The daily news bulletin for the informed wire & cable executive. Reaching a regular audience of 7733 readers in 101 countries. Wire & Cable Industry news Subscribe here for your automatic email   RESOURCES... - Exchange Rates - Info Links - Forex TV - Publication Policy - Email the Editor - Advertising September 1st, 2010  - Product Releases Fulton, N.Y. - Davis-Standard Promotes Green Initiatives at K 2010 Equipment that supports energy efficiency and cost reduction will be the focus of Davis-Standard, LLC during the K Show, October 27 – November 3 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Davis-Standard, Hall 16, booth #A43, will highlight green technologies that offer greater energy savings, reduced scrap and improved processing for both extrusion and converting operations. This includes the display of a 2 1/2-inch (65mm) direct drive extruder, ProCone die mandrel, and control systems for both blown film and extrusion processes. Davis-Standard will also promote new pelletizer technology that offers significant production and environmental advantages, and will offer shuttle service to the company’s Erkrath facility for winder demonstrations. See Extended Story.. July 16th, 2010  - Product Releases Milford, N.H. - Hendrix Wire and Cable Introduces new water Blocking Underground Cable Hendrix Wire and Cable, a provider of high-quality underground and overhead distribution products, announces its DUAL BLOCK product. This offering provides a dual water blocking capability on Hendrix primary, underground cable. Water is one of the enemies of long-life in primary cable, as water entering the cable core can lead to premature failure. Hendrix DUAL BLOCK helps prevent this from occurring. First, a fill compound is continuously applied into the conductor interstices. This prevents longitudinal water migration. Second, a water-swellable powder is applied under the polyethylene jacket. This prevents water from migrating along the neutral wires, under the jacket. Taken together, these two applications provide a reliable barrier that prevents water from entering the cable core. DUAL BLOCK is an option for all stranded conductor, See Extended Story.. July 9th, 2010  - Product Releases Atlanta Georgia - 9 Alcan Cable launches "High Speed" product line of STABILOY(R) aluminum alloy feeder cables Alcan Cable, part of Alcan Engineered Products - a business unit of Rio Tinto - unveiled today its new STABILOY(R) FeederPlex HS(TM) XHHW-2 and STABILOY(R) WIDESTRIPE HS(TM) XHHW-2 aluminum alloy feeder cable products as high speed wiring solutions for use in commercial, institutional and industrial building applications. Both cable products feature a specially designed insulation on the aluminum alloy conductors that allows for fast and easy cable installation without the use of wire pulling lubricants "Alcan Cable's new high speed feeder cable products answer the electrical contractor's call for rapid cycle construction products," said Jack Miller, President, Alcan Cable. "Our FeederPlex HS(TM) and WIDESTRIPE HS(TM) XHHW-2 cables provide high quality, cost effective and time-saving solutions that deliver real bottom-line savings to the contractor." See Extended Story.. June 22nd, 2010  - Product Releases Milford New Hampshire - Hendrix introduces DUAL BLOCK ™ for underground cable Hendrix Wire & Cable, a premier provider of high-quality underground and overhead distribution products, announces its DUAL BLOCK ™ product. This offering provides a dual water blocking capability on Hendrix primary, underground cable. Water is one of the enemies of long-life in primary cable, as water entering the cable core can lead to premature failure. Hendrix DUAL BLOCK ™ helps prevent this from occurring. First, a fill compound is continuously applied into the conductor interstices. This prevents longitudinal water migration. Second, a water-swellable powder is applied under the polyethylene jacket. This prevents water from migrating along the neutral wires, under the jacket. Taken together, these two applications provide a reliable barrier that prevents water from entering the cable core. June 17th, 2010  - Product Releases Carrollton, Georgia - Southwire Launches SIMpull ® Power Cable SIMpull ® Power Cable, a new industrial cable tray rated medium voltage power cable developed with Southwire's patented SIM Technology ® , is the latest addition to Southwire's growing family of easy-to-pull wire and cable products that require no lubrication during installation. SIMpull Power Cable is designed for any commercial and industrial application, including power generation, institutional, data centers, petrochemical and wastewater facilities. See Extended Story.. June 11th, 2010  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - JFE Steel Corporation develops new ” mist method “ for wire rod cooling “STELMOR” cooling bed is generally used for a cooling method of the rolled wire rod. The strength and ductility of high carbon steel wire rods can be controlled by online process in the rolling line with this process. However, because forced cooling such as “STELMOR” is performed with an air blast, the cooling capacity of the forced air-cooling process is inadequate. As a result, the strength and ductility of wire rods produced by the forced air-cooling process are low in comparison with wire rods produced by lead patenting, in which the material is reheated and immersed in a lead bath by a secondary processor. Mist cooling makes it possible to secure the same cooling capacity as lead patenting, and thereby enables transformation at low temperatures. Therefore, JFE Bars & Shapes commercialized the mist cooling process for wire and rods that led the world. The company also developed the new high tensile steel wire rods by utilizing this process. For full report use this link June 4th, 2010  - Product Releases Beijing China - Chengde Steel develops vanadium-added 30MnSi wire rod SteelOrbis reports that Hebei Province-based Chinese steel producer Chengde Steel has recently succeeded in developing vanadium-added 30MnSi wire rod, producing 3,000 mt at the request of customers. Vanadium-added 30MnSi wire rod is mainly used for the construction of tubular piles in high-rise buildings. The product in question has high strength and is easy to weld. May 25th, 2010  - Product Releases Zwevegem, Belgium - Bekaert launches Ecobind ® - 100% natural, C02 neutral coating for book binding wire Businesses and consumers can now use moreeco-friendly stationery thanks to the launch of Ecobind ®.This coloured eco-friendly coating is made from the so-called ‘green polymer’, which means it is completely derivedfrom natural resources, compostable and CO2 neutral. Ecobind ®. coating for bookbinding wire is the ideal complement to environmentally sound stationery, such as exercise notebooks reports and copies bound at copy centres books,manuals, diaries and calendars bound by trade binders Bekaert has morethan 30 years of experience in the production of coated book binding wires, andcontinually invests in research and development to enhance the composition ofits products. See Extended Story.. May 6th, 2010  - Product Releases Paris France - Nexans launches HYPRON ® , a new environmentally friendly alternative to lead-sheathed cables for onshore oil and gas installations Nexans, a worldwide leader in the cable industry, has developed its new HYPRON ® range to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to lead-sheathed cables for onshore power, control and instrumentation applications in the oil and gas industry. The HYPRON ® design offers exactly the same protection against aggressive petrochemicals as traditional lead-sheathed cables, with the added advantage of improved ease of handling and installation thanks to its lower weight and smaller cross-section. All types of cables used in the onshore oil and gas industry require protection against chemicals – acids, bases, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons – that can penetrate towards the conductors. Traditionally, a lead sheath has provided this protection. However, in response to the growing market demand for more environmentally friendly cables, Nexans undertook a five-year programme to develop a new lead-free chemical barrier in the form of HYPRON ® See Extended Story.. May 5th, 2010  - Product Releases Bristol, Connecticut, U.S.A. - TAK ENTERPRISES, INC. now offers Feed and Cut-To-Length Production Demo Runs Okay, so you have a fine wire or thin/narrow strip straighten, feed and cut-to-length production application, and need to buy a system to bring the job in-house to meet the production requirements. But you are required to validate the cut quality, repeatability or throughput prior to finalizing your customer order? We have an “App” for that. It’s called the “Production Demo Run”. See Extended Story.. April 26th, 2010  - Product Releases Hickory North Carolina - CommScope's GroundSmart products help energy providers reduce project costs. CommScope is introducing its GroundSmart grounding products into its CommScope BiMetals family of wire and cable solutions. These products help reduce the costs of managing and maintaining electricity transmission and distribution networks by deterring theft and vandalism. CommScope's use of copper-clad steel in its GroundSmart(TM) products provides a safe, highly reliable alternative to the use of solid and stranded copper for grounding applications. These products are specifically designed to disperse fault currents and lightning strikes at a lower total cost of ownership compared to pure copper. GroundSmart products offer proven performance for optimizing grounding design in substation, distribution and transmission systems, as well as in wind and solar farms. See Extended Story.. April 16th, 2010  - Product Releases Houston Texas - Dow introduces first Bio-based plasticizers for wire and cable applications. Dow Wire & Cable, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”), has signaled a groundbreaking advance in sustainable chemistry by launching DOW ECOLIBRIUM™ Bio-Based Plasticizers, a new family of phthalate-free plasticizers for use in wire insulation and jacketing that are made from nearly 100% renewable feedstocks. The use of DOW ECOLIBRIUM Bio-Based Plasticizers in PVC compounds for wire applications can help cable-makers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40%* if used instead of traditional PVC plasticizers. The new plasticizers were developed to meet growing demand for more sustainable options in wiring applications such as personal electronics and appliance wiring, residential and commercial building wiring, communications and data cabling, and automotive wiring. See Extended Story.. April 14th, 2010  - Product Releases Cincinnati Ohio - New line of Hardened Collated Finish Nails from Senco Senco Products, Inc. has introduced a new line of Hardened Collated Finish Nails that make it fast and easy to complete trim jobs in steel stud construction. Senco’s unique process increases strength in the new nails, causing them to resist buckling. The nails are also galvanized to resist the corrosion of steel-to-steel contact. Now builders and remodelers can use pneumatic tools to make wood-to-steel trim jobs a snap to complete. April 13th, 2010  - Product Releases Dusseldorf Germany - Huntsman introduces new fire-retardant cable jacket at wire 2010 Huntsman Polyurethanes has developed a fire-retardant, halogen-free TPU, Irogran A95P5003DP, which complies with current safety standards for cable jacketing materials used in the IT and consumer electronics sector, including the European RoHS directive and the US VW1 standard. Irogran A95P5003DP can be extruded at high speeds on conventional PVC processing equipment and has a good surface quality. Franz Michel, TPU account manager, Mid-Europe at Huntsman Polyurethanes, said: “The European cabling market is evolving rapidly. New legislation is impacting on the materials and manufacturing techniques used in many sectors. In consumer electronics, many of the larger equipment producers have publicly committed to the elimination of vinyl plastic (PVC) and brominated flame-retardants (BFR) from cables. “These changes are driving manufacturers to develop long-term partnerships with trusted raw material suppliers that understand the challenges and can offer compliant, high-performance products that meet new mechanical, safety and environmental standards.” March 29th, 2010  - Product Releases Santa Fe Springs, California - Philatron Wire and Cable Extensive Products now includes UL listed Photovoltaic SolarWire ™ Southern California based Philatron Wire and Cable innovative team of Research and Development is pleased to announce a PV (Photovoltaic) product line that is environmentally beneficial, provides massive performance, and safe.A Philatron Wire and Cable Extensive Products Now Includes UL Listed Photovoltaic SolarWire ™ Based in Southern California, Philatron Wire and Cable’s team of Research and Development is pleased to announce a product line that is environmentally beneficial, provides massive performance, and safe. Since 1974, and over 35 years in manufacturing, intelligent innovation has proven to be instrumental to remain a successful business. The recent introduction of SolarWire ™ is now approved and conforms to UL Type PV (Photovoltaic Wire) subject 4703, Issue 3 dated November 17, 2009, the most recent standards. See Extended Story.. March 25th, 2010  - Product Releases San Diego California - OFS publish research studies on next generation transmission fibers OFS, Wednesday published ground breaking research on various designs for next-generation transmission fiber for coherent optical communications at OFC/ NFOEC 2010. Prototype OFS fibers with ultra-large effective area and reduced attenuation were featured in a live demonstration of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) coherent transmission and in three post-deadline research papers on 200 and 400 Gbps as well as ultra-high spectral efficiency transmission. "Based on the market direction toward coherent receiver technology, and considering the sensitivity of coherent techniques to non-linear effects, OFS is working with carriers and systems integrators to research what optical fibers will be necessary to enable 400 Gbps and 1 terabit per second (Tbps) transmission technologies," said Robert Lingle, Jr., Director of Fiber Design and Systems Research for OFS. March 17th, 2010  - Product Releases Milford, New .Hampshire - Hendrix introduces IQ insulators Milford, N.H.-based Hendrix Wire & Cable, a provider of overhead and underground power distribution products, has released the IQ Insulator, a power-line sensor for monitoring, profiling and reporting events on overhead power distribution lines. IQ Insulators are wireless and programmable sensors that allow for quick and accurate monitoring of system performance and reliability, according to the company. Embedded systems provide flexibility to calculate and store root mean square values, enable advanced algorithms and adapt to user-defined parameters for circuits up to 35 kV. License-free wireless communications allow for remote configuration and data acquisition at a range of up to 150 feet. See Extended Story.. March 11th, 2010  - Product Releases Bristol, CT, U.S.A. - TAK Presents New Economical Servo Controlled Feed and Cut System A recent project demanded an accurate and repeatable strip feed and cut to length system that could process long lengths (8�h-42�h) of tempered steel strip from a coil, providing a minimal burr cut at a high throughput rate. Feed length changes had to be easily accomplished with minimal down time between set ups. These cut lengths are used in a constant force spring application that required an end forming operation on both ends. The tempered strip therefore had to be annealed for approximately 1.5�h on each end. To accomplish this, an RF heating system and coil was positioned ahead of the feed and cut system. A 3 inch long section would be heated during the cut cycle while the material was stationary, and the subsequent feed would position the 3�h section in the center of the cut station. To operate in conjunction with the feed system, there would need to be a pause feature provided within the feed controls. The timed pause function also had to be adjustable to allow for different time cycles, depending upon the specific material that was being processed. See Extended Story.. March 10th, 2010  - Product Releases Atllanta Georgia - Alcan Cable offers Ultra HS(TM) high strength steel core transmission cable as high temperature, low sag solution in power transmission applications Alcan Cable, part of Alcan Engineered Products - a business unit of Rio Tinto - introduces its Ultra HS(TM) steel core wire for use at maximum benefit with Aluminum Conductor Steel Supported (ACSS, ACSS/TW) and Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced Self Damping Conductor (ACSR/SD) products for power transmission line applications. "We are pleased to introduce this new stronger steel core product, Ultra HS(TM), which offers lower sag on transmission lines and thus saves on tower height," said Howard H. Atkins, director, Business Development and Marketing, Alcan Cable. "There are cases where standard steel core wire in ACSS will not provide the necessary sag profile. Our new Ultra HS(TM) steel core wire gives our customers another option." See Extended Story.. March 8th, 2010  - Product Releases Providence Rhode Island - Maybe something for wiredrawing blocks?? Nanotechnology based material provides exceptional wear resistance The NanoSteel ® Company, a leader in nanostructured steel alloy surface technologies, announces the release of the company’s first stick electrode, SHS 9700E, for weld overlay hardfacing applications. SHS 9700E, the newest addition to NanoSteel’s patented portfolio of Super Hard Steel ® (SHS) alloys, is a premium alloy that features an ultra refined, near nanoscale crystalline microstructure which results in very high hardness, up to 70 HRc, and exceptional resistance to abrasive wear. See Extended Story.. March 6th, 2010  - Product Releases Shrewsbury, Massachusetts - Anomet Products offers line of durable platinum clad molybdenum wire A line of platinum clad molybdenum wire that offers performance and cost advantages over solid wire in a wide range of semiconductor and electronics applications is available from Anomet Products Inc. Anomet Platinum Clad Molybdenum Wire provides a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high oxidation and corrosion resistance at up to 1,200 degrees C, depending upon the application. Available in 0.010 inch to 0.060 inch O.D. sizes, with cladding from 14 to 26 percent by weight and 4.5 to 55 microns, depending upon diameter, this clad metal wire has a smooth and consistent surface finish. Ideal for fabricating feed-troughs in semiconductor fabrication equipment and for making connectors and switch components used in harsh environments, Anomet Platinum Clad Molybdenum wire is offered as wire, rod and ribbon. Metallurgical-bonding assures that this wire provides superior ductility, formability, and weld-ability than electroplated wire, claims the firm. February 27th, 2010  - Product Releases Lisbon Portugal - Nexans launches new generation of bend insensitive fiber for FTTH Nexans, a worldwide leader in the cable industry, is a gold sponsor for the FTTH Council Europe 2010 where it is launching its new generation of bend insensitive fiber for FTTH applications. Nexans is also presenting a conference paper, as well as exhibiting its dedicated, innovative field-proven solutions for mass-market deployment that have enabled it to establish a position as a key player in the urban FTTH infrastructure sector. Nexans experts are available on Booth G1 to explain how it can help operators and their equipment suppliers to achieve successful and cost-effective implementation of both short and long-term broadband strategies. See Extended Story.. December 15th, 2009  - Product Releases Hessen, Germany - Using slip rings? Discover a new solution designed for you! Replace your slip rings with a Bluetooth transmitter for data transfer! REGBLUE®! What is Regblue®? For more info: http://www.wireworld.com/release/latest.html Regblue® is a newly developed System with a strong Radio-Signal Transmitter. The function is based on the already well-known Blue Tooth System. Our Regblue®-System is used for Signal and Data Transfer, eliminating the use of slip rings, especially designed for applications in the Wire and Cable Industry. Upon this, the system is also suitable for transferring data from extremely high equipments, saving a lot of  wiring costs. See Extended Story.. December 11th, 2009  - Product Releases Wyomissing, Pennsylvania - Carpenter Technology releases low cost alternative to cobalt containing steel alloys. Carpenter Technology Corporation has announced the availability of Carpenter PremoMet alloy for consideration as a lower-cost alternative to many cobalt-containing steel alloys. With its superior strength, toughness and fatigue resistance, even in high-load applications, PremoMet alloy could be considered for many high-demand power train components in heavy-duty diesel engines and other commercial transportation and locomotive applications. PremoMet alloy is a patent pending, ultra-high strength, high toughness, quenched and tempered alloy steel. Thanks to its advanced strength and fracture toughness properties, it may enable designers to lighten the weight of parts for high-load applications by as much as 25%. The weight reduction estimates are based on the attainable ultimate tensile strength of 2,040 MPa (296 ksi) combined with the fracture toughness which is much higher than the lower-strength alternatives. Refer to the table for technical comparisons with several alloy steels currently in use. Lighter-weight components could result in a reduction of stress on other parts, meaning lower energy consumption throughout a product's lifecycle. PremoMet alloy is available exclusively from Carpenter in bar, hollow bar, wire, strip, plate and billet forms and can be plated. December 8th, 2009  - Product Releases Stockholm Sweden - Habia announces new SeaGuard naval cable range Lightweight and small size, the SeaGuard range of wires and cables from Habia Cable have been designed and approved for use in naval defence cable applications. SeaGuard and SeaGuard DS cables include low smoke, zero halogen (LSOH) and flame retardant wires and cables that enhance performance and are oil and water resistant. Limited fire hazard materials meet a wide range of international fire tests and as such SeaGuard is approved by many Naval Authorities around the world. Habia Cable is a leading International manufacturer of special wire & cable, active in many national naval programmes such as the Type 45 destroyer and Astute submarine for the UK Royal Navy, the Visby stealth corvette for the Swedish Royal Navy and the FREMM frigates for the French Navy. Habia Cable also supply hybrid custom designed cables to many naval applications including combat systems management, weapon and control systems, radar, sonar, communications and degaussing systems, electronic warfare and cables to meet EMC requirements. See Extended Story.. November 13th, 2009  - Product Releases Milford New Hampshire - Hendrix Wire & Cable introduces larger cable for wind industry. Milford, N.H.