occupy the spaces formed by the assembly of components, thus forming a core of the desired shape (normally cylindrical.)
Cabling - The twisting together of two or more insulated conductors to form an assembly.
Cabling Factor - Used in the formula for calculating the diameter of an unshielded, unjacketed cable. D=Kd, where D is the cable diameter, K is the factor and d is the diameter of one insulated conductor.
Caged Armor - A construction using wires within a jacket to increase mechanical protection and tensile strength. This construction is sometimes used in submarine cables.
Capacitance - Storage of electrically separated charges between two plates having different potentials. The value depends largely on the surface area of the plates and the distance between them. The unit of measurement is expressed in farads.
Capacitance, Direct - The capacitance measure directly from conductor to conductor through a single insulating layer.
Capacitance, Mutual - The capacitance between two conductors with all other conductors, including shield, short-circuited to ground.
Capacitance, Unbalance - An inequality of capacitance between the wires of two or more pairs which result in a transfer of unwanted signal from one pair to others.
Capacitance, Unbalance To Ground - An inequality of capacitance between the ground capacitance of the conductors of a pair which results in a pickup of external source of energy, usually from power transmission lines.
Capacitive Coupling - Electrical interaction between two conductors caused by the capacitance between them.
Capacitor - Two conducting surfaces separated by a dielectric material. The capacitance is determined by the area of the surfaces, type of dielectric, and spacing between the conducting surfaces.
Carrier - Basic woven grouping of a braided shield which consists of one or several parallel ends.
Cathode - Negative pole of an electric source.
Cathode Protection - The control of the electrolytic corrosion of an underground or underwater metallic structure by the application of an electric current through a sacrificial anode in such a way that the structure is made to act as a cathode of am electrolytic cell.
CATV - Community Antenna Television.
CCTV - Closed-Circuit Television.
Cellular Polyethylene - Expanded or "foam" polyethylene, consisting of individual closed cells of inert gas suspended in a polyethylene medium resulting in a - reduction of the dielectric constant and an increase in the velocity of propagation (%).
Certified Test Report - A report that provides actual test data on a cable. The tests are normally run by a Quality Control Department, which shows that the product being shipped conforms to test specifications.
Characteristic Impedance - In a transmission cable of infinite length, the ratio of the applied voltage to the resultant current at the point the voltage is applied, or the impedance, which makes a transmission cable seem infinitely low, when connected across the cable's output terminals. For a wave-guide, it is the ratio of voltage to the current at certain points on a diameter, when the wave-guide is match-terminated.
Circular Mil - The area of a circle one mil (.001") in diameter. Used in expressing wire cross sectional area.
Coaxial Cable - A cable consisting of a conductor centered in a cylindrical tube or shield separated by a dielectric.
Cold Flow - Permanent deformation of the insulation due to mechanical force or pressure (not due to heat softening).
Cold Test - Any test to determine the performance of cables during or after subjection to a specified low temperature for a specified time.
Color Code - System for circuit identification through use of solid colors and sometimes contrasting tracers.
Common Axis Cabling - In multiple cable constructions, a twisting of all conductors about a "common axis" with two conductor groups then selected as pairs. This practice yields smaller diameter constructions that does a separate axis construction, but tends to yield greater susceptance to EMI and ESI.
Composite Cable - A Cable containing more than one gauge size or a variety of circuit types, e.g., pairs, triples, quads, coaxial, etc.
Compound - An insulating or jacketing material made by mixing two or more ingredients.
Concentric Stranding - A central wire surrounded by one or more layers of helically wound strands in a fixed round geometric arrangement.
Concentricity - In a wire or cable, the measurement of the location of the center of the conductor with respect to the geometric center of the surrounding insulation.
Conductivity - The ability of a material to carry an electrical current. Measured by the current per unit of voltage applied. The reciprocal of resistance.
Conductor - A material suitable for carrying electrical current.
Conduit - A tube, trough or metal chase in which insulated wires and cables are passed.