-based Hendrix Wire & Cable, a provider of overhead and underground distribution products, is now offering the 1250 KCML underground cable to the wind power industry. The 1250 KCML size is a larger addition to Hendrix's wind offering. According to the company, the larger-size cable is replacing the smaller 1000 KCML cable. The size change correlates to the increase in wind turbine generation capacity, according to Hendrix. The Hendrix 34.5 kV collection grid cables are available in both aluminum and copper conductor. Standard conductor sizes range from 1/0 through 1250 kcmil. Both full and reduced concentric neutral configurations are available. All cable is manufactured in the U.S., made and tested to ICEA/AEIC standards and is dry-cure, triple-extruded. November 7th, 2009  - Product Releases Houston, TX, U.S.A. - Cable longevity and reliability at very low lifetime system cost with The Power of Dow Inside Long-lasting and reliable power cables that can help provide years of uninterrupted service, no matter what energy resource, are the lifeblood of utilities globally. Dow Wire & Cable, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, is excited to introduce the DOW ENDURANCE™ family of semiconductive and insulation materials for medium voltage (MV), high voltage (HV) and extra-high voltage (EHV) cable constructions that are made to last for decades of service. “Providing a cable that delivers longevity and reliability is essential in today’s global energy landscape,” says Tim Laughlin, General Manager, Dow Wire & Cable. “When it’s your job to keep the power on, we feel that the best way to obtain that is to specify cables made according to high quality standards with branded materials from supplier and cable manufacturer sources you can trust.” See Extended Story.. October 22nd, 2009  - Product Releases Winona Minnesota - RTP introduces new line of fluoropolymer color masterbatches Compounder RTP Company has commercialized a line of melt processabl fluoropolymer (MPFP) color masterbatches for the wire and cable industry. These masterbatches provide an easy-to-use solution that is ideal for coloring complex MPFP resins used as plenum space jacketing materials. The new range is initially available in fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin systems. As it comes in 10 common wire and cable industry colour-coding formulations, the line helps processors colour-code wire and cable insulation materials, says the US compounder. The masterbatches also maintain the flame retardancy and low smoke emissions that allow fluoropolymers to be used as a sheathing material for plenum spaces. October 19th, 2009  - Product Releases Jarfalla, Sweden - Windak Announces Breakthrough Coiling Solution Windak has announced that the first of its new generation of automatic coilers, the FC5, has been successfully installed in Finland.  According to Urban Bollo, Managing Director of Windak Sweden, the FC5 automatic flex coiler is the first machine Windak has introduced as part of its new generation of Affordable Automation Packaging Solutions.   "We understand that the market today demands cost effective solutions that have a short pay-back time with maximum flexibility and output".  See Extended Story.. October 7th, 2009  - Product Releases Independence,Ohio - TPC Wire & Cable intruduces new cable which is flexible at extreme temperatures The new Super-Trex Extreme Temperature cable from TPC Wire & Cable is a portable power cable that offers exceptional flexibility in extremely cold or extremely hot conditions. It is rated from -70C to 150C per ISO Standards. (UL/cUL 105C) This cable has a heavy duty jacket made of cross-linked polyolefin (XLPO). It provides protection from cutting, abrasion, water, oils and chemicals. The insulation on the individual conductors is also XLPO. This combination provides maximum protection for high and low temperature applications. The selection of XLPO for the insulation and jacket material with the high strand count on the conductors adds to the flexibility factor. Tinned copper conductors are used to resist corrosion in harsh industrial environments. See Extended Story.. October 1st, 2009  - Product Releases Bracknell U.K. - 3M ACCR Launched to Support High Voltage Power Transmission 3M U.K. announced the launch of 3M ACCR, or the aluminum conductor composite reinforced conductor in the United Kingdom, as a replacement for existing electrical conductors used in overhead power transmission. The launch of 3M ACCR will be aimed primarily at supporting 110-400kV-power transmission nationwide. 3M ACCR features advanced multi-strand aluminum composite core design. The conductor weighs just half as much as steel core conductors and is able to continuously handle 210 degrees Celsius with considerably less sag than traditional conductors, 3M officials said. Developed with the support of the US Department of Energy and with early contributions by the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, 3M ACCR conductor contains wires and each core wire contains many thousands of very high-strength aluminum oxide fibers. See Extended Story.. September 30th, 2009  - Product Releases Claremont, North Carolina - Draka unveils 300-lb drop cable with bend-insensitive fiber Draka Communications – Americas announces an extension to its line of ezPREP Central Loose Tube fiber optic drop cables by launching a new 300 lb. tensile rated design with a choice of three different levels of bend insensitive fiber. In September 2009, Draka and Tyco held a joint national webinar through OSP Magazine to educate the market on smaller and lighter outdoor cables and the associated hardware that would soon be available. These products are made possible in large part due to bend insensitive fibers and are an important part of the market’s desire to install environmentally friendly telecommunications networks. See Extended Story.. September 3rd, 2009  - Product Releases Paris France - Nexans introduces new fiber switch model for wind turbines Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry, introduces the new iSwitch G 1043E, an intelligent Fast/Gigabit Ethernet switch system for harsh environment applications. This small and rugged switch contains 3 fiber optic SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) uplink ports and 8 TP (twisted pair) copper ports to realize multiple applications such as monitoring, service telephone, camera surveillance, diagnostics of rotor blades, access control, etc. via just one optical fiber. The implemented manageable Power over-Ethernet (PoE) feature (optional) makes it further possible to power e. g. IP cameras, wireless access points, VoIP phones or multifunctional terminals directly via the switch system. This technology answers the increasing demand for fiber-optic installations within wind turbines and, at the same time, reduces investment cost for new components. See Extended Story.. August 8th, 2009  - Product Releases Johannesburg South Africa - Aberdare Cables h develops special cable for runway lighting. Airport expansion, upgrading, the new Nelspruit Kruger Mpumalanga airport and the proposed construction of the major King Shaka Airport at La Mercy near Durban have created demand for a highly specialized electrical cable to supply power for critical runway lighting systems. Aberdare Cables, a major local manufacturer of power cable products and systems, has developed a specialist cable to meet the strict requirements of civil and commercial aviation authorities for runway lighting. Johan du Plessis, Aberdare product manager said the insulated airfield lighting cable is the only locally manufactured cable that meets the specifications and standards required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) L824 AC 150/5345 7E and South African national Standard (SANS) 1411 Part 1: Conductors (metric conductors). See Extended Story.. July 29th, 2009  - Product Releases Pleinfeld Germany - Gore Flat Cable - now up to 300mm width possible W.L. Gore, manufacturer of system-orientated solutions in the field of special cables and cable assemblies, has brought a flat flexible cable, with a total width of 300 mm, onto the market. This flat flexible cable variation has a hybrid construction of emany layers, which opens up new possibilities for the constructer. Gore has made a name for itself in the particular field of highly flexible cable assemblies for industrial applications, where durability in extreme conditions and under constant movement is of special importance. This new, 300 mm wide, flat flexible cable offers a long lifetime of more than 150 million bending cycles, together with further excellent properties, such as suitability for clean room use and the possibility of stacking (several cables can be stacked on top of each other). The use of PTFE (Polytetrafluoride) as the insulation material of Gore cables and also of other high quality plastics and materials, ensures that these cable constructions will take their place as further highlights in the Gore cable product assortment. July 17th, 2009  - Product Releases Kanagawa, Japan - OKI Electric Cable unveils a highly flexible robot cable with bending cycle of 100 million times OKI Electric Cable announced Thursday it has commercialized a robot cable that is 30% lower price than those now on the market and that has a 50% higher bending performance compared to the fluorocarbon insulated cables that have a strong track record in the market. The newly launched “ORP Cable,” will be available to the worldwide market starting today. OKI Electric Cable has been offering its “OR Super Series” that has significantly higher performance than conventional fluorocarbon insulated robot cables. However, by applying a flame-resistant special elastomer, an original technology developed by OKI Electric Cable, and by improving the internal structure, the company succeeded in developing a highly flexible, smaller diameter “ORP Cable” offered at a low price. In particular, flexing durability for sliding and twisting is more than 50% higher than conventional general fluorocarbon insulated robot cables. It has been designed to endure over 100 million times sliding and bending and 20 million times twisting See Extended Story.. July 16th, 2009  - Product Releases Ecublens, Switzerland - Tough Stuff with Silicone Cable Manufacturing Maillefer provides EPL 25 extrusion lines for manufacturing highly resistant silicone cables for electrical wiring. Interest is building for this type of cable. Indeed, several factors are building towards a peak in demand for production capacity. Vesa Koskivuo, product manager, cites examples "like the European standards being defined for safety cables and fire resistance, the growing activity in Arctic regions, and the increased exploration for resources. Cables need to resist to mechanical and chemical aggressions placed on them while remaining functional even in extreme conditions. We are ready to meet our customers' demand with an extrusion line especially designed for this toughened product." Mr. Koskivuo summarizes the attractiveness of silicone cable. Flexibility across a wide temperature window is one key advantage. From Arctic sub-zero to oven hot temperatures, the cable retains its flexibility. "That is a key advantage when cable is laid across frozen tundra or installed in exposed structures." July 11th, 2009  - Product Releases Upplands Vasby Sweden - Habia launches new fire resistant cable for extreme heat resistance In order to meet the requirements of the latest international fire and flame performance approvals Habia Cable is now able to offer an improved range of fire resistant wires and cables under the Habiaflame brand. Habiaflame2 is a durable, fire & flame resistant cable designed for use in very high temperature areas and for the protection of critical safety circuits in industries such as steel, aluminium and glass production. With a peak temperature of 1565°C Habiaflame2 is the ideal solution where in the event of fire vital equipment needs to remain operational. The excellent fire performance of the cable allows extra time for equipment to be saved or shut down limiting unnecessary damage. See Extended Story.. July 3rd, 2009  - Product Releases Houston Texas - Houston Wire & Cable Company Supplies a Technologically Advanced Alternative for Hypalon(r) Houston Wire & Cable Company announced today that its LifeGuard(tm) jacketed private label cable is a technologically advanced alternative for Hypalon(r). In a press release dated, May 7, 2009, DuPont Performance Elastomers, the manufacturer of Hypalon(r), announced they will begin to exit the Hypalon(r) business. LifeGuard(tm) is a green-recognized low-smoke, zero-halogen polymer that provides significant advantages over traditional jackets used in cable construction. The result is an advanced cable design that adds a new dimension of functionality, value and safety that was previously unavailable. To see how LifeGuard(tm) outperforms Hypalon(r), use this link June 17th, 2009  - Product Releases Orlando, Florida - Belden Runs Unamplified HDMI Digital Video Signal Over 100ft Belden, a leader in the development of signal transmission products for enterprise, industrial, building management, broadcast, and security applications, demonstrates the unique cable performance properties of their HDMI cable by running an unamplified 1080p/60 digital video signal 100 feet from a generic Blu-ray Disc player to a generic 1080p/60 display. This demonstration will be featured live throughout the InfoComm/NSCA tradeshow in Orlando, Florida June, 2009. "All HDMI cables are manufactured offshore in Asia, with one exception: the HDMI cable made by Belden," states Steve Lampen, Product Line Manager at Belden. He continues, "However, this is just raw bulk cable. To be turned into assemblies, our partner Blue Jeans Cable sends our bulk cable to China where it is cut and assembled with connectors. We currently make this raw cable in two gauge sizes, 23.5 AWG and 28 AWG, of which the 23.5 AWG is being demonstrated here at InfoComm, running what many say is impossible: a crystal clear 1080p/60 digital video signal over 100 feet." See Extended Story.. June 13th, 2009  - Product Releases Santa Fe Springs, CA, U.S.A. - New "TronHeavyDuty™" Keeps You Powered in Rough Environments Philatron Wire and Cable is the largest and world's foremost expert in engineering and manufacturing Custom, Military, and UL Listed Coil (retractile) Cords and Cables. Philatron Engineering Team is proud to announce a new line of these products: "TronHeavyDuty™." The "TronHeavyDuty™" coiled product line is specifically designed for EXTRA durability, EXTRA industrial strength, EXTRA chemical, EXTRA sun-heat resistance, and significant EXTRA Coil memory. This versatile design was originally developed for construction site Light Tower Manufacturers. For this application, coiled cables must maintain the coil memory after being exposed to extended sun heat and weather for days at a time. Philatron Wire and Cable is the only coiled cable manufacturer that has UL Listing for such rugged coils with super durable memories. See Extended Story.. May 26th, 2009  - Product Releases Paris France - Nexans launches new FLAMEX ® brand name for high-performance cable solutions for the rolling stock industry Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry, has launched FLAMEX ® as the new brand name for its range of cables for the rolling stock industry. The FLAMEX ® range covers all the product families from power to control cables, data-bus, jumpers, optical fiber and roof HV pantograph cables. A complete range of advanced cables FLAMEX ® cables are rated for voltages of 300 V up to 45 kV AC. Their cross sections range are from 0.25mm2 up to 500mm2. Operating temperature ranges depend on the required life time: either 120° C/20,000h for rubber insulated cable or 180° C/20,000h for silicon insulated materials. FLAMEX ® cables are suitable when standard or highly flexible cables (such as jumper cables) are needed and can be screened or unscreened. See Extended Story.. May 23rd, 2009  - Product Releases Colchester Vermont - Champlain Cable Corporation introduces EXAR(R) XLE, a flexible irradiation crosslinked insulation system for lead wires and cable jackets Champlain Cable Corporation of Colchester, Vermont announces the release of its newest product line, EXAR(R) XLE. XLE product technology combines flexibility of an elastomer and the toughness of an XLPE insulation. It is important to note that, according to a recent news release issued on the DuPont Performance Elastomers website, Hypalon(R) will "cease production" and "exit the business." XLE fills this void and is technically superior to Hypalon(R) in most wire and cable applications. EXAR XLE is approved by UL and CUL for 1000 volts and 105 degrees Celsius ratings per UL style sheet 3657. XLE is also successfully used in 150 degrees Celsius automotive applications per ISO 6722. UL has also approved XLE for multi conductor cables and has designated UL Style 21614 as a 105 degrees Celsius 1000 volt rated cable. See Extended Story.. May 7th, 2009  - Product Releases Chasse, Rhone France - New high performance dry drawing lubricant Environmental legislations are constantly evolving; among the latest European regulations governing REACH and the use of Biocides, The European authorities have implemented a new classification, which aims at reducing the use of Borax. For certain wire drawing applications and processes, borax remains an exceptional additive, specifically for the formulation of soluble sodium soaps: binding qualities, solubility and thermal stability. In order to meet with the new regulation and to anticipate its next application, CONDAT is now able to offer a wider selection of dry drawing lubricants without borax or with very limited amounts of borax. May 4th, 2009  - Product Releases Mielkendorf Germany - Uhing introduces 3D CAD: new customer service for design or custom development Design engineers are familiar with this issue: it is often tedious to integrate third-party components into a larger system. By taking the step from 2D to 3D, the Uhing KG makes work easier for the inhouse CAD department and also for the customers' design engineers – and uses the new possibilities to promote own innovations and make customer-specific solutions affordable. Uhing used a 2D CAD software above all capable forming variants for a long time. This system made it easy for design engineers to assemble modules and to reuse them in drawings for other products. The 3D functions of the software used so far were restricted to so-called wire models and proved to be more and more insufficient for complex constructions. To solve this issue, Uhing began looking for a CAD solution capable of perfectly showing even complex systems in 3D. April 17th, 2009  - Product Releases Kanagawa Japan - OKI Electric Cable Develops world’s first ultra Micro-Surge Suppressor for Inverter-Fed Motors, OKI Electric Cable together with Tokyo Metropolitan University, announced Wednesday that they have succeeded in developing a new method (patent pending) to suppress micro-surge, an over-voltage noise that occurs instantaneously caused by inverter switching signals. OKI Electric Cable’s new method employs a surge suppression cable and a newly developed energy regeneration module. These new technologies enabled the company to develop the