Connector - A device used to physically and electrically terminate in order to join two or more conductors.
Copper-Clad Steel (CCS) - Steel Wire with a coating of copper welded to it, as distinguished from copper plated.
Crosstalk - A type of interference caused by signals from one circuit being coupled into adjacent circuits.
C.S.A. - Abbreviation for Canadian Standards Association, a non-profit, independent organization that operates a listing service for electrical and electronic material and equipment.
Current Carrying Capacity - The maximum current an insulated conductor can safely carry without exceeding its insulation and jacket temperature limitations. (See Ampacity).
Current Penetration - The depth a current of a given frequency will penetrate into the surface of a conductor carrying the current.
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D
Decibel (db) - A unit of measure used to express differences of power. Decibels are also used to express acoustic power, such as the level of sound. They are also used to express the power loss in passive circuits or cables.
Delay Line - A cable made to provide very low velocity of propagation with long electrical delay for transmitted signals.
Dielectric - Any insulating material between two conductors which permits electrostatic attraction and repulsion to take place across it.
Dielectric Constant (K) - A value that indicates the quality of a material to resist holding a charge when placed between two conductors. When a given voltage is applied to it.
Dielectric Strength - The voltage which an insulation can withstand before breakdown occurs. Usually expressed as a voltage gradient (such as volts per mil).
Dielectric Test - A test in which a voltage higher than the rated voltage is applied for a specified time to determine the adequacy of the insulation under normal conditions.
Direct Current (DC) - An electric current that flows in one direction.
Direct Current Resistance (DCR) - The resistance offered by any circuit to the flow of direct current.
Dissipation Factor - The tangent of the loss angle of the insulation material.
Distortion - An undesired change in wave form as the signal passes through a device.
Drain Wire - An uninsulated wire in contact with a shield throughout its length, and used for terminating the shield.
Drawing - In wire manufacturing, pulling the metal through a die or series of dies to reduce diameter to a specified size.
Drop Cable - In a CATV system, the transmission cable from the distribution cable to a dwelling.
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E
Eccentricity - Like concentricity, a measure of the center of a conductor's location with respect to the circular cross-section of the insulation. Expressed as a percentage of displacement of one circle within the other.
EIA - Abbreviation for Electronic Industries Association.
Electrostatic - Referring to static electricity, or electricity at rest.
Elongation - The fractional increase in length of a material stressed in tension.
EMI - Abbreviation for electromagnetic interference.
Ends - The number of parallel wires or threads on a carrier in the braiding process.
Equilay - More than one layer of helically laid wires with the direction of lay reversed for successive layers, with the length of lay the same for each layer.
Extrusion - The process of continuously forcing both a plastic or elastomer and a conductor core through a die, thereby applying a continuous coating of insulation or jacket to the core or conductor.
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F
Farad - Unit of capacitance whereby a charge of one coulomb produced a one-volt potential difference.
FEP - Fluorinated ethylene-propylene. A fluorocarbon extrudable resin with good electrical insulating properties and chemical and heat resistance.
Fiber - A thread or threadlike structure. Also, a single discrete element used to transmit optical (light wave) information.
Fiber Dispersion - Relating to fiber optic cable; a pulse spreading in a fiber caused by differing transit times of various modes.
Fiber Optics - A lightwave or optical communications system in which electrical information is converted to light energy, transmitted to another location through optical fibers, and is then converted back into electrical information.
Field - Area through which pass electric and/or magnetic lines of force.
Filler - (1) A material used in multi conductor cables to occupy large interstices formed by the assembled conductors. (2) An inert substance added to a compound to improve properties or decrease cost.
Flame Resistance - The ability of a material not to propagate flame once the flame source is removed.
Flex Life - The measurement of the ability of a conductor or cable to withstand repeated bending.
Floating - Referring to a circuit that has no connection to ground.
Flooded Cable - A cable construction in which the cable is filled with a material that will prevent moisture from entering or passing through the cable.
Foamed Compounds - Insulations having a cellular structure.
Frequency - The number of cycles that an electric current completes in 1 second (cps or Hz).
Frequency Response - The characteristic of a device denoting the range of frequencies over which it may be used effectively.
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G
Gain - The increase of voltage, current or power over a standard or previous reading. Usually expressed in decibels.
Gauge - A term used to denote the physical size of an object (e.g. wire, steel).
Giga - A numerical prefix denoting one billion (109).
Ground - The connection between an electrical circuit and the earth or other large conducting body to serve as an earth thus making a complete electrical circuit.
Ground Loop - A completed circuit between shielded pairs of a multiple pair cable created by random contact between the shields. An undesirable circuit condition in which interference is created by ground currents when grounds are connected at more than one point.
Ground Potential - The potential of the earth. A circuit, terminal or chassis is said to be a ground potential when it is used as a reference point for other potentials in the system.
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H
Halar - A trade name of Allied Chemical for their copolymer or ethylene and chlorotriflurorethylene. Abbreviated it's ECTFE
Hard Drawn Copper Wire - Copper wire that has not been annealed after drawing.
Hertz - A term for cycles/second as an indication of frequency.
Hi-Pot - A test designed to determine the highest voltage that can be applied to a conductor without electrically breaking down the insulation.
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I
IEEE - Abbreviation for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Impedance - The total opposition a circuit, cable or component offers to alternating current. It includes both resistance and reactance and is generally expressed in ohms.
Impedance Match - A condition whereby the impedance of a particular circuit cable or component is the same as the impedance of the circuit, cable or device to which it is connected.
Inductance - A property of a conductor or circuit that resists a change in current. It causes current changes to lag behind voltage changes and is measured in henrys.
Induction - The phenomenon of a voltage, magnetic field or electrostatic charge being produced in an object by lines of force from the source of such fields.
Insulation - A material having good dielectric properties that is used to separate close electrical components, such as cable conductors and circuit components.
Insulation Resistance (IR) - That resistance offered by an insulation to an impressed dc voltage, tending to produce a leakage current through the insulation.
Interface - The place where two systems or a major and minor system meet and interact with each other.
Interference - Disturbances of an electrical or electromagnetic nature that introduce undesirable response in to other electronic equipment.
Interstices - Voids or valleys between individual strands in a conductor or between insulated conductors in a multi-conductor cable during extreme flexing.
Isolation - The ability of a circuit or component to reject interference, usually expressed in db.
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J
Jacket - Pertaining to wire and cable, the outer sheath which protects against environment and may also provide additional insulation.
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K
Kilo - A numeric prefix denoting 1000 (103).
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L
Laminated Tape - A tape consisting of two or more layers of difference materials bonded together.
Leakage - The undesirable passage of current over the surface of or through an insulator.
Level - A measure of the difference between a quantity or value and an established reference.
Load - A device that consumes or converts the power delivered by another device.
Longitudinal Shield - A tape shield, flat or corrugated, applied parallel to the axis to the core being shielded.
Loss - Energy dissipated without accomplishing useful work.
Low Loss Dielectric - An insulating material that has a relatively low dielectric loss, such as polyethylene or Teflon®.
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M
MATV - Acronym for Master Antenna Tele-vision System. A combination of components providing multiple television receiver operations from one antenna or group of antennas; normally on a single building.
Messenger - The linear supporting member, usually a high strength steel wire, used as the supporting element of a suspended aerial cable. The messenger may be an integral part of the cable, or exterior to it.
MHz - MegaHertz (one million cycles/second).
Mil - The unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch.
Modem - A device used to convert signals in one form to another form compatible with another kind of equipment.
Moisture Absorption - The amount of moisture, in percentage, that a material will absorb under specified conditions.
Multiplexing - Simultaneous transmission of two or more signals over the same cable medium.
Mutual Capacitance - Capacitance between two conductors when all other conductors are connected together.