world’s first ultra small micro-surge suppressor, the “eco Surge™ ì.” See Extended Story.. April 14th, 2009  - Product Releases Paris France - Nexans launches ICEFLEX® Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry, has launched ICEFLEX®, the world’s first marine and offshore full range cable qualified for extremely low temperatures such as those experienced in the Arctic. This is the first halogen free marine & offshore full range cable to resist ultra-cold Arctic temperatures down to – 50°C This range of cable, which is intended for use in a wide variety of shipboard and offshore/onshore applications, remains highly flexible at temperatures as low as – 50°C, while ensuring advanced fire performance. See Extended Story.. April 7th, 2009  - Product Releases Santa Fe Springs California - Philatron Wire and Cable Introduces SolarWire™ Electrical Wire and Cable is not just for the electrical output any longer. The rapid growing industry known as the Photovoltaic Industry of Solar Roofing has taken Philatron Wire and Cable to the unique design of SolarWire™. For those residences and industrial businesses that choose to utilize solar energy, this cable has a unique design to reach natural resources. The purpose of SolarWire™ is to insure that this industry is compliant with safety regulations while meeting the needs of all solar projects. Philatron Wire and Cable is a long time supplier to Solar Integrated, a reputable provider of Solar Roofing located in California. SolarWire™ is UL Listed and meets the NEC (National Electrical Code) for roofs, direct burial and control panels. SolarWire™ is heat resistant to high temperatures and will not melt. The design is made to withstand harsh weather conditions and will stand up to many years of outdoor exposure. SolarWire™ is flame retardant and meets UL test requirements for flame resistant wire. See Extended Story.. April 6th, 2009  - Product Releases Pawcatuck Connecticut - Expanded Features Boost DS-eTPC Control Capabilities InnoViAdditional temperature control features and an option for historical data collection have been added to Davis-Standard’s DS-eTPC touch-panel control system. The improved system, which offers processors coordinated line control, supports more customers across all product lines while maintaining pricing comparable to discrete controls. These new advantages are included in the DS-eTPC now available for elastomer extruders. See Extended Story.. April 2nd, 2009  - Product Releases Woburn, Massachusetts - Magnolia Optical demonstrates high performance multi sensor system with high speed fiber-optic tether for real-time imaging applications Magnolia Optical Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has developed a high performance multi-sensor imaging system that uses high speed fiber-optic tether to provide real time imaging in a variety of defense applications. This demonstration was part of a U.S. Army Small Business Innovative Research program to develop high speed fiber-optic links that can operate with speeds great than 10 Gigabits per second. High speed, real time imagers are of great interest for defense and commercial robotic applications where multi sensor real time data is needed. Magnolia's system demonstrated that images from multiple sensors can be sent over the fiber-optic cable to more than 500 meters, with the operator far away from harm's way. The system has more than 100 percent reserve for data transmission to accommodate additional sensors on the system without sacrificing real time images and data See Extended Story.. March 25th, 2009  - Product Releases Austin, Texas - USA Wire And Cable Inc announces first Solar PV-rated cable USA Wire & Cable Inc., based in Austin, Texas, has introduced USA SOLAR CABLE, which the company says is the first photovoltaic-rated cable for the solar energy industry. This new cable will conform to UL's Photovoltaic Technical brief and specification UL 4703. Voltage ratings available are 600 V, 1000 V and 2000 V. "In the last six months, we've been working with our customers to define a cable that addresses the unique issues related to solar energy installations," says Hugh Robertson, vice president of sales at USA Wire & Cable. "We expect that USA SOLAR CABLE will become the quality standard that will deliver the greatest long-term value to owners and developers of solar energy projects." USA SOLAR CABLE can be used to wire photovoltaic panels to the electrical collection system on utility-scale solar energy projects and is designed to withstand long-term exposure to extreme conditions. The overall jacket is lead-free, halogen-free, flame retardant and environmentally friendly, the company says. Unlike competitive products, in the case of fire, USA SOLAR CABLE will not emit harmful gases, smoke or hydrochloric acid when exposed to water. March 19th, 2009  - Product Releases Claremont, North Carolina - Draka BendBright-XS™ now available in all cables Draka Communications - Americas announces the availability of bend insensitive fibers throughout its complete family of outside plant fiber cables. With a choice of three fibers in the BendBright family and thousands of fiber cable varieties, Draka provides the customer with the ultimate choice and flexibility in selecting the best fiber cable for the application. In 2005 Draka led the industry by announcing that BendBright would be the standard fiber used in all Draka drop cables. Draka is now offering all three of its bend insensitive fibers in all outside plant cables including loose tube, central tube, ribbon and drop cable as well as all flame rated cables for use in indoor applications. See Extended Story.. March 3rd, 2009  - Product Releases Colchester Vermont - Champlain Cable Corporation Creates a New Photovoltaic wire Champlain Cable Corporation of Colchester, Vermont has entered the renewable energy industry with two new cable solutions for photovoltaic arrays. The Exar 150PV and the Exar 180PV are both UL rated photovoltaic wires and are the latest products to be released by Champlain Cable. Due to the extreme environmental conditions photovoltaic panels are subjected to, most standard solar panel wires are unable to last as long as typical PV panel warranty periods. There are multiple factors that cause ordinary wires to degrade; one of these factors is the extremes in temperature. Photovoltaic panels also are exposed to high amounts of UV radiation, which cause a quick degradation of insulation on standard wiring. Another damaging condition to photovoltaic components is the exposure to water and steam, which can damage the insulation and ultimately cause the cable to fail. For these reasons, the Exar 150PV and 180PV were designed to handle these extreme environmental conditions. See Extended Story.. February 28th, 2009  - Product Releases Montreal Quebec - STABILOY(R) aluminum alloy building wire receives approbation from the China Ministry of Construction, Science and Technology Development Center Alcan Cable, part of Alcan Engineered Products - a business unit of Rio Tinto Alcan - has received approbation from the China Ministry of Construction, Science and Technology Development Center (CSTC) for the use of STABILOY(R) aluminum alloy building wire in commercial, residential and industrial power construction applications in China. "The endorsement of STABILOY(R) aluminum alloy building wire by the China Ministry of Construction CSTC validates that our product offering is an innovative and cost effective solution for the Chinese market," said Ian Hewett, President of Alcan Cable. "The Ministry's favorable assessment will result in increased acceptance of STABILOY(R) aluminum alloy products, and supports our conversion and sales efforts across China." See Extended Story.. February 28th, 2009  - Product Releases Austin Texas - 3M Fiber Dome Closure FDC 10S enables tool-less installation and re-entry The Fiber Dome Closure FDC 10S from 3M Communication Markets Division gives service providers a new solution for protecting the fiber splice joints over long haul, metro, local access and fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) feeder and distribution networks. The new FDC 10S from 3M utilizes the company's core strength of environmental and mechanical protection products with more than 40 years in the telecommunications industry. Hermetically sealed for aerial, pedestal, or below-grade applications, the new Fiber Dome Closure FDC 10S from 3M is designed for butt splice applications using either single or ribbon fiber cable. The fixed O-ring sealing system, along with an innovative latching mechanism of the FDC 10S, that requires no special tools, means quick installation that does not compromise environmental or mechanical protection. February 26th, 2009  - Product Releases Tjeukemeer The Netherlands - New synthetic cable a threat to steel rope? FibreMax is a new Netherlands-based company specializing in the manufacture of lightweight precision cables out of synthetic fibers. "By means of a unique endless winding production process we are capable of producing precision cables that are far lighter, stiffer, stronger and thinner than conventional steel wire ropes," according to the company. "Our cables are even stronger, stiffer and lighter than traditional braided synthetic ropes." A range of characteristics make the cables ideal for heavy lift crane and offshore applications, said FibreMax. When compared at the same steel wire break load, they have an 80 to 90% lower weight, 10% smaller diameter and 30% lower weight than braided ropes. Other advantages include excellent fatigue life, 40 year lifespan and no construction stretch. The company added that no bedding-in is needed and that a continuous length of up to 5,000 m will be available by the beginning of 2010. February 25th, 2009  - Product Releases Seoul Korea - LS-Cable first in Korea to develop high-efficiency rectangular winding wire for automobiles. LS Cable has become the first Korean company to develop precision rectangular winding wire* for automobiles, a type of wire that has been dominated by Japanese wire makers for many years. LS Cable has now decided to aggressively enter the market of electrical products for hybrid cars. The thickness of this product is 1/10th that of an ordinary rectangular winding wire It is suitable for small high-output motors. As it naturally fills the empty space created when conventional round winding wire is coiled, output can be increased by more than 50%. It is also wound in an array configuration to greatly reduce noise. Demand for this type of wire is increasing greatly in line with the higher output, efficiency and miniaturization required for hybrid vehicles and generators, etc. See Extended Story.. February 5th, 2009  - Product Releases Highland Heights Kentucky - General Cable introduces next generation 10-Gigabit networking cable General Cable Corporation announced Tuesday that it recently introduced to the market its next generation 10-gigabit networking cable, GenSPEED 10 MTP' Category 6A 10 Gig cable, featuring the Company's patent pending Mosaic Crossblock' technology. GenSPEED 10 MTP's Mosaic Crossblock technology shields the cable from noise coming from external cable sources, referred to as alien crosstalk. The Mosaic Crossblock was carefully designed with metallic blocks separated by an insulating layer. Since there is no continuous metal-to-metal contact, there is no path for current to flow longitudinally, and thus, no need for grounding. This technology has also been leveraged to reduce the overall diameter of the product. Bob Kenny, Vice President and General Manager, Datacom Products, General Cable said 'Mosaic Twisted Pair (MTP) technology provides an innovative, compact design capable of suppressing noise without the need for grounding. The market has been slow to adopt currently available 10-gigabit cables due to both diameter and noise concerns. We are pleased to introduce a truly groundbreaking 10-gigabit technology which addresses the problems that have concerned end users. I believe this is one of the most important product introductions our industry has seen in a long time. January 17th, 2009  - Product Releases Atlanta Georgia - Superior Essex and Leviton Introduces new ethernet UTP copper cabling system Superior Essex and Leviton Network Solutions jointly announced today the introduction of NextLAN® 10GC AXi, the companies’ second generation copper cabling system for 10 Gigabit Ethernet transmission. NextLAN 10GC AXi is the first UTP cabling system to guarantee 4 dB performance margin for channel Power Sum Alien Crosstalk, and achieves this feat using a round cable design with an outside diameter of only 0.30 inches. In addition, the system eliminates the need for costly Alien Crosstalk field testing while improving space utilization in horizontal and vertical pathways. NextLAN 10GC AXi incorporates several technological advances, patented as well as patent-pending, from Leviton and Superior Essex, joint developers of the NextLAN cabling System. See Extended Story.. January 14th, 2009  - Product Releases Corning New York - Corning announces multimode version of ClearCurve optical fiber Corning Incorporated today announced a new ClearCurve ultra-bendable multimode optical fiber for use in data centers and enterprise networks. Corning ClearCurve multimode fiber is the world's first laser-optimized multimode fiber to withstand tight bends at or below 10 mm radius with substantially less signal loss than traditional multimode fiber. This new fiber allows designers, installers and operators of enterprise networks -- including local area networks, data centers and industrial networks -- to deploy optical fiber in more places by delivering all of the bandwidth benefits of optical fiber in a package that is easier to handle and install than copper. Traditionally, when an optical cable experiences very tight bends, as is common in constrained enterprise network spaces like telecommunications closets and data center racks, it can result in signal loss and costly down time. ClearCurve multimode fiber's improved bend performance minimizes signal loss and enables faster and more efficient optical cable pathways, routing and installation. December 5th, 2008  - Product Releases Pawtucket, RI, U.S.A. - New Elexar® Compounds for Wide Range of Insulation, Jacket, and Molded Applications   RoHS-COMPLIANT TPEs EXHIBIT ENHANCED FLAME-RETARDANCE AND HEAT STABILITY FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE CORDS, CABLES, AND CONNECTORS New Elexar® Compounds for Wide Range of Insulation, Jacket, and Molded Applications Meet Stringent UL Criteria while Providing Rubber-Like Flexibility and Toughness A new class of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds that is fully RoHS-compliant meets stringent UL criteria for fire retardance while providing flexibility and toughness over a broad temperature range, it was announced today by Teknor Apex Company. The company's Thermoplastic Elastomer Division introduced the new TPEs last month at IWCS / Focus. The new additions to the Elexar® product range are available with hardnesses from Shore 56A to 90A and recommended by the company for insulation, jackets, and molded parts for flexible cords, coil cords, and cables in power tools, appliances, industrial robots, welding equipment, and entertainment audio and lighting systems. See Extended Story.. December 4th, 2008  - Product Releases Helsinki Finland - Outokumpu to introduce stainless steel reinforcing bars in India Finnish Outokumpu has introduced its corrosion resistant Duplex stainless steel reinforcing bars in the Indian market for infrastructure concrete structures. The stainless steel reinforcing bars will apply for concrete structures in coastal areas, ports, airports, bridges, high rise buildings and water treatment plants for long life without corrosion problem. However, for the cost effect, Duplex Stainless steel rebar are much more expensive than carbon steel rebar. Meanwhile, austenitic stainless steel rebar can also apply for such areas include military, medical and scientific applications. In conclusion, stainless steel reinforcing bars will provide good products~{!/~} November 18th, 2008  - Product Releases Arnhem, The Netherlands - Teijin Aramid Recognised with the 2008 Frost & Sullivan European Growth Strategy Leadership Award   Teijin Aramid Twaron® Products The 2008 European High Performance Fibres Growth Strategy Leadership Award is presented to Teijin Aramid. Ever since its entry into the aramid fibre market in 2000, the company has been on the fast track to success, achieving a commanding market and technology position in very short time. "Teijin Aramid has revolutionised the markets for high performance fibres, growing rapidly in stature as a producer of high performance fibres and, in the process, placing aramid fibres on a fast growth curve,” notes Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Hariharan Ramasubramanian. “The company has shown immense commitment to this market by investing in prudent capacity expansion programmes, thereby removing bottlenecks to the wider adoption of aramid fibres in key end user applications.” See Extended Story.. November 15th, 2008  - Product Releases Providence Rhode Island - BASF introduces new high-heat TPUs at IWCS in Providence, Rhode Island At the recent annual 2008 IWCS (International Wire and Cable Show), the thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) business unit of BASF Corporation introduced two new tough, halogen-free, high-heat grades of TPU for wire and cable jacketing applications. Both TPUs exhibit excellent abrasion resistance, toughness, low temperature properties, hydrolytic stability and fungus resistance per standard DIN tests. The new Elastollan 1190 A 10 FHF TPU is offered to supplement the company~{!/~}s FHF line of products and features a non-halogenated fire retardant for cable jacketing and other applications. This new grade has a Shore A hardness of 90, a tensile strength of 25 MPa (between other BASF grades) and a good tear strength of 60 N/m. Abrasion loss is 30 mm3. These specifications enable users seeking performance specifications that fall in between other BASF grades. BASF also featured its Elastollan 1185 A 10 F001 TPU polyether-based TPU compound that contains a halogen-containing flame retardant. It is formulated for extrusion applications that include cable jacketing, film/sheet, hose and hose jacketing and profile extrusions. This TPU has a Shore A hardness of 87 and a tensile strength of 29 MPa, as well as an extremely high tear strength of 96 N/mm. For more information visit www.basf.com/usa or contact .Bill Donnelly BASF Corporation Tel: (734) 324-6303 or E-mail: william.donnelly@basf.com November 14th, 2008  - Product Releases Providence Rhode Island - Teknor Color introduces new RoHS-compliant concentrates at IWCS / Focus Teknor Color Company is is introducing a new series of concentrates for engineering-grade copolyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that includes a wide range of color choices, all of them fully compliant with the European Union's RoHS Directive. The company is introducing the products at IWCS / Focus (Booth 215). The company recommends the new colors for use with high-performance TPEs like DuPont™ Hytrel® thermoplastic polyester elastomers. Potential applications cited by Teknor Color include wire and cable insulation, jackets, and fiber optic buffers, as well as injection and blow molded parts, film, sheet, and profiles. See Extended Story.. November 13th, 2008  - Product Releases Providence Rhode Island - New Indoor/Outdoor Fireguard plenum compounds New formulation technology for FireGUARD® low-flame, low-smoke plenum compounds eliminates much of the high cost of connectorization in plant or campus data networks by making possible continuous indoor/outdoor (I/O) optical fiber cables, according to Teknor Apex Company, which is presently introducing the technology at IWCS/Focus (Booth 215). The I/O formulations provide the UV resistance and anti-microbial properties required for outdoor exposure without tradeoffs in the physical, electrical, and flame and smoke properties available with standard FireGUARD grades, according to Mike Patel, industry manager for the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex. The new formulations are available for all FireGUARD compounds used as jackets in optical fiber cable applications. See Extended Story.. November 10th, 2008  - Product Releases Portland, Oregon - Plastic wires rival copper at 20 percent the weight ElectriPlast conductive polymer enables wiring that is 80 percent lighter than copper and yet has the same conductivity, according to its inventors Integral Technologies (Bellingham, Wash.). By blending micron-scale fibers coated with metal into a polymer matrix, ElectriPlast can be molded, extruded, or formed into any shape~{!