Mylar - DuPont trade name for a polyester material.
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N
Nano - A numeric prefix denoting one-billionth (10-9).
National Electrical Code (NEC) - A consensus standard published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and incorporated in OSHA regulations.
NEMA - Abbreviation for National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
Noise - Any extraneous or unwanted signal in a cable or electrical circuit which tends to interfere with the signal normally present in or passing through the system (e.g. EMI, RFI, tape or amplifier thermal noise).
Non-Contaminating PVC - A polyvinyl chloride formulation that does not produce electrical contamination.
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O
OFHC - Abbreviation for oxygen-free, high conductivity copper. It has no residual de oxidant, 99.95% minimum copper content and an average annealed conductivity of 101 %.
OHM - The term used to express resistance in an electrical circuit where the resistance is directly proportional to the voltage and inversely proportional to the current.
OHM's Law - Stated E=IR, I=E/R or R=E/I, the current I in a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage E and inversely proportional the resistance R.
Output - The useful power or signal delivered by a circuit or device.
Overlap - The amount of trailing edge laps over the leading edge of a tape wrap.
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P
Pairing - The union of two insulated single conductors through twisting.
Parallel Circuit - A circuit in which the identical voltage is presented to all components, and the current divides among the components according to the resistance or the impedances of the components.
Patchcord - A flexible piece of electrical cord terminated at both ends with plugs, used for interconnecting circuits on a patch field or patch bay.
Percent Conductivity - Conductivity of a material expressed as a percentage of that of copper.
Periodicity - The uniformly spaced variations in the insulation diameter of a transmission cable that result in reflections of a signal. The distance between them is the wavelength most affected. Very slight variations which appear over and over in a construction, can have major affects on signal integrity.
Pick - Distance between two crossover points of braid filaments measured in picks per inch.
Pico - A numeric prefix denoting one-trillionth (10-12).
Plenum - The air return path of a central air handling system, either ductwork or open space over a dropped ceiling.
Plenum Cable - Cable approved by Underwriters Laboratories for installation in plenums without the need for conduit.
Polyethylene - A family of insulations derived from the polymerization of ethylene gas and characterized by outstanding electrical properties.
Polyolefin - A family of thermoplastic based upon the unsaturated hydrocarbons known as olefins. When combined with butylene or styrene polymers they form compounds such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
Polypropylene - A thermoplastic similar to polyethylene but stiffer and having a higher softening point (temperature).
Polyurethane - A Family of flexible, abrasion resistant polymers used for harsh environment cables.
Polyvinyl chloride - A general purpose thermoplastic used for wire and cable insulation and jackets.
Propagation - Delay time required for an electrical wave to travel between two points on a transmission line.
Propagation Delay - Time required for a signal to pass from the input to the output of a device.
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Q
Quad - A four-conductor cable.
Quad-shield - A coaxial cable with four layers of shielding.
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R
Radio Frequency - The frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum that are used for radio communications.
Reflection Loss - The part of a signal that is lost due to reflection of power at a line discontinuity.
Resistance - A measure of the difficulty in moving electrical current through a medium when voltage is applied. It is measured in 0hms.
RFI - Abbreviation for Radio Frequency Interference.
RG/U - Abbreviation For Radio Grade, a military designation for coaxial cable in MIL-C-17 and U stands for "utility".
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S
Self Extinguishing - The characteristic of a material whose flame is extinguished after the igniting flame is removed.
Semiconductor - A material that has an electrical conductivity characteristic between that of insulators and conductors.
Separator - A layer of insulating material such as textile, paper, polyester, etc. Used to improve stripping qualities, flexibility, mechanical or electrical protection to the components.
Sheath - The outer covering or jacket of a multi-conductor cable.
Shield - In cable, a metallic layer placed around a conductor to prevent electrostatic interference between the enclosed wired and external fields.
Shield Coverage - The physical area of a cable that is actually covered by shielding material expressed in percent.
Shield Effectiveness - The relative ability of a shield to screen out undesirable signals.
Signal - A current used to convey information, either digital, analog, audio or video.
Skin Effect - The phenomenon in which the depth of penetration of electrical currents into a conductor decreases as the frequency increases.
Specific Gravity - The ratio of the density (mass per unit volume) of a material to that of water.
Spiral Wrap - The helical wrap of a material over a core.
Stranded Conductor - A conductor composed of single solid wires twisted together; either singly or groups.
Suggested Working Voltage - AC voltage that can safely be applied between adjacent conductors.
Surge - A temporary large increase in the voltage or current in an electrical circuit or cable.
Sweep-Test - A method to determine the frequency response, or attenuation over frequency, of a cable by generating a voltage whose frequency is varied back and forth through a given frequency range and observing and graphing the results.
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T
Tape Wrap - A spirally applied tape over an insulated or uninsulated wire.
Tear Strength - The force required to initiated or continue a tear in a material under specified conditions.
Teflon® FEP resin- DuPont® trade name for the fluorocarbon material typically used as the insulation on wire.
Thermoplastic - A material which softens when heated or reheated and becomes firm after cooling.
Thermoset - A material which hardens or sets by heat, chemical or radiation cross linking techniques and which, once set, cannot be re-softened by heating.
Tinned Copper - Tin coatings applied over copper to aid in soldering and inhibit corrosion.
Transfer Impedance - Transfer impedance is used to determine shield effectiveness against both ingress and egress of interfering signals. Cable shields are designed to reduce the transfer of interference. Shields with lower transfer impedance are more effective than shields with higher transfer impedance.
Transmission Cable - Two or more conductors, a coaxial cable, or a wave guide used to transfer signal energy from one location to another.
Triaxal Cable - A cable construction having three coincident axes, such as conductor, first shield and second shield all insulated from one another.
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U
UHF - Abbreviation for Ultrahigh Frequency, from 300 to 3,000 MHz.
UL - Abbreviation For Underwriters Laboratories, a nonprofit, independent organization, which operates a listing service for electrical and electronic materials and equipment.
Unbalanced Line - A transmission line in which voltages on the two conductors are unequal with respect to ground. A coaxial cable is a common type of unbalanced cable.
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V
Velocity of Propagation - The speed of an electrical signal down a length of cable compared to the speed of light in free space expressed as a percent. It is the reciprocal of the square root of the dielectric constant of the cable insulation.
VHF - Abbreviation for Very High Frequency, from 30 to 300MHz.
Volt - A unit of electrical pressure. One volt is the amount of pressure that will cause one ampere of current in one ohm of resistance.
Voltage - Electrical potential or electromotive force expressed in volts.
Voltage Rating - The highest voltage that may be continuously applied to a wire in conformance with standards or specifications.
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) - The ratio of the maximum effective voltage to the minimum effective voltage along the length a mis-matched radio frequency transmission line.
VSAT - Abbreviation for Very Small Aperture Terminal, a small data satellite dish.
VW-1 - A flammability rating established by Underwriters Laboratories for wires and cables that pass a specially designed vertical flame test, formerly designated FR-1.
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W
Wave From - A graphical representation of a varying quantity. Usually, time is represented on the horizontal axis and the current or voltage value is represented on the vertical axis.
Wavelength - The distance, measured in the direction of propagation, of a repetitive electrical pulse or waveform between the successive points that are characterized by the same phase of vibration.
Wicking - The longitudinal flow of a liquid in a wire or cable due to capillary action.
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X
XLP - Cross-linked polyethylene
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Y
Yield Strength - The minimum stress at which a material will start to physically deform without further increase in load.
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Z
Z - NEC conductor type designation for conductors with ETFE insulation for use in dry locations.
ZW - NEC conductor type designation for conductors with ETFE insulation for use in wet or dry locations
Zytel - DuPont's trade name for nylon resins.
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