*~}from traditional wires to flat cables to entire surfaces. Applications include lightweight wire replacement, molded wiring harnesses and antennas built into device packages. The conductive fibers in the ElectriPlast material are 7 microns to 12 microns in diameter, and claim a broader bandwidth than solid metal cables by virtue of having more surface area for a given gauge. The metal fibers are plated with copper, silver or gold and grouped into multiple fiber bundles that characterize its equivalent wire gauge. The material is supplied in pellets, which Integral says can be molded in a hot-molding machine. See Extended Story.. October 17th, 2008  - Product Releases Kanagawa, Japan - OKI Electric Cable unveils a non-shielded motor drive cable Oki Electric Cable Co., Ltd. yesterday announced that, together with Fanuc Ltd., the two companies have succeeded in developing a motor drive cable based on their proprietary cable structure that significantly reduces the impact of conducted noise caused by inverter switching. Compared to conventional servomotor drive cables, the newly developed cable (Product name: Symmetric Motor Drive Cable 'SYM Series,' with joint patent pending in Japan and overseas) can double the recovery efficiency of conducted noise current. Sales of the new product start today. See Extended Story.. October 10th, 2008  - Product Releases Des Plaines Illinois - Littelfuse unveils multiplex wiring harness for automotive aftermarket Littelfuse, Inc. Has announced the end of wiring harness drudgery with the introduction of the ISIS Intellegent Multiplex System a solid-state electrical system that eliminates tangles of wire, slashes install time in half, and gives auto enthusiasts complete control over their cars’ accessories in ways that are limited only by their imaginations. It is the first multiplex system to make OEM technology available to any car, whether street rod, resto-rod, off-roader, kit build, tuner, muscle car, or quarter-miler. The new system is the first user-configurable, OEM-quality, multiplex power-distribution system for the entire automotive aftermarket. Editors note: Is this a threat to harness suppliers? October 7th, 2008  - Product Releases Luxembourg - ArcelorMittal to develop value-added construction steel products ArcelorMittal said it’s confident about potential business opportunities in construction steel; therefore, the company will develop high value-added construction steel products to supply the market demand and at greater quantities yieh.com reports. Global steel consumption is about 1.4 billion tons per year; about 45 percent of steel products are supplied for construction usage. Now, ArcelorMittal has supplied about 39 million tons construction steel products to the global market and is hoping to reach 50 million tons by 2010 September 25th, 2008  - Product Releases Hanover/Nuremberg Germany - Leoni is developing special cables for hybrid vehicles Leoni will present new components for vehicles with electrical, hybrid and fuel cell drive at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show. On Stand C18 in Hall 13, the wire, cable and wiring systems specialist will also display the Flamecon metallisation process, a non-contact distance warning system as well as pre-formed cable harnesses for engines. See Extended Story.. September 9th, 2008  - Product Releases Carrollton, Georgia - Southwire Launches VR2 Vibration-Resistant Cable Life just got a little easier for utilities everywhere (especially installers) thanks to the new patent-pending VR2 cable from Southwire. The newest innovation from the industry frontrunner, this advanced new cable design challenges existing vibration resistant cables in everything from design to installation. VR2 is truly unique: it features a twist that changes with conductor size that still provides the ultimate in aeolian vibration and ice galloping resistance. But VR2 offers something even more revolutionary--it's easier to install. "This product represents the next generation in vibration-resistant cables," says Stephen Spruell, product development manager at Southwire. Indeed, VR2's patent-pending design offers significantly less opportunity for bagging during installation. It represents an easy solution for utility engineers, contractors, installers, and distributors--especially in the Midwest, where wind-loading, ice-loading and conductor galloping are frequent challenges. "VR2 delivers the performance you need while offering the easiest installation vibration-resistant cable on the market today." September 5th, 2008  - Product Releases Paris France - Nexans launches its WINDLINK® range of high-performance cable solutions for wind turbines Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry, is at HUSUM WindEnergy to launch its WINDLINK® range of comprehensive cable solutions specifically designed for wind turbines of all sizes, including power and control cables as well as special cables and accessories. The new range features copper, aluminum and fibre optic cables and components that have been fully tested under live operating conditions and mechanical stresses to ensure compatibility and durability as a system, so they guarantee efficient generation of electricity for turbine manufacturers. For the complete press release use this link September 5th, 2008  - Product Releases Denver Colorado - Panasonic Launches World's First Free Angle HDMI Cable Panasonic today announced the launch of the world's first free angle HDMI Cable, compliant with Version 1.3a specification, which assures 1080p high data transfer speed of up to 10.2Gbps. The new HDMI cables provide an easy solution for flat display panel installation and will be available in two lengths: 1.5m and 3m. See Extended Story.. August 24th, 2008  - Product Releases Southampton U.K. - Stanelco RF Applications delivers ~{!0~}New Generation~{!1~} induction generators Development of new generator for furnace systems. Stanelco RF Applications, a world leader in optical fiber furnaces, is pleased to announce it has sold and shipped the first furnace system incorporating one of its latest and most efficient induction generators. This new generator has been developed following extensive R&D. Incorporating leading edge electronic technology, the advanced ~{!.~}plug and play~{!/~} design of the generator ensures increased reliability and removes the need for extensive set-up and tuning procedures. In turn this will provide manufacturers of optical fiber with the potential for increased operational efficiencies and reduced running costs. Currently being installed in Stanelco~{!/~}s new furnaces, this range of induction generator will also be available as a retro-fit option for Stanelco~{!/~}s existing furnace customers looking to improve their energy and operational efficiency. July 12th, 2008  - Product Releases Richmond Indiana - Belden introduces new plenum mini digital coax cable Belden has announced the availability of its Brilliance® Plenum Mini Digital Coax cable (Part No. 1855P), a plenum version of Belden’s 1855A non-plenum, sub-miniature 59/U digital coax cable. As the first plenum mini digital coax in the industry, Belden’s 1855P cable is designed and engineered to deliver the same outstanding digital video signal transmission performance and reliability that has made 1855A so popular in the professional broadcast industry. Both versions of Belden Brilliance Mini Digital Coax cables are ideal for connection of high definition (HD), standard definition (SDI) and digital audio equipment in professional and commercial applications, including broadcast and cable TV stations, sports stadiums and arenas, convention centers, and other large facilities requiring high-quality digital video. And, both cables are 100 percent sweep tested from 5 MHz to 4.5 GHz July 5th, 2008  - Product Releases Chicago, USA - AIM Inc., the World’s leader in CNC wire bending solutions introduces a new Compact 3D machine AIM Inc., the World’s leader in CNC wire bending solutions introduces a new Compact 3D machine: the highly robust and efficient AFC series (AccuForm Compact).  With up to 8mm wire capacities, the AFC machines set new benchmarks for cost effective, automatic wire bending operations.  Starting at below $90,000 and complete with Industrial PC running Windows XP Pro and SmartEditor®  – AIM’s unique and world renowned programming package, plus a host of features previously available only on much more expensive machines, AIM resets the bar for wire shop automation.  See Extended Story.. July 3rd, 2008  - Product Releases Mielkendorf, Germany - Uhing's AVS allows for trouble-free unwinding at high speed By launching the AVS, the Automatic Winding Width Control, Joachim Uhing KG GmbH & Co. offers a system preventing the formation of dents and bulges in the switchover area during spool winding. This ensures high speed unwinding without jolts during postprocessing. “The formation of dents is particularly critical during winding”, explains Burkhard W. Bohn who is the Managing Director for the Technology sector of the innovative, long-established company in Mielkendorf near Kiel. “Dents bear the risk of slippage, followed by bulging layers being wound on top. During unwinding, this can cause jolts and consequently result in material rupture.” See Extended Story.. June 26th, 2008  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - Rare-earth enhanced welding wire JFE Steel has developed a technology for welding which adds a rare earth metal to the welding wire to reduce spatter by 90%. The technology, termed “JFE Spray Transfer Arc Welding” or J-STAR Welding, uses an electrode negative polarity with a rare earth metal added wire in carbon dioxide gas shielded arc. Spray transfer was formed when welding current exceeded 250A, causing conical arc plasma to be formed from the wire tip, and fine and continuous droplets to be transferred to molten pool. When the welding current goes under 200A, the welder can control the waveform of the welding current, resulting in periodic short circuit transfer. This stabilizes the droplet transfer and re-arcing, resulting in spatter generation less than 10% compared to convention carbon dioxide gas shielded arc welding. June 20th, 2008  - Product Releases Tulsa, OK - Tulsa's New 100,000 lb capacity Gantry Take-up/Payoff systems Tulsa Power LLC has recently introduced its new line of 100K Gantry Systems. The units are offered in both Payoff and Take-up configurations. Reel capacities range from 2175 mm thru 4350 mm flange diameter, reel widths to 4572 mm and maximum reel weights to 100,000 lbs. The entire structure offers easy loading and un-loading of reels with true walk thru capabilities. The telescoping super structure’s portal design conforms to the size of reel to minimize floor space requirements. Each system traverses on rails to offer material payout or take-up with no fleeting angle. Electromechanical drives are utilized to allow for up/down and in/out manipulation of the main frame during reel load/un-load sequences. See Extended Story.. June 18th, 2008  - Product Releases Pittsburgh Pennsylvania - Geospatial Holdings Unveils Tension/Calc3D(TM) Technology Geospatial Holdings, Inc. Tuesday unveiled its patent pending Geospatial Tension/Calc3D™ Technology which utilizes the Company’s proprietary Smart Probes along with custom designed software to quickly and accurately calculate bending radius, joint integrity and pulling tension data of underground conduit that is critical for the safe installation of high voltage underground transmission and distribution cabling. Geospatial recognized the need for its Tension/Calc3D™ Technology during the completion by Geospatial of the mapping and interior geometry assessment of 17 miles of 8 inch diameter conduit on a recent high voltage electrical distribution project in Boston. Mark A. Smith, Geospatial's Chief Executive Officer stated, "Geospatial's Tension/Calc3D™ Technology provides critical information that allows electrical utilities to safely install underground new sophisticated transmission and distribution cable while minimizing the potential of damage to hi-tech cable insulations and coatings during installation." May 8th, 2008  - Product Releases Pawtucket Rhode Island - Teknor Apex introduces new family of TPO elastomers A new family of thermoplastic olefin (TPO) elastomers exceeds by a wide margin the performance and softness limitations of conventional TPOs and exhibit processing and physical property advantages over a wide range of other thermoplastics elastomers (TPEs), it was announced today by Teknor Apex Company. Tradenamed Telcar® OBC, the new TPO compounds are blends of a rigid polyolefin and INFUSE olefin block copolymers (OBC) from Dow, which Teknor Apex uses under a newly established agreement with Dow. Conventional TPOs have rubber phases consisting of EPDM rubber or random ethylene copolymers. Teknor Apex recommends the new compounds for opaque and translucent applications such as food and beverage packaging, office products, medical devices, consumer goods, and industrial products like hoses, tubes, gaskets, seals, weatherstripping, and wire and cable. Telcar OBC compounds meet FDA requirements for regulated uses. See Extended Story.. April 9th, 2008  - Product Releases Vienna Austria - Plastics provider Borealis pioneers low voltage cable solutions Borealis, a leading provider of innovative plastics solutions, launches a unique high productivity, low voltage cable insulation material for cable manufacturers. The Vienna Austria provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, has launched a unique high productivity, low voltage cable insulation material that will boost the competitiveness of cable manufacturers. Making its debut at Wire 2008, new Visico* FX LE8823 delivers all-round advances in productivity and cost efficiency, resulting in higher output and increased profitability at the manufacturing stage with knock on benefits for grid owners and wire and cable installers. See Extended Story.. April 5th, 2008  - Product Releases Carrollton Georgia - Southwire offers sag and tension software Engineers who have come to count on Southwire’s reliability and expertise can now look forward to the release of the recognized industry standard software for sag and tension calculations under the Southwire name. Southwire SAG10 — a sophisticated and user-friendly Windows-based application — contains reliable, proven data that has been the basis for sag and tension calculation in the industry for more than 80 years. "We are tremendously proud to bring SAG10 into the Southwire family of technical offerings for engineers," noted Charlie Murrah, President of Southwire's Energy Division. "Southwire has always been committed to finding new methods and tools to help our customers deliver power, and the launch of Southwire SAG10 further demonstrates our commitment to our ever-changing industry." April 5th, 2008  - Product Releases Cleveland Ohio - PolyOne launches its recently developed TPE-V grades for wire & cable PolyOne Corporation, a leading global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, has launched its recently developed TPE-V grades dedicated to the specific demands of the Wire & Cable industry. OnFlex™-V 2000, 2100, 2400 and 2600 are the trade names for PolyOne's new comprehensive product families of thermoplastic elastomer compounds, based on TPE-V (polyolefin phase with a cross-linked EPDM dispersed into it) that will match the demanding requirements in this market segment. See Extended Story.. April 3rd, 2008  - Product Releases Milford New Hampshire - Hendrix Wire & Cable introduces a cable for wind power industry Hendrix Wire & Cable a provider of high quality overhead and underground power distribution products for over 50 years, announces its offering of 34.5 kV TRXLP-insulated medium voltage cable for applications in the wind power industry. All cable is manufactured in the USA, made and tested to ICEA/AEIC Standards and is dry-cure, triple-extruded. The 34.5 kV underground cable is available in either aluminum or copper conductor, and standard conductor sizes ranging from 1/0 through 1250 kcmil in full and reduced concentric neutral configurations. Quantity and length changes to the underground cable can be accommodated just prior to manufacturing to match up with last minute changes to farm layouts. Hendrix Wire & Cable will coordinate future purchases of both aluminum and copper underground cable to protect customers from volatility in the commodity markets, allowing them to lock-in their costs the company said. February 18th, 2008  - Product Releases Mount Vernon, N.Y, U.S.A. - Magnetic Analysis Corp. (MAC) introduces MultiMac™ Magnetic Analysis Corp. (MAC) introduces MultiMac™, a new Windows® based, multi-mode eddy current tester that operates with encircling/sector test coils (to detect short-surface defects) and/or rotary test probes (to identify long, seam-type surface defects). The new multi-mode capability incorporates all of the best features of MAC’s individual encircling coil and rotary probe instruments into one unit. The MultiMac includes up to eight test channels, and a wide selection of test parameters and special circuits to enhance signal-to-noise ratio. Building on the successful Echohunter® software graphics, the instrument’s Test Screen displays a single channel, and the Multi-Screen provides a simultaneous display of 1 to 8 channels. The Test Screen provides all the information needed to set up and operate MultiMac. Both screens display simultaneous polar and linear modes and all test parameters, including thresholds. See Extended Story.. February 8th, 2008  - Product Releases Corning New York - Verizon purchases Corning(R) ClearCurve™ cable solution after successful field trials Corning Incorporated announced Thursday that Verizon Communications Inc. has purchased Corning’s ClearCurve™ rugged drop cable solution as part of the telecommunications company’s effort to roll out its FiOS services. Corning’s ClearCurve product suite helps overcome the installation challenges in multiple-dwelling units (MDUs) by providing a bend-resistant fiber optimized for the strenuous deployment conditions in apartment buildings and condominium complexes. Verizon qualified the ClearCurve technology as an optimal solution for MDU applications following a successful series of field trials. (see also wirenews October 3rd and September 21) February 7th, 2008  - Product Releases Veenendaal, The Netherlands - InnoVites announces new ERP software for cable makers. InnoVites B.V. announces the development of ‘InnoVites for Cable’, an Industry Solution for the cable industry. This innovative Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software product combines the power and the user-friendliness of the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform with best practices from lean thinking applied in the cable industry. InnoVites for Cable will help cable manufacturers to improve their business performance. January 31st, 2008  - Product Releases Beantford Ontario - Stainless Steel takes a backseat to newer biomaterials As evidence of proven applications mounts, nitinol and PEEK push traditional biocompatible metals to the periphery. Owing to its biocompatibility, proven history, and cost-effectiveness, stainless steel has long been a dominant force in the biomaterials market. And nickel-free grades currently entering the market will likely further secure stainless steel’s longevity in the industry. While stainless steel is in no danger of becoming an obsolete biomaterial, it is increasingly being passed over in favor of alternative materials. The rising demand for more-complex applications and nonmetal options has manufacturers turning to younger, more inexperienced biomaterials such as nitinol and PEEK for their applications, leaving the veteran medical metal sidelined. See Extended Story.. January 16th, 2008  - Product Releases Mt. Holly, NC, U.S.A. - New CAMEL WATERBLOCKING YARNS from A&E Inc. New CAMEL WATERBLOCKING YARNS from A&E Inc. provide cable producers valuable flexibility to tailor yarn count and absorbency characteristics to meet specific application requirements. Specifically designed for filler and binder applications, Camel Waterblocking Yarn is based on Super Absorbent Fiber (SAF) Technology, which provides the ultimate in rapid absorbency. Camel Waterblocking Yarn can reach 90 percent of its maximum absorbency in slightly more than five seconds with an average minimum absorbency of 30-grams/gram.   This specialized yarn provides for clean and efficient payoffs from several package formats. With SAF technology, absorbency is built into the yarn. This feature translates into more absorbent material being conveyed into the cable without the powder buildup inherent with most SAP yarn products. Dependent on yarn size, package lengths of over 122,000 meters are available. See Extended Story.. December 7th, 2007  - Product Releases Pawtucket Rhode Island - Teknor Color introduces 12 new RoHS compliant concentrates for FireGuard compounds With the introduction of a range of RoHS-compliant concentrates for use with FireGuard® and other low-smoke PVC plenum compounds, Teknor Color Company now offers RoHS-compliant colors spanning the entire spectrum of the most widely used wire and cable polymers, the company announced. The new range of concentrates includes ten counterparts to non-RoHS-compliant colors offered for FireGuard compounds, plus two rose and aqua not previously available. Both old and new concentrates have the same low-smoke PVC carrier resins, and there are no appreciable differences between the new concentrates and the earlier formulations in terms of use levels and performance, according to Anne Upton, wire and cable market manager. See Extended Story.. December 5th, 2007  - Product Releases Kawasaki Japan - Oki Electric Cable, develops an 8 meter IEEE1394.b compliant cable achieving 800Mbps transmission speed Oki Electric Cable Co., Ltd. announced it has developed the industry’s first "1394.b Long Cable (8 meters)" compliant to the IEEE1394.b standard. The product is a 1394.b cable, achieving an 800Mbps transmission speed. The product will soon be commercialized and Oki Electric Cable plans to launch sales from January 2008. "We achieved an 800Mbps transmission speed over an 8 meter-long high-performance cable by improving our manufacturing technologies so the structure will uniform throughout the cable length," said Takashi Hattori, President of Oki Electric Cable. "We plan to provide our new cable to users for various applications in industrial equipment including industrial devices and robots." See Extended Story.. December 3rd, 2007  - Product Releases Norcross Georgia - OFS Introduces EZ-Bend™ Optical Cable Technology OFS today announced the introduction of its new EZ-Bend™ optical cable technology to support multiple dwelling unit (MDU) and in-home wiring applications. The ground-breaking EZ-Bend Technology addresses the critical need to speed and simplify installations by allowing cables to be bent and routed in ways never before feasible using traditional optical drop cables, to facilitate rapid deployment of fiber to and within the residence. Service providers need drop cables that can support many tight corner bends and stapling. The EZ-Bend technology enables in-residence optical cable installation with the same simple practices used for copper or coaxial cables. Cables using EZ-Bend technology can be stapled in place utilizing existing copper cable installation tools and routed around sharp corners. Its bending loss performance represents up to a 100-fold improvement over conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) type cables. November 14th, 2007  - Product Releases Reno, Nevada - Finisar introduces Laserwire(TM), an active optical cable family Finisar Corporation a technology leader in fiber optic solutions for high-speed networks, today announced the industry's first serial 10 Gbps active optical cable family designed to accelerate and support 10G Ethernet server connectivity. The Laserwire(TM) family consists of the Laserwire cable, a high density electrical connector and 10G Ethernet adapter modules to facilitate adoption into legacy transceiver ports. Laserwire utilizes fiber optic technology for the transmission of data while reducing the weight, density and power consumption of copper wire. Finisar will demonstrate this new platform with industry leaders Chelsio, Force10, Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Myricom, NetEffect, Neterion, and NetXen at Supercomputing 2007 in Reno, Nevada, November 13-15, Booth #2818. November 9th, 2007  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - Oki Electric Cable unveils high-speed and high-sliding interface cable Oki Electric Cable Co., Ltd. has unveiled a high-sliding resistance cable, the model 1394.b, an industry first in achieving 800Mbps transmission speed and high-sliding resistance of over 3 million times. The cable was introduced at Vision2007, held in Stuttgart, Germany. "We are excited to announce this world´s first cable which offers high-sliding flexure performance and high-speed transmission. We improved our manufacturing technologies so the structure would be even throughout the cable length," said Takashi Hattori, President of Oki Electric Cable. "We plan to provide our new cable to users for various applications in industrial equipment including industrial devices and robots." November 5th, 2007  - Product Releases Brea, California - New airwipe dries cable at 6000 FPM. Sonic Air Systems, Inc. introduces a UHS (ultra high speed) Wire Dryer™ which accommodates today’s latest insulator and jacket extrusion rates of up to 6,000 FPM (30.5 m/sec). The self-contained drying module utilizes the Sonic high efficiency air wipe design powered by one of Sonic’s high velocity air blowers, ranging from 3 to 50Hp (2.2 to 37 kW). The system comes complete with a performance guarantee which emphasizes that all external moisture will be expelled from the wire, promoting improved quality, accurate printing, and increased worker safety. With the UHS Wire Dryer™, Sonic has tripled the effective drying speed of their previous generation of Sonic wire & cable drying system designs, while at the same time eliminating the high operating costs of compressed air wipes for these demanding drying applications. Power consumption of a Sonic UHS Wire Dryer™ is almost always 75% less than that of the compressed air wipes. October 22nd, 2007  - Product Releases New York New York - New cables tolerate offshore conditions Tyco Electronics has released its ROV product line of heavy lift umbilical cables, neutrally buoyant tether cables and heavy tether cables for lifting applications in offshore and marine environments. The cables all benefit from reduced weight and diameter, providing longer length on current handling equipment. All three cable types feature high voltage ratings, high-temperature, reduced-diameter power conductors with flexible conductors, screened twisted pairs for instrumentation and co-axial or databus for data and video. Furthermore the cables feature MM or SM Fiber In Steel Tube (FIST) and grounding via copper tapes. Heavy lift umbilical cables from Tyco Electronics are typically 30% smaller than their competition, allowing longer excursion without the heavy investment cost of new winching equipment. Umbilical cables feature a bespoke cable design, two or three-layer, torque-balanced steel wire armor packages, typical depth ratings to 4000m and EMC immunity via tin-plated copper braid. Neutrally buoyant tether cables benefit from a neutrally buoyant TPR sheath and flexible yet mechanically resistant sheath. The cables are available in specified designs and aramid yarn armor packages. Excursion lengths are up to 1000m. Heavy tether cables feature minimum diameter, maximum length tethers with a flexible, mechanically resistant TPR sheath. October 20th, 2007  - Product Releases Cincinnati, Ohio - Super Air Wipe Resists Corrosion And High Temperature EXAIR's new stainless steel Super Air Wipe produces a 360° airstream that can blow off, dry, clean or cool the material passing through the center. The split design can be easily clamped around continuously moving material such as pipe, hose, cable, wire and extruded shapes. The stainless steel construction is suitable for food, chemical and pharmaceutical applications as well as those found in corrosive or high temperature locations. The stainless steel Super Air Wipe ejects a small amount of compressed air through a thin slotted nozzle that pulls in high volumes of surrounding room air. The airflow uniformly ejects from the 360° of its inner diameter. Air velocity can be varied with instant "on/off" control. Coupling brackets that hold each half of the stainless steel Super Air Wipe together can be latched together or removed quickly. Additional shims can be installed if more blowoff force is required. Stainless steel Super Air Wipes are available in 1/2" (13mm), 1" (25mm), 2" (51mm), 3" (76mm) and 4" (102mm) diameters. Applications include wiping wire; drying inks, paint and screen printing; cooling hot extruded shapes; and blowoff of water, plating, coatings and dust. October 12th, 2007  - Product Releases Waukegan Illinois - Coleman Cable, Inc. introduces "Camo Cord" Coleman Cable, Inc. introduces the Camo Cord™, a new line of camouflage-patterned extension cords. They are manufactured with a unique process using a clear PVC jacket over the camouflage pattern which is resistant to fading, peeling or wearing away. The SJTW jacket provides rugged durability and resists moisture, abrasion and prolonged exposure to sunlight and the elements. Made in the USA, the new Camo Cord line is suitable for job-sites, workshops, or outdoor everyday usage. The line’s camouflage pattern helps conceal the extension cord in landscaping, sporting or other outdoor applications when a low profile is desired to blend the cord into the environment. The Camo Cord line is available in 14 and 12 gauge and in 25 ft., 50 ft. and 100 ft. lengths. September 20th, 2007  - Product Releases Belley - France - CONDUCTIX, Delachaux Group, Develops new Fiber Optic Machinery Prooftester, type PT-2500 CONDUCTIX, Delachaux Group, who is a leading manufacturer of fiber optic machinery has recently developed a new prooftester, type PT-2500 • This new model can reach a production speed up to 2500 m/min • Keeping a stopping time, in case of fiber break, of 5 seconds on the take-up • It is also equipped with an easy & fast threading system to reduce the labor costs • And the traversing quality is better than the previous models • You can use spools diameter 500/310, 500, 100 kg See Extended Story.. September 11th, 2007  - Product Releases Richmond Indiana - Belden introduces new HDMI shielded twisted pair cables Belden has announced the introduction of its High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables, specifically designed to enhance the home theater experience. The new HDMI Shielded Twisted Pair cables provide reliable interface between any compatible digital audio/video source and a compatible digital audio and/or video monitor in the home theater set-up, as well as providing support for standard, enhanced, or high-definition video and multi-channel digital audio - all on a single assembly. September 10th, 2007  - Product Releases Exton, Pa, U.S.A. - FLUON® ETFE Is FDA Compliant AGC Chemicals Americas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Asahi Glass Company, confirms FDA compliance for Food Contact Notification (FCN) number 481 for its Fluon® ETFE manufactured by Asahi Glass Company. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration concurs compliance on the FDA website. Fluon® ETFE is a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene that exhibits a combination of desirable properties such as high resistance to heat and chemical attack and outstanding physical toughness. Fluon® is the only ETFE resin in the world that is FDA compliant, permitting use as base resins or coatings in repeat use applications in contact with all food types at temperatures up to 150°C in listed applications. The compliance excludes the use of Fluon® AH (adhesive) and AR (elastomer) series resins. According to Dr. Evan D. Laganis, Fluon® Business Development Director: “We are hopeful that the FDA compliance of Fluon® ETFE will further support and encourage the global demand of the marketplace to use Fluon® ETFE in food-related applications.” In addition to Fluon® ETFE, AGC Chemicals Americas manufactures and markets and supplies other high performance fluoropolymer materials under the Fluon® trade name. These products include PTFE, PFA, Filled PTFE Compounds, Melt Processable Compounds, and PTFE Micropowders. Additionally, AGC Chemicals Americas supplies high performance AFLAS® fluoroelastomers. You can find out more about AGC Chemicals Americas, Inc. with this link. August 30th, 2007  - Product Releases Tinley Park Illinois - PANDUIT introduces new metal detectable cable ties PANDUIT has developed a type of Metal Detectable Cable Ties PAN-TY®, an innovative product designed specifically to meet food, beverage, and pharmaceutical safety standards. The metal detectable cable ties are the optimum choice for bundling and fastening applications to help reduce product contamination and loss in manufacturing areas that produce consumable products. The metal impregnated material has met industry standard testing by leading manufacturers of metal detectors and x-ray inspection equipment. These cable ties help meet HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) preventative controls. An added feature of the tie is the unique blue color that provides distinct contrast for easy visual identification on conveyor belts and in products. August 27th, 2007  - Product Releases - Liberty Wire & Cable extends DigitaLinxTM family Liberty Wire & Cable, worldwide supplier of a broad range of wire and cable products for the audio/video trade, including custom installers and systems integrators, introduces a new group of DigitaLinxTM digital solutions for custom installation and audio/video professionals. The new DigitaLinx products include 2-In/5-Out and 1-In/10-Out HDMI Distribution Amplifiers, a 2-In/1-Out HDMI Switcher, a 6-In/6-Out HDMI Multiplexer, new HDMI Fiber Optic Cable, and a DigitaLinx full-color guide, Digital Solutions for the Residential Contractor, that fully describes the entire DigitaLinx product line. August 22nd, 2007  - Product Releases Avon Connecticut - OFS Introduces 62.5 micron optical fiber with hard clad silica coating. OFS Specialty Photonics Division has expanded its industry leading HCS optical fiber family to include 62.5 micron (core) optical fiber with HCS (Hard Clad Silica) fiber coating. The OFS fiber, cable, and connector system brings a new level of designed-in durability and flexibility in termination to the industrial market for 62.5 micron products. This design combines the ruggedness of 62.5/200 micron (core/cladding) fiber and ease of connectorization. The entire system is ideally suited for high bandwidth communication in industrial environments, and the cable design is especially suited to installation environments with high pull forces. See Extended Story.. August 20th, 2007  - Product Releases Kolchugino Russia - JSC "Electrocable Works, Kolchugino" launches new product range JSC “Electrocable Works, Kolchugino” has launched the production of cord & polystyrene insulated lead sheathed balanced high frequency telecom cables of MSBpShp, MKSBShp and MKSGShp types to TU 16.K11-59-95. These cables are intended for cable runs, area communication lines and links used within the frequency range of up to 552 KHz or within the frequency range of up to 8448 KHz when secondary communication systems operating at remote supply alternate voltages of up to 690 V or direct voltages of up to 1000 V are used. Cable shall be used for laying in ducts, tubes and boxes provided that cable is not exposed to mechanical stresses in the environment, which is aggressive to the sheath, in conditions, which do not feature high electromagnetic influences. The main difference of these cables compared to MKSG and MKSB cables that are also manufactured by EWK lies in an additional component included in their design and namely a protective serving of two types as follows: BShp type that allows these cables to be used in grounds, which are aggressive to the armoring and BpShp type for grounds which are aggressive both to the armoring and the sheath. See Extended Story.. August 17th, 2007  - Product Releases Denver, PA, U.S.A. - Sylvin Receives CSA Approvals for 105°C/-40°C SJTOOW VINYL Compounds Flexible Cord Manufacturers Now Have More Vinyl Comound Choices For The North American Market Sylvin Technologies Inc., a custom vinyl compound manufacturer has received approval from Canadian Standards Association International for its line of 105°C lead free, RoHS compliant vinyl compounds designed for Flexible Cords and Cables. The CSA approval is a first for the company and strengthens a strategic goal of placing more focus on wire and cable products. Sylvin’s newly approved 105°C vinyl insulation and jacketing compounds received recognition under CSA Class 7999-01 Polymeric Raw Materials for Wire and Cable Compounds. Four compounds were approved by CSA—Sylvin 5170-85 and 5175-92 for wire insulation and 6168-80 and 6185-80 for wire jacketing. Each of the four compounds received approval for 105°C SJTOOW with -40°C low temperature approvals. You can find out more about Sylvin Technologies, Inc. with this link. See Extended Story.. August 15th, 2007  - Product Releases Houston Texas - ExxonMobil Chemical introduces Vistalon(TM) EPM 722 ExxonMobil Chemical Company has introduced Vistalon(TM) EPM(a) rubber 722 which can cost effectively improve processability and cable flexibility in medium- and low-voltage wire and cable applications. In comparison with conventional EPDM, the metallocene-based product can provide processing improvements while exhibiting similar performance. Compared with cross-linked polyethylene (PE), it offers improved performance and excellent flexibility at low temperatures. And, it has improved electrical properties compared with metallocene EPDMs."We have developed Vistalon EPM 722 for customers looking for improved productivity during cable manufacture and increased flexibility and durability in final cable construction. Exhibiting good electrical properties, it is highly successful in several commercial applications. Vistalon EPM 722 is just one of many examples of the exceptional opportunities and value that ExxonMobil's metallocene technology brings to our customers and we have more in development," said Ulf Nilsson, global EPDM product manager, ExxonMobil Chemical. July 27th, 2007  - Product Releases Atlanta Georgia - Superior Essex gains RDUP approval on full portfolio of fiber optic drop cables. Superior Essex Inc., announced Tuesday that its latest Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) drop cable product line was accepted for listing by the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Program (RDUP). With the addition of these cables, Superior Essex's full portfolio of fiber optic drop cables is part of the "List of Materials Acceptable for Use on Systems of USDA Rural Development Telecommunications Borrowers." RDUP (formerly RUS) is a government agency that provides grants and low interest loans to qualifying rural communities and companies for funding the costs of listed products and other construction expenses. The newly listed cable products include the Company's Series 57 FTTP cables, which are designed to meet recently developed RDUP performance specifications for fiber optic drop cables. This FTTP cable series provides both a small diameter and an Optical Fiber Nonconductive Riser (OFNR) flame/safety rating from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and this combination allows for high versatility for installations. The OFNR flame/safety rating allows this cable to be installed outdoors as well as inside most commercial buildings and within typical residential buildings in the U.S."Most people will quickly recognize the advantages of being able to use one cable for both indoor and outdoor applications," said John Armistead, director of OSP fiber cable product management for Superior Essex. "What is often overlooked, however, is the value that an OFNR safety rating provides for outdoor applications. Cables that lack an OFNR rating typically contain materials that are considered flammable, which can advance the spread of a fire to the home." July 25th, 2007  - Product Releases Corning New York - Corning announces breakthrough optical fiber technology. Corning Incorporated today announced the development of a new optical fiber-based technology that solves an historic technical challenge for telecommunications carriers installing fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks. Corning’s breakthrough is based on a nanoStructures™ optical fiber design that allows the cabled fiber to be bent around very tight corners with virtually no signal loss. These improved attributes will enable telecommunications carriers to economically offer true high-speed Internet, voice and HDTV services to virtually all commercial and residential (apartment and condominium) buildings. Current optical fiber installations lose signal strength and effectiveness when bent around corners and routed through a building, making it difficult and expensive to run fiber all the way to customers' homes. See Extended Story.. July 12th, 2007  - Product Releases Mount Kisco, NY, U.S.A. - In-line wall thickness measurement and control straight and pre-spiraled power cable sectors Zumbach offer different Jacketmaster system solutions for the wall thickness measurement of sector cables, round singles and jackets, using USYS 8100 processors and ODAC® laser diameter measuring heads. In order to selectively measure the height and width of the sector, the ODAC® heads have to move dynamically back and forth, by mounting them on the pivoting support DVW 1 oscillating unit. Depending on type and orientation of the sector, i.e. straight or pre-spiraled, fixed or undefined position, it is possible to select the most suitable system. The processor controls the movement of the measuring head, acquires dynamically the measured data and calculates the wall thickness. Automatic wall thickness control, statistics and processor interfaces are also included in the standard equipment. See Extended Story.. July 11th, 2007  - Product Releases Shanghai China - Electrical cable features fluoroplastic insulator Shanghai Pengshen Electric Wire & Cable Co. Ltd is offering the AFF electrical cable model insulated with fluoroplastic, which is resistant to high temperatures. The product comes in single-core and stranded versions. It can have a pure nickel, or silver- or nickel-plated copper conductor. The model is suitable for applications with a maximum voltage rating of 600V. Its operating temperature ranges from -60 to 200 C. The cable is available in white, black, gray, blue, yellow, green and orange. Shanghai Pengshen has received ISO 9001:2000 certification. The company exports mainly to Southeast Asia. July 9th, 2007  - Product Releases Mumbai India - Sterlite introduces BEND BEND-LITE™ (E) Optical Fiber for FTTx applications Sterlite BEND BEND-LITE™ (E) Single Mode Optical Fiber is specially designed for market requirements of FTTx (Fiber-tothe-Home/Premise) networks and applications. This Optical Fiber is an ideal choice for Triple Triple-Play (voice, video and data) service networks an and access network d installations that require very small bending radius. Sterlite BEND LITE™ (E) Fiber supports these installations for cable mounting inside & outside premises. The fiber’s enhanced bend radius capabilities enable tighter routing, higher fiber density for component design and deployment of fiber in central offices, subscriber equipment, back-plane solutions, and premise wiring. Sterlite BEND-LITE™(E) complies with or exceeds the ITU Recommendation G.657B 657B. The fiber is designed for high resistance to additional losses due to macro bending at 1310, 1550 and 1625nm wavelength windows. June 25th, 2007  - Product Releases Waukegan Illinois - Coleman Cable announces expansion of its battery cable products Coleman Cable Inc. (CCI) Road Power™ brand recently announced the expansion of its battery cable products to include a line of Cable Savers for car, truck, and marine applications. These unique cables eliminate the need to stock the same model cable in many different lengths. When using a Battery Cable Saver, only the worn terminal-end of the old battery cable is replaced. Simply detach the defective cable from the battery and cut the cable near the corroded terminal. Strip the old cable and attach it to the Cable Saver. Finally, the Cable Saver’s lead-free terminal is connected to the battery. Road Power Battery Cable Savers feature three models: Top Post, Dual Lead, and Side Post. They are constructed with tin-plated brass terminals that supply maximum corrosion protection. The rugged jacket is manufactured from high temperature PVC designed to resist water, oil, and chemicals. Coleman Cable, Inc. (CCI) is a leading manufacturer and innovator of electrical and electronic wire and cable products for the security, sound, telecommunications, electrical, commercial, industrial, and automotive industries. June 25th, 2007  - Product Releases Kolchugino Russia - JSC "Electrocable Works, Kolchugino" Launches new product range JSC "Electrocable Works, Kolchugino" launched the production of cord & polystyrene insulated lead sheathed balanced high frequency telecom cables of MSBpShp, MKSBShp and MKSGShp types to TU 16.K11-59-95. These cables are intended for cable runs, area communication lines and links used within the frequency range of up to 552 KHz or within the frequency range of up to 8448 KHz when secondary communication systems operating at remote supply alternate voltages of up to 690 V or direct voltages of up to 1000 V are used. See Extended Story.. June 18th, 2007  - Product Releases Houston, Texas USA - Improved Jacketing Materials for Medium Voltage and High Voltage Cables Dow Wire & Cable introduces a new black high density jacketing material for power and telecommunication cables which prevents mechanical damage and limits moisture ingress into the cable. DGDR-6800 BK is designed to deliver excellent processability due to its broad molecular weight distribution and meets IEC 60502-1 and DIN VDI 0276-620 type DMP9 specifications. The tailored comonomer distribution also ensures excellent environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) performance and this material is able to meet the most stringent requirements, regardless of the actual ESCR protocol used. See Extended Story.. June 6th, 2007  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - New antibacterial wire coating by Kobe Steel for use in commercial fish farms The Fuji Trout Hatchery at the Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Fishery and Kobe Steel, Ltd. have commercially applied an antibacterial coating that improves the sanitation of fish hatchery equipment to control parasitic water mold. Using the antibacterial coating called KENIFINE, developed by Kobe Steel, it is now possible to reduce the amount of expensive veterinary medical products used so far to maintain the sanitation of hatchery equipment at fisheries and control parasitic water mold. KENIFINE offers a relatively inexpensive alternative. For many years, a fungal removal agent called malachite green was commonly used to control parasitic water mold on fish eggs. However, a revision in Japan's Pharmaceutical Affairs Law banned the use of this substance in August 2005. Kobe Steel Group company Shinko Wire Company, Ltd. and its subsidiary Shinko Wire Stainless Co., Ltd. are producing stainless steel wire plated with KENIFINE for use in hatching nets. Until now, nets have been plated after being woven. However, film formation at the points where the steel wires cross is difficult and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. Plating the wire first before making the nets solves this problem. Kobe Steel aims to introduce the KENIFINE coating throughout Japan in a wide range of fields to contribute to fish farms and food safety. It also aims to conduct studies in applying the coating to salt-water applications. See Extended Story.. May 18th, 2007  - Product Releases Ebikon, Switzerland - Synthetic ropes threat to suppliers of steel wire ropes for elevators The Swiss lift-maker Schindler, has gone further than its US rival Otis, by developing an elevator system which dispenses entirely with steel lifting wires, relying instead on ropes made of synthetic materials. Schindler`s announcement of an aramid-based lifting system marks an even more radical change to lift technology than the steel-cored belts launched by Otis earlier this year. Like Otis, Schindler claims that its rope will revolutionize lift technology, allowing the use of smaller, more efficient drives which are easier to install and use less energy. It adds that the matching permanent magnet drive, jointly developed with Etek, is the world`s smallest gearless elevator motor. It says that that the lubrication-free drive is 75% smaller than previous systems and has cut weight and power consumption by a third. The synthetic ropes contain around 300,000 aramid filaments, said to provide the same strength as a steel rope but in a much lighter and more flexible format with a longer life. The ropes, protected by around 20 patents, contain electrically conducting carbon fibres which monitor constantly for any wear or stretching. Schindler says the slightest damage is reported to the control system. May 17th, 2007  - Product Releases Ft. Loramie, Ohio - Select-Arc Develops New Ferritic Stainless Steel Electrodes Select-Arc, Inc has developed two stainless steel, composite metal cored electrodes designed for welding weld ferritic stainless steels that contain 18 percent chromium. The company said its Select 439C-Ti and Select 18CrCb-C electrodes are good options for fabricating fabricate automotive exhaust systems. Select-Arc said the Select 439C-Ti electrode welds with a minimum of spatter and no burn through on thin material. It provides a stable arc transfer, even at relatively low current settings.The electrode's titanium stabilization provides resistance to sensitization, reducing the chances of stress corrosion cracking when welding over lubricants, oils and other hydrocarbons. The company said the Select 439C-Ti electrode offers productivity-enhancing advantages over solid wires when welding on areas of poor fit up, on thin materials and on welds where gaps must be bridged. The Select 18CrCb-C electrodes are designed for improved corrosion and oxidation resistance at higher temperatures, and are stabilized with columbium (niobium) to prevent carbide precipitation and subsequent sensitization cracking in the microstructure. The electrodes feature benefits similar to Select 439C-Ti when compared with solid wire. May 14th, 2007  - Product Releases London U.K . - Furukawa introduces the world's first hand held core aligning fusion splicer. Furukawa Electric Europe Limited today announced the launch of the industry's first hand-held core aligning fusion splicer for FTTx, LAN and long haul telecommunications installations. Developed by the Furukawa Electric Company, the Fitel S177 is the most compact and lightweight core aligning fusion splicer available today. At half the size of a regular core aligner, the new S177 nevertheless incorporates all the automated functionality of previous models. With a super fast splice time and an improved heating system, the total cycle time is reduced to under 1 minute. The S177 also comes with a built-in battery that will re-charge as long as the splicer is connected to the mains. Another industry first! It can also be supplied with an external battery which will give an autonomy of more than 350 splice/heat cycles. The unit also boasts a magnification of 608x which is easily the highest in the industry. All the splice data and more is displayed on the new Graphic User Interface or GUI. Also recently introduced is the company's S325 Single Action Precision Fiber Cleaver. May 8th, 2007  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - Shinko wire introduces new stronger more flexible steel rope. Shinko Wire Co. a leading processor of steel products, has developed a kind of wire rope that is 60 per cent stronger than conventional products yet remains flexible.The product is made by stretching thick lengths of steel until they are around 1mm in diameter, then bundling together about 100-200 of the wires. The wire rope is used for construction cranes and elevators, among other applications.The new product can be processed thinner and yet retain the same strength as conventional products. This allows wire-coiling devices to be built smaller and safer. Shinko Wire makes the rope using high-content carbon steel wire manufactured by its parent company, Kobe Steel Ltd. Steel with a higher carbon content is stronger, and the wire that the firm uses has a carbon content of 1.0 per cent to 1.2 per cent, compared to the usual 0.6 per cent to 0.8 per cent. Steel typically loses flexibility when it has a higher carbon content, but Shinko Wire repeatedly bends the wire to make it more supple. May 3rd, 2007  - Product Releases Manchester New Hampshire - Hitachi Cable Manchester introduces NanoCore™ Gel-Free loose tube fiber optic cables Hitachi Cable Manchester is pleased to introduce its NanoCore™ line of fiber optic cables. The line includes three new constructions of plenum-rated gel-free loose tube fiber optic cables. The three constructions include a 12 to 24 fiber optic strand zip cord, a single jacket construction that can accommodate from 2 to 12 strands and a more robust dual-jacket construction capable of accommodating up to 72 strands. Where more than twelve strands are present, they are separated by a colored binder into 12-strand bundles. See Extended Story.. May 1st, 2007  - Product Releases New Holland Pennsylvania - New Adventum Indoor/Outdoor tight buffer fiber optic cable from Berk-Tek Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company, one of the leading copper and fiber optic cabling manufacturers, announced indoor/outdoor fiber optic drop cable, specifically for security and FTTx, including MDU/MTU, applications. The Adventum ATx -- ATR (Riser Rated) or ATP (Plenum Rated) cables -- are available in one or two tight-buffered fibers in a technology, the industry~{!/~}s firstloose tube cable design, incorporating DryGel all-dry water-blocking system. Significant cost reductions over traditional indoor/outdoor installation methods are realized as this cable performs well in wide temperature and environmental conditions -- as an outside plant or indoors through risers or plenum areas. No transition points are required. April 26th, 2007  - Product Releases Midland, Michigan - Dow introduces new lower-yellow-index TPU elastomers The Dow Chemical Company has introduced a family of lower-yellow-index Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) elastomers, to be commercialized under the PELLETHANE™ brand, by year-end 2007. These new experimental products offer “best-in- class” color performance, and deliver significant aesthetic, weatherability and processing benefits. "This new family of elastomers was specifically developed to address market demand for TPU products with a lower yellow index," says Mike Szabo, Dow’s product director for PELLETHANE™ & ISOPLAST™ thermoplastic polyurethanes. "The new Low-YI products will deliver significant color-related advantages across a wide range of applications." Dow will offer both ether and ester grades at various hardness levels. A combination of clarity, abrasion resistance, tensile strength and chemical resistance – along with excellent processability – has made Dow’s PELLETHANE TPU elastomers, the material of choice for a wide range of demanding applications, including automotive, consumer molded goods, packaging, footwear, and wire and cable. April 20th, 2007  - Product Releases St. Louis, Missouri - Fiber optic cables weather outdoor environs Belden has launched its redesigned Brilliance Tactical Fiber Optic Cables. These cables have been redesigned to provide for maximum performance in rigorous outdoor applications. The Brilliance Tactical Fiber Optic cables are available in five standard product codes, with up to 12 fibers and a variety of special options to meet an array of application requirements. These options include fiber count and type, jacket color and material. The cables are fully compatible with all optical fiber connector options. April 16th, 2007  - Product Releases Atlanta Georgia - Alcan launches unique aluminum FeederPlex(TM) cable for commercial and industrial markets Alcan Cable, a division of Alcan Inc.'s Engineered Products group, introduced today its new STABILOY(R) FeederPlex(TM) cable, an innovative solution for phase conductor identification in commercial and industrial applications. Consisting of a plexed assembly of STABILOY Type XHHW-2 conductors with color coded phase conductors, FeederPlex provides total installed cost savings for pipe and wire installations while providing clear phase identification. "As the only plexed aluminum conductor assembly offered in the marketplace today, FeederPlex cable offers a unique solution to phase identification requirements," said Ian Hewett, President, Alcan Cable. "The introduction of FeederPlex cable demonstrates Alcan Cable's continuous commitment to deliver quality products and innovative solutions to our customers," he added. The light weight and flexibility of STABILOY aluminum conductors facilitates the pulling of the conductor assemblies into a raceway during installation. FeederPlex cable eliminates the need to assemble and parallel multiple conductors and minimizes the number of reels and product SKUs required for stocking each color and wire size combination at the job site. In addition, the use of FeederPlex improves cable performance by providing lower voltage drop than the assembly of paralleled conductors. STABILOY FeederPlex cables are UL listed, approved for use in accordance with the recommendations of the National Electrical Code in the U.S.A., and are available in three and four conductor assemblies in a wide range of sizes. April 14th, 2007  - Product Releases Osceola, Wisconsin - Northwire introduces DataCELL Field cables Northwire, Inc., a leading manufacturer of rugged cables for tough plant environments using networked discrete automation and control, has introduced DataCELL FIELD Profibus DP cables. DataCELL FIELD Profibus DP cables are constructed to comply with Profibus specification EN50170-2-2:1996. The new product line includes several exclusive versions: ITC/PLTC-ER cable for factory floor installations, AWM cable for machine builders and OEM applications, and marine/shipboard cable. ITC/PLTC-ER cable is exposed-run rated, eliminating the need for conduit when installed in accordance with recent NEC amendments. This cable is UL listed and rated for CSA CMX-Outdoor-CMG and FT4. AWM cable is ideal for machine-tool applications, packaging machinery, conveyor systems, robotics and other machinery where a rugged UL-approved, RoHS-compliant cable is required. This cable has an extremely rugged PUR outer jacket and has superior resistance to oils, chemicals, cuts and abrasions. Marine/shipboard cable is arctic rated for use to –60 degrees Celsius. It has a tough TPE outer jacket and is UL listed 1309 marine/shipboard. This cable also is available in an armored version. The cable jacket is resistant to oil, sunlight, ozone and water, and is offered in industry standard violet jacket or other colors. April 11th, 2007  - Product Releases Barcelona Spain - General Cable launches a new generation environmentally friendly cables General Cable, one of the world~{!/~}s leading cable producers, is launching a new series of aluminium conductor cables, designed for underground distribution installations with a voltage of up to 1 kV. The HARMOHNY range will enable the characteristics of this type of cable to be aligned to the requirements of the revised UNE-EN 211.603 5N1 standard. The HARMOHNY series was officially presented during a meeting organised in Madrid by FACEL with the Board of Directors of ADEMI and attended by the technical directors from Spain~{!/~}s major distribution companies. The main novelty in the new HARMOHNY cables is the outer jacket which brings significant benefits compared with traditional Al RVs types. The jacket is composed of a halogen-free PE blend with no toxic or corrosive gas emission, which means total respect for the environment, in line with General Cable~{!/~}s company principles. The jacket on this new series of cables also represents a substantial improvement due to its higher mechanical abrasion and tear resistance, along with enhanced protection against water penetration from being bonded to the insulation. April 5th, 2007  - Product Releases Ludwigshafen Germany - BASF & Voistalpine develop new passivation compound for steel BASF AG announced that in association with Austria's Voestalpine Stahl GmbH, it has successfully developed a steel passivation compound for use in conversion coatings on galvanized steel. BASF AG said the compound, which is chromium and fluoride free has been launched following successful tests and improves corrosion resistance of unpainted metal surfaces. The new Lugalvan passivating compound is completely organic and as per reports, BASF’s Lugalvan® passivating compound has performed successfully in trials in Voestalpine’s production facilities and in other European and American steelworks. It is reported to have fulfilled the requirements of Voestalpine and its customers for corrosion protection, visual appearance, paint adhesion, workability, welding and surface resistivity. The Lugalvan passivation compound does not have to be removed in subsequent processes, and it acts as an adhesion promoter. Coatings based on the Lugalvan passivating compound can be applied with the same machinery as conventional anti corrosion coatings. See Extended Story.. April 4th, 2007  - Product Releases Troy Michigan - Delphi's halogen-free cable debuts on 2007 Toyota Tundra Enabled by GE Plastics Flexible Noryl(TM) Resin, Delphi's New Cable Is Smaller, Lighter, Recyclable and, According to Both Companies, One of the Most Significant Innovations in Automotive Cable in Many Years Delphi Corporation's new ultra-thin wall cable, touted for its halogen-free requirements, superior performance, durability, smaller size and recyclability, makes its worldwide debut on the 2007 Toyota Tundra, delivered to dealer showrooms in February. Delphi's thin wall and ultra-thin wall cable not only meets halogen-free requirements and has the potential to be recyclable, but the superior physical properties of the insulation allow for size and weight benefits without compromising durability. This new cable also marks the first application of GE Plastics' Flexible Noryl resins in the automotive industry and, according to both Delphi and GE, is one of the most significant automotive wire insulation breakthroughs in many years. It delivers superior performance and durability in a smaller and lighter package. Further, the material composite offers potential for the cable to be recycled at end-of-life. See Extended Story.. April 4th, 2007  - Product Releases - Southwire introduces NoLube(TM) SIMpull THHN(R) Building Wire " Electrical contractors will no longer have to lubricate feeder-sized THHN to pull it through conduit with the introduction of a revolutionary new No Lube SIMpull THHN building wire by Southwire. SIMpull THHN incorporates a breakthrough, patent-pending technology to reduce friction and with it the mess, labor and cost associated with lubrication. In addition, No Lube SIMpull THHN's unique design results in a cleaner appearance, easier to read print and reduced susceptibility to nylon tearing. In 2004, Southwire introduced Romex(TM) SIMpull(TM), a non-metallic cable for residential construction that pulls easier and faster. As a result, Romex SIMpull is now the preferred wire for residential construction. SIMpull THHN uses similar technology to transform the installation process for commercial, industrial and institutional applications. See Extended Story.. April 4th, 2007  - Product Releases Troy Ohio - New generation of T-8 Wire from Hobart Brothers speeds productivity on demanding applications "Hobart Brothers introduced Tuesday a new generation of T-8 welding wire specifically designed to improve productivity on challenging structural steel erection, heavy equipment repair and ship and barge construction applications. The Hobart® Fabshield® XLR-8 is a self-shielded flux-cored welding wire featuring the most reliable out-of-position welding capabilities, at both high and low heat inputs, of any wire in its class. It is especially well suited for vertical-up welds at high current levels. The new welding wire features lower diffusible hydrogen levels than competitive T-8 wires and meets the new D-Designation under AWS A5.20:2005, making it useable for AWS D1.8 Demand Critical Welds. April 2nd, 2007  - Product Releases Kobe Japan - Kobe Steel achieves world's strongest aluminum alloy Kobe Steel, Ltd. announces that it has created the world's strongest aluminum alloy, with a tensile strength of 780 MPa, using a spray forming process that it has developed. Kobe Steel is seeking applications that can make use of the new alloy's light weight, high strength and excellent processing features. Kobe Steel is currently making sample bars of 10 mm in diameter and 100 mm in length. It is also working to establish the technology to mass-produce bars, wire rods, shapes and plates made of the alloy. See Extended Story.. March 29th, 2007  - Product Releases Mount Kisco, NY, U.S.A. - Zumbach presents UMAC® Wall Thickness Measurement with Ultrasonic Measurement Zumbach Presents UMAC® which represents a complete line of non-contact ultrasonics based systems for wall thickness measurement and control of pipe, hose, tubing, and cables. The heart of each system consists of a highly developed UMAC® measuring system, interrogating up to 16 sensors at high speed. WALLMASTER systems process data from several ODAC® measuring heads and a UMAC® Wall Thickness and Eccentricity System located immediately after the extruder. Automatic closed-loop control of wall thickness and/or diameter is easily possible. Measuring Solutions Made Possible with UMAC® Insulation and jackets on cables Coatings over metal cores Continuous control of cable, thanks to measurement directly at the extrusion die head Jackets on CAT 5, 6...8 data cable Loose tube and thin jackets Plastic on plastic Pipe and hose, - single or multiple layer, plastic and rubber You can find out more about Zumbach Electronic AG with this link. March 26th, 2007  - Product Releases Bristol, CT - New Business Partners Enhance TAK Capabilities The past year and a half have proven to be very interesting and productive for us in many respects. Particularly in the area of new products, both in TAK manufactured items and those produced by our business partners. In this issue of TAKTICS, you will be introduced to some of our new business partners and products that have resulted from our efforts in developing a strategy to introduce products that meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. We have several other potential business partnerships that are soon to come on-line, and we will be introducing them as they do. See Extended Story.. March 21st, 2007  - Product Releases Corning New York - Corning introduces new ultra-low-loss, single-mode optical fiber for long-haul and regional networks Corning Incorporated unveiled yesterday a new single-mode optical fiber with Corning® ultra-low-loss technology. This fiber has world-class specifications for low attenuation and low polarization mode dispersion (PMD), enabling greater system reach and longer span lengths in long-haul and regional terrestrial networks. This fiber, fully compatible with the installed base of single-mode fibers, has the lowest loss of any terrestrial-grade fiber with maximum attenuation available between 0.17 and 0.18 dB/km at 1550 nm. Additionally, the fiber has the lowest PMD of any ITU-T G.652 compliant optical fiber featuring a ≤ 0.04 ps/√km PMDQ link design specification. Combined, these features provide spare network margin that can be leveraged to extend network span lengths, skip amplification sites, upgrade to faster bit rates, add network components for improved flexibility or lengthen the distance between regenerators. See Extended Story.. March 15th, 2007  - Product Releases Lake Oswego, Oregon - New high-performance cable integrates fiber and copper in one jacket New MIL hybrid cables which combine fibre and copper cable into one cable assembly, typically for military and broadcast applications, have been announced by Timbercon. "Our new MIL hybrid cable product line saves our customers time and money," said Jayson Lizardo, defence and aerospace channel manager, Timbercon. "Rather than installing separate fibre and copper cables, the hybrid cable provides an easy and effective way to install both with only one point of entry." The MIL hybrid cables are seen as ideal for military applications requiring low-voltage copper cable and fiber cable to be used within the same space or for equipment requiring different cable types. The copper wire can carry power while the fiber can transmit data without the risk of electromagnetic interference, or EMI. Additionally, hybrid cables cut down on cable weight and physical space requirements by using a single jacket, enabling a faster and more cost-effective install versus traditional cabling systems. The hybrid cables are highly customizable with regards to length, channel counts and ruggedization. They are offered in D38999, M28876 as well as a variety of other ruggedized / harsh environment connector designs depending on individual applications, says the company. March 14th, 2007  - Product Releases Pawtucket Rhode Island - RoHS-Compliant TPEs Provide Wide Temperature Range for Wire & Cable The entire range of Elexar (R) thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds for wire and cable is currently available in RoHS-compliant formulations for end uses requiring rubber-like flexibility, toughness over a wide range of temperatures, and flexibility even under very cold outdoor conditions, it was announced today by the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division of Teknor Apex. The company will highlight the RoHS-compliant Elexar compounds at Interwire 2007 (Booth 3409). Visit the web site: www.teknorapex.com. See Extended Story.. March 9th, 2007  - Product Releases Chessington, Surrey U.K. - Fujikura aids FTTH roll out with new bend resistant fiber Fujikura Europe Ltd, today announced that it has brought fiber to the home (FTTH) one stage closer with the launch of a new bend-resistant fiber. The product - FutureGuide SR7.5 - has a minimum bend radius of just 7.5mm, making it one of the most flexible fibres in the world. Available in a MageTsuyo SR7.5 patch cord, the fiber is flexible and highly durable: when twisted or bent the fiber returns to its original condition without any deformation or marking on the sheath. With the ability to be manipulated in the same way as electrical or telephone cable, the fiber can be used to deliver high bandwidth communications directly into the home or office environment. The qualities of this fiber have also allowed Fujikura to develop a number of new, smaller, more space-efficient closures, including connector plugs and sockets. March 8th, 2007  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - Mitsubishi embeds plastic optical links into household electrical wiring A new and potentially cheap way to implement optical home networks uses plastic fiber within mains cable allowing buildings to be wired for power and data at the same time. The system could prove popular with developers wishing to future-proof new or renovated buildings, if and when it conforms to wiring regulations. The idea of combining fiber and mains cables was mooted last year in Test Bed but it turns out that Mitsubishi was already working on it. The system uses plastic optical fiber (POF), which is already widely used for data links in cars and is said to be easier to install than glass Mitsubishi claims a connector can be put on in 40 seconds. It lacks the virtually unlimited bandwidth of glass fiber (Mitsubishi rates it at up to 800Mbits/sec) but unlike electrical cables it is immune to interference and creates none. The system was shown at the IPTV Forum in London by Austrian specialist Homefibre, which supplies modular optical networking kits including combined mains and network sockeys.. February 28th, 2007  - Product Releases Carrollton Georgia - Low voltage FlatWire concept introduced by Southwire A new wiring technology is being introduced by the FlatWire Technologies Division of Southwire, a North American manufacturer of electrical wire and cable. The new FlatWire Ready low voltage wall lighting system is UL-listed and includes a wide range of decorator-style sconces and complete Add-A-Light installation kits. FlatWire Ready technology allows these low voltage lighting fixtures to be mounted anywhere on walls or ceilings and connected to an existing electrical outlet without drilling holes, pulling electrical wires or using extension cords. Unlike conventional "round" wire, FlatWire is easily installed and can create a virtually invisible wiring system. Installation is completely safe for professionals and do-it-yourselfers. January 31st, 2007  - Product Releases Pawtucket, RI, U.S.A. - Teknor Apex Offers New Enhanced Perfromance RoRS-Compliant Vinyl Compounds for Riser and Plenum Communication Cables Teknor Apex Company has developed new RoHS-compliant compounds for riser and plenum applications that exhibit improved end-use performance in comparison with conventional materials, according to the company’s Vinyl Division, which will introduce the products at Interwire 2007 (Booth 3409). Most of the compounds are for jacket applications, but one series is the company’s first RoHS-compliant plenum-rated formulation for both insulation and jacketing of cable with up to 200 pairs. The products include Apex (R) vinyl riser compounds and vinyl-based Fireguard (R) low-flame, low-smoke plenum compounds. “Our new Fireguard products are high-performance compounds that have exhibited results in UL flame and smoke tests that are superior to those of conventional materials,” said Mike Patel, industry manager. “The Apex vinyl compounds have been formulated for special application requirements that are not met by general-purpose products.” See Extended Story.. January 26th, 2007  - Product Releases Baton Rouge Louisiana - Albemarle Corp. introduces higher purity Flame Retardant. Albemarle Corporation, the world leader in flame retardant solutions for polymers, has developed and is commercializing SAYTEX 102HP flame retardant, a new, high- assay form of decabromodiphenyl ether, or DecaBDE. Patent applications covering both the high-assay product and the processes for its manufacture are currently pending. This new product is designed to help Albemarle customers and their downstream users meet the strictest interpretation of the European Union (EU) Restriction on the Use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive and related EU Commission Decisions regarding the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs. As part of its continued commitment to support the sustainable use of its products, Albemarle will work with its customers to maximize the efficient use of SAYTEX 102HP flame retardant while minimizing overall emissions to the environment. December 15th, 2006  - Product Releases Chicago Illinois - Cambridge Inc. introduces new Duralite belts Cambridge Incorporated, a division of Cambridge International, the world’s largest manufacturer of metal conveyor belting and wire cloth products, introduces DuraLite belting. The new product was featured at the PROCESS EXPO 2006 Show in Chicago, Illinois. The industry’s newest innovation in belting, DuraLite’s ingenious design makes it ideally suited for all spiral cage applications. One style of belt works for all cage systems, with turn ratios ranging from 1.0 to 2.8 – the widest array possible for any one belt construction. The heavy-duty, wear-resistant stainless steel (WRSS) belt design features a unique 3” x 1-1/3” interior opening which has the highest strength-to-belt weight ratio of any belt on the market, making it two times stronger than rod-only belt designs. DuraLite belting is also 35% stronger than conventional 1” x 1” cage belts, while at the same time being up to 40% lower weight. The resulting benefits: Greater load-carrying capacity, smoother and enhanced operating performance, and dramatically fewer breaks or mishaps, thus reducing plant downtime and service costs ... plus longer service life for maximum return on investment. The stronger-yet-lighter-weight construction also saves on energy costs, while exerting less wear on the belt and spiral cage components. December 8th, 2006  - Product Releases Houston Texas - Houston Wire & Cable Co. introduces LifeGuard a low-smoke, zero-halogen cable. In the event of a fire, Houston Wire & Cable Company's innovative LifeGuard(tm) line of low-smoke, zero-halogen cable produces just trace amounts of smoke and acid gas -- two leading contributors to compromised safety and expensive equipment failures. LifeGuard(tm) provides significant flame resistance, minimal smoke production and substantially reduced toxicity and corrosiveness when burned as compared to traditional wire and cable. In addition, unlike some cables, LifeGuard(tm) components are classified as non-hazardous materials, resulting in a safer user environment and eliminating the need for expensive future hazardous waste disposal. Traditional wire and cable constructions contain significant amounts of halogenated materials such as PVC, CPE, FEP, Neoprene(r) and Hypalon(r). When products containing halogens are burned, very dangerous gasses are produced. These gasses form highly toxic and corrosive acids when combined with water. Acid rain and fumes can quickly destroy expensive computers and industrial equipment. LifeGuard(tm) cables are ideal for use in environments where high-performance, reliability and safety are required. HWCC's LifeGuard(tm) cable represents progressive innovation in cable design and technology. It provides significant advantages over traditional constructions of cable and adds a new dimension of functionality, value and safety that was previously unavailable. December 5th, 2006  - Product Releases Milan Italy - Prismian introduces new fiber to the home product range at ITU Hong Kong Prysmian Cables & Systems, formerly Pirelli cables business, is launching several new products from their FTTH range at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Exhibition and Conference in Hong Kong. The event is the largest telecoms show this year in Asia Pacific, a region of tremendous growth in the telecoms market driven largely by the rapid uptake of high speed broadband services and with production sites in China, Indonesia and Australia producing both optical and copper cable technologies Prysmian is at the heart of this dynamic marketplace. Prysmian is presenting a full range of passive telecom products with the emphasis firmly on the 'last mile' sector of the market. A fully interactive stand will be used to demonstrate a variety of alternative solutions aimed at bringing fibre closer to the end user and will include the latest blowing techniques for cable and fiber residential micro trenching of cable, new connectivity hardware and the latest member of Prysmian's portfolio QUICKDRAW®. This patented, pre-connectorized system, fully compatible with most standard connectors has been designed to be installed in the smallest, often crowded ducts typically found in the final meters leading up to, and even inside, the customers' premises. "Hong Kong is an ideal location to present these new FTTH products" commented Giovanni Battista Scotti, director of Prysmian's global telecom cable and fibre optic business "It is typical of many major locations in the region combining a high population density with a growing demand for better and faster communication services and at Prysmian we are convinced that the solution lies with taking fibre closer to the final user and ultimately to the home." December 1st, 2006  - Product Releases Marlborough Massachusetts - AXIS Releases version 5 for Wire and Cable Companies AXIS Computer Systems (AXIS), a business unit of Made2Manage Systems and the leading provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for the metals, wire and cable industries, today announced that release 5 of the AXIOM(R) Enterprise Management System (AXIOM 5) will be generally available in mid-December. The new release contains well over 100 new features developed to directly address current issues affecting the industry, including increasing customer price and delivery pressures, rising raw material and freight costs, and the expanding use of electronic commerce throughout the supply chain. Several new capabilities within AXIOM 5 are the result of insights gained through AXIS' involvement with industry organizations, such as the Metal Service Center Institute (MSCI), the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST), and Wire Association International (WAI). Other features are the direct result of AXIS' customer-driven enhancement process. The AXIS customer community includes leading metals producers, processors, service centers, and wire and cable manufacturers. "AXIS has done a good job of understanding where the metals industry is going and working with their customer base to develop the enhancements in AXIOM 5," stated Donna Walters, director of information services at Sharon Tube, one of the earliest users of AXIOM 5. December 1st, 2006  - Product Releases Troy Ohio - New welding wire from Hobart Brothers Hobart Brothers offers its Tri-Mark TM-770 gas-shielded flux-cored wire for use on high volume carbon steel applications that require high impact properties. TM-770 is suitable for use on shipbuilding, offshore structural and general fabrication applications. TM-770 wire combines superior welding performance with excellent mechanical properties and low diffusible hydrogen levels. Rated at a tensile strength of 83,000 psi and 79 foot-pounds at sub-zero temperatures down to -40ºF, TM-770 wire meets the needs of most general fabrication applications where high impact values are required. The TM-770 wire's smooth, stable and soft arc creates virtually spatter-free welds to minimize post-weld cleanup time and help increase productivity. Engineered for single- and multiple-pass welding in all positions, TM-770 produces a flat weld bead profile, even in the vertical-up position, and is designed for use with mixed shielding gases. Hobart Brothers offers TM-770 wire in .035-, .045-, .052- and 1/16" diameters. October 23rd, 2006  - Product Releases Cary, NC - MTS Systems adds sealing option to The Sensors Division of MTS Systems Corp. enhanced its C-Series Core Sensor by adding a three-wire option that provides manufacturers with an additional sealing option in wet environments. Standard C-Series linear position sensors include a connector in the electronics housing to attach a mating-connector equipped cable. In a wet environment, cables can wick water or other liquids down the inside of the cable jacket if a more expensive sealed cable is not used or the other end of the cable jacket is exposed. See Extended Story.. August 22nd, 2006  - Product Releases Tokyo Japan - Shinko wire develops new kind of strong flexible steel rope Shinko Wire Co. a leading processor of steel products, has developed a kind of wire rope that is 60 per cent stronger than conventional products yet remains flexible.The product is made by stretching thick lengths of steel until they are around 1mm in diameter, then bundling together about 100-200 of the wires.The wire rope is used for construction cranes and elevators, among other applications. The new product can be processed thinner and yet retain the same strength as conventional products. This allows wire-coiling devices to be built smaller and safer. Shinko Wire makes the rope using high carbon steel wire manufactured by its parent company, Kobe Steel Ltd.. Steel with a higher carbon content is stronger, and the wire that the firm uses has a carbon content of 1.0 per cent to 1.2 per cent, compared to the usual 0.6 per cent to 0.8 per cent. Steel typically loses flexibility when it has a higher carbon content, but Shinko Wire repeatedly bends the wire to make it more supple. The company plans to begin supplying the new rope as early as October and hopes for sales of 200 million yen a year. July 1st, 2006  - Product Releases Pune India - Finolex Cables to launch 3 new products Finolex Cables is planning to launch three new products in the market during the year 2006-07, once the restructuring of its factory at Urse, off the Pune-Mumbai expressway, is complete, reports Business Standard. After restructuring, the facility will commence production of light duty electric cables for the domestic market. The Rs 200 million exercise, involving modification in the production lines and installation of balancing machinery, is now complete. The firm is entering three new product businesses during the year. These will be modular electrical switches, compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and high voltage power cables. It has invested Rs 700 million for new production lines for the products, of which, Rs 200 million were spent for the switches and CFL line, while Rs 500 million were spent on high voltage power cable lines. The switches, to be branded `Finoswitch` will be of two qualities - one will be targeted at the high-end market, while the other will be for the mass markets. June 22nd, 2006  - Product Releases Brantford Ontario - Nifty device may curb wave of copper wire & cable theft. As copper prices soar so have thefts and newspapers abound with reports how power utilities and cable companies are targets. Identification Technologies LLC an Issaquah, Washington company claims to have tackled this problem head on by creating a security system that allows every inch of copper cable to be identifiable back to the lawful owner. Using the DataDotDNA identification system, thousands of microchips laser etched with a company’s name and telephone number can be sprayed throughout the length of the cable, indicating lawful ownership. With so many identifiers applied with the specially designed durable, weatherproof and non corrosive adhesive, it is virtually impossible for thieves to remove the true owner’s identity – a problem that is evident with current forms of cable stamping. Easily detectable through the ultraviolet trace contained within the adhesive, DataDotDNA provides law enforcement with the tool they need to apprehend and obtain prosecutions of both thieves and receivers of stolen property. As a deterrent, warning signs are posted around the perimeter fencing of each power station outlining that the copper cable has been identified and is traceable by law enforcement. Currently being trialed by a major west coast power company, DataDotDNA provides an economical and viable solution that is now available for all companies who suffer these types of losses. June 8th, 2006  - Product Releases Knoxville Tennessee - Gerdau Ameristeel launches dual coated ZBAR(TM) rebars Gerdau Ameristeel announced today the introduction of a new patent pending dual coating process for concrete reinforcing steel. This process involves applying a thermal bonded zinc inner layer combined with a thermal bonded polymer outer layer to a conventional reinforcing steel bar. The innovative process and product, called ZBAR(TM), provides extra protection against corrosion. Mr Neal McCullohs VP of Downstream Operations for Gerdau Ameristeel said "We are excited to introduce a new product for the construction industry that will help protect and extend the life of concrete structures." May 30th, 2006  - Product Releases Venlo The Netherlands - Belden CDT introduces new cables for process automation applications Belden CDT introduced three new ranges of Process Automation (PA) cables for use in instrumentation, regulation and control technologies in key industries including the oil & gas industry, chemical processing, paper & pulp manufacturers and processors and the metals industry. The new ranges are - 7000x series of Profibus PA cables for process automation - LSNH & LSNH/armoured Devicenet cables - Circuit integrity PLTC cables complying to UL and IEC standards Belden CDT is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-speed electronic cables. The Company was formed through a merger of equals between Belden Inc. and Cable Design Technologies Corporation in July 2004. May 19th, 2006  - Product Releases Vienna Austria - First ever Ultrasonic Machine for ND +PCD Dies with dual workstations EDER Engineering, a leading manufacturers of advanced wire drawing die working machines, have designed the first ever semi-automatic Ultrasonic conception available with two (!) workstations, designated the "USP-TWIN", to solve the growing bottlenecks in drawing die workshops, suffering from lack of human experts, sufficient machinery potential or often from both. To learn more use this link May 6th, 2006  - Product Releases Springfield Massachusetts - GE Plastics Noryl resins for wire listed by Underwriters Laboratory GE Plastics announces that various grades of its flame retardant Flexible Noryl resins for wire coatings and insulation have been listed by Underwriters Laboratories. GE Plastics has announced that various grades of its flame-retardant Flexible Noryl* resin for wire coating and insulation have been listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) under the UL1581 reference standard for electrical wires, cables, and flexible cords, for up to 105 C end-use temperature rating. As a result, proposed wire and cable products incorporating high-performance Flexible Noryl resins only need to undergo short-term aging testing vs. a 150-day long-term aging test, speeding time to market. The new GE materials have already proven themselves in the automotive and consumer electronics industries, and, with this new UL listing, are poised for rapid growth in appliance wiring applications. May 5th, 2006  - Product Releases Houston Texas - New Product from Draka Cableteq wins OTC technology award Draka Marine, Oil & Gas International today announced the new fire resistant Flex-Flame HCF (HydroCarbon Fire) cables for use on offshore drilling rigs and production platforms. These cables are designed specifically to keep a number of critical systems applications operating during a fire and other dangerous situations that can potentially arise in the harsh environment of the offshore industry. These applications include emergency shut down and fire pump systems, communications systems, fire and gas monitoring systems, power supply for motor operated block and depressuring valves, and other critical systems. See Extended Story.. May 4th, 2006  - Product Releases Houston Texas - Nexans presents UFLEX state-of-the-art stress analysis package at OTC.06 Nexans, is using OTC.06 as venue to present the UFLEX software – a state-of-the-art FE (Finite Analysis) package that enables its design engineers to predict accurately the stress and fatigue behavior of complex oil and gas umbilical cross-sections. UFLEX has been validated extensively through full-scale tests, and provides an invaluable tool for ultra-deepwater umbilical engineering. As offshore oil and gas production facilities continue to move into deeper and deeper waters they place an ever increasing demand on the umbilical systems. When steel tube umbilicals are suspended from a floating oil platform down to the seabed 2-3,000 m below, forces inside the cross-section that are insignificant at normal water depths suddenly become critical. Nexans has, in cooperation with Marintek in Trondheim, Norway, developed the UFLEX software specifically to quantify these effects, enabling its engineers to gain a profound understanding of how they influence the lifetime of the umbilical and its performance. Knut Ekeberg, Head of Umbilical Systems Design, of Nexans in Norway, said “UFLEX creates a strategic advantage for both Nexans and our customers by helping to identify and lower technical risk. At the same time it is a valuable tool for optimizing the umbilical design process as well as for the development and evaluation of new cost effective solutions.” April 26th, 2006  - Product Releases Wire 2006 Düsseldorf - Borealis combines unique, high productivity with a longer lifetime for XLPE cables Borealis announced at wire 2006 that the company is adding another grade to its SupercureTM high productivity energy cable compound product portfolio by offering a crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation solution for long-term performance cables. The first of its kind, Supercure LC8205 combines water tree retardant properties with faster crosslinking, ensuring longevity of the cable and quick production runs benefiting both cable makers and power distributors. For more details use this link April 20th, 2006  - Product Releases Southfield Michigan - New Prestolite tuner series wire sets increase power to the plug Prestolite Wire Corporation has introduced its new Tuner Series Wire Sets for the sport compact performance/tuner market. Prestolite’s exclusive design offers lower electrical resistance, allowing Tuner Series sets to provide up to 22% more Millijoules of energy to the spark plug when compared to OEM carbon core or wire wound products. The advanced polymers and manufacturing techniques used on all Tuner Series cable jackets also serve as barriers to water intrusion, allowing the wire sets to hold a charge in a wet environment and yielding more power for better start-ups and smoother idling. Prestolite’s proprietary design lowers RFI electrical emissions, minimizing interference with the sensitive electronics and high performance entertainment systems preferred by tuner enthusiasts. All Tuner Series Wire Sets feature a Kevlar reinforced core, a proprietary-formulated Ferrite layer and a reinforcing member for added strength. Their SAE J2031 Class F silicone jacket is designed to withstand heat, cold, chemicals, moisture and electrical interference. They offer Original Equipment fit and function, with enhanced performance to exceed OE/OES specifications. See Extended Story.. April 20th, 2006  - Product Releases San Jose California - Cableco Technologies introduces its improved power SwivelNut interconnect system for power cable and threaded studs Cableco Technologies, a subsidiary of Methode Electronics, Inc., introduces its improved Power SwivelNut(TM) interconnect system for applications involving rotating threaded nut and wire cable termination. The updated system offers improved concentricity and expanded product size range. The Power SwivelNut is a unique power interconnect that crimps a wire to a captive rotating nut. The patented design allows rotation of the nut as it screws onto a power stud while maintaining continuity and providing a low voltage drop connection. Ideal for any power stud connection, the Power SwivelNut offers a slim, reliable connection for wire to bus bar, printed circuit board, or power conversion input/output. The small diameter profile improves wire management when used in densely populated power stud designs. April 6th, 2006  - Product Releases Mumbai India - Sterlite launches six new cable products Sterlite Optical Technologies, a provider of optical fiber (OF) and telecom cables, today launched six new products. These include DOF Lite (Metro), Bend Lite OF, Hybrid Cable with Power Cable, Micro Duct Lite Cable, Combo Cable, and SuperLAN-Cat 5e drop cable. Dr Anand Agarwal, director and CEO, Sterlite, said, " We are attempting to offer innovative products to suit different needs to encourage the use of optical fibre in the last few miles of connectivity. This is largely in response to the enthusiastic response we have received from builders and real estate buyers at property exhibitions across India." See Extended Story.. March 16th, 2006  - Product Releases Lake Oswego Oregon - Timbercon's introduces new stainless steel ribbon fiber cable line. Timbercon, Inc., a fiber optic product and solution manufacturing company, today introduced the Stainless Steel Ribbon Fiber Cable product line, designed to provide customers with a high-density, multi-fiber cabling solution for harsh environment applications. The Stainless Steel Ribbon Fiber Cable incorporates the functionality of an MT (MTP(R) and MPO) cable with the durability of a ruggedized harsh environment product. Constructed of crush, abrasion, and chemically resistant stainless steel jacketing and MT ribbon fiber connectors, these assemblies are suitable for a multitude of applications from machinery interconnects to military and industrial applications. The new product line is an expansion of Timbercon's Ribbon Fiber Assembly product line, providing clients with a single source for both harsh environment and traditional product applications. To visit the Timbercon Web site use this link See Extended Story.. March 4th, 2006  - Product Releases Watertown Connecticut - Siemon launches fiber cable in North American Market Siemon, a world leader in end- to-end structured cabling systems, announces the addition of Siemon fiber cable to its North American product line. The Siemon fiber cable offering includes 8.3mm singlemode and 50mm multimode fiber in XGLO(TM) 10 Gb/s capable and LightSystem(R) configurations as well as 62.5mm LightSystem varieties. Available in 12 strand counts ranging from 2 to 12 for single-tube construction and 16 to 144 for multi-tube versions, all Siemon fiber cable is offered in both riser and plenum ratings and is ISO and TIA compliant. The cable specifications are designed by Siemon Labs to deliver superior channel performance and are subject to the same rigorous quality control testing and validation as Siemon connectivity products. The new fiber cable joins Siemon's established line of fiber connectivity and cable management. This comprehensive line includes jumpers, pigtails and field installable connectors in SC, LC, ST and MT-RJ styles; an array of fiber enclosures, fiber managers, adaptors and splicing accessories; work area outlets and termination tools. "Internationally, we have been successful in selling Siemon fiber for some time to support demand for end-to-end solutions," said Charlie Maynard, Siemon's Fiber Optic Product Manager, "We see great customer and partner benefits in offering that single-vendor model here in North America." See Extended Story.. February 9th, 2006  - Product Releases Peachtree City, Georgia - Furukawa America Inc. adds triple insulated winding wire to product range Furukawa America Inc. announced today the expansion of its electronics products to include TEX-E(R) triple insulated winding wire, a key component in the manufacture of compact power supplies and transformers for computer and electronics equipment. The ultra-thin, heat-resistant and high-efficiency TEX-E wire can reduce the volume and weight of switch mode power supplies (SMPS) and switching transformers by about 50 percent -- a valuable design improvement in light of today's continual downsizing of micro, hand-held and notebook computers and electronic February 8th, 2006  - Product Releases Pischelsdorf Austria - Rosendahl introduces ROEX the new extruder generation from Rosendahl Rosendahl a leading manufacturer of extruders with decades of experience said in a press release Tuesday that the company has just introduced their newest generation of extruders. The new extruders are characterized by even higher output with best melt quality. The combination of new barrel and screw design provides higher output with perfect linearity independent of back pressure. A grooved insert, part of the entry section sleeve, is replaceable and either water cooled or temperature controlled by an external cooling/heating device. For full product release use this link to visit the Rosendahl, Knill Group and Nextrom web sites use this link this link December 14th, 2005  - Product Releases Bergen op Zoom The Netherlands - BeldenCDT and Scion Technology cost effective cable solution for all formats of video UK company Scion Technology has developed a technology which incorporates BeldenCDT’s range of ‘low skew’ VideoTwist cables, which conform to all network cable standards for CAT5e (Belden P/No. 7988R) and CAT6 (Belden P/No 7989R) hi-speed computer networking. According to Marketing Director Dave Brown of Scion, the new technology offers a range of key user benefits including high reliability and significant cost savings: “Couple the Belden VideoTwist cable to the Scion products and you have the ultimate performance and the most cost effective solution for transmission of almost all formats of video, delivering pixel perfect and skew-free solutions. December 10th, 2005  - Product Releases Atlanta Georgia - Alcan launches ALHIDE Plus+(TM) - A stronger, more durable cable Alcan Inc. announced Thursday the launch of ALHIDE Plus+(TM), the next generation of ruggedized cable with a stronger, more durable insulation that provides extra protection against conductor damage. ALHIDE Plus+(TM) was created to fill a void in the ruggedized cable market for a product that can withstand even greater resistance to damage than traditional abuse resistant cable. "We believe that it is better to prevent damage rather than repair it, and that is why ALHIDE Plus+(TM) is a proactive solution to cable damage. There are certain environments that merit an even stronger insulation than offered by standard ruggedized cable. ALHIDE Plus+(TM) can withstand over six times the crush resistance and more than four times the scoring resistance of abuse resistant cable industry standards," said Ian Hewett, President, Alcan Cable. See Extended Story.. December 1st, 2005  - Product Releases Paris - Michelin provides innovation biggest since launch of steel belted radials. A tire revolution as big as the launch of the radial in 1950. These words greeted the European press at the launch of Michelin's new Durable Technologies in Clermont Ferrand last month. The French tire giant says that a new casing combined with a 'self-regenerating' tread have the capability to improve its tires' performance by 50%. Michelin says there are benefits in rolling resistance, load capacity, grip, safety and durability. The new tire casing design uses what Michelin terms an 'Infinicoil'. In basic terms this is a continuous spool of steel wire that forms a ply running across the whole width of the tyre's crown and gives it greater integrity, strength and durability. In addition to this the properties of the new casing are claimed to reduce the tire's rolling resistance. Michelin says that with Infinicoil it can make a 455/45R22.5 trailer tire that lasts 50% longer than a traditional European spec 385/65R22.5 tire. November 28th, 2005  - Product Releases Huoston Texas - Dow wire & cable introduces new product family. Dow wire & cable chose the recent Wire & Cable focus to introduce a new family that enables higher line speeds for peroxide crosslinkable compounds made made with materials such as ethylene vinyl acetatcopolymer (EVA), NORDEL Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, and TYRIN Chlorinated Polyethylene. The products will be commercialized under the INSTEP Polymer Enhancer brand name. For details use this link November 24th, 2005  - Product Releases Vienna - Voest Alpine invests in new continuous phosphate coating line. In this new line it is possible in a single production step to clean phosphate coat, rinse apply lubricant draw and spool the wire Voest Alpine said on its web site. The Phosphate application process in a conventional dip method takes normally takes about 7 minutes is accelerated to 10-20 seconds in this new Direct Current process. In order for the incoming cold wire to the phosphate bath does not extract too much heat, the wire is already inductively heated up before it enters the bath. After the phosphate coating the wire is water rinsed and lubricant applied. Five air ducts have the task to dry and cool the wire, before it runs into the drawing machine. Since the wire is still relatively warm at this stage it must be drawn using special, temperature stable drawing methods. For pictures use this link November 16th, 2005  - Product Releases Richmond Indiana - Belden Expands its Line of Industrial Cables for Variable-Frequency AC Motor Drive Applications Belden CDT Electronics Division, a world leader in the development of specialty cable products for the industrial, commercial, broadcast and residential markets, announces the expansion of its line of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) cables for industrial AC motor drive applications. Line additions include five Large AWG Symmetrical VFD cables and five new Signal Brake Pair VFD cables. The new cables supplement Belden's classic line of 16 to 2 AWG flexible VFD cables. See Extended Story.. November 8th, 2005  - Product Releases Philadelphia Pennsylvania - Harry Miller Corp. announces a new semi-synthetic coolant, Kleerkut® 4900 Harry Miller Corp. announces a new semi-synthetic coolant, Kleerkut® 4900, for industrial machining and grinding applications. Kleerkut® 4900 is specially designed to meet the demands of high-temperature alloys, stainless steel and titanium processes. The product minimizes environmental impact in three ways: increasing the longevity of the coolant through exceptional bacterial resistance, reducing the need for additional chemical additives, and lowering the volume of industrial chemical waste that must be handled. For details use this link To visit the Harry Miller Corporation web site use this link http://www.harrymillercorp.com November 4th, 2005  - Product Releases Rocky Mount North Carolina - Torpedo Specialty Wire launches new Lead-Free Green Wire Torpedo Specialty Wire, Inc. announced the company has developed a Lead Free Green Wire for electronic components. Torpedo Specialty Wire, Inc is the world's premier fabricator of specialty high performance conductors, as used for the maufacture of lead wire. Torpedo is an ISO 9001:2000 Certified manufacturer. Torpedo's 100% electroplated tin finish has been successfully whisker tested. The Green Wire can be manufactured with or without a nickel barrier layer, with uniform thickness and outstanding solderability, and 150 degree C/1 hour heat treat availability. Uncoated base wires include ETP & OFHC copper, copper alloys, copper clad steel, steel, nickel and nickel alloys, among others. October 27th, 2005  - Product Releases Pawcatuck, Connecticut - Davis-Standard multi-layer duct tubing line for fiber optic expands processing range. A new Davis-Standard, LLC duct tubing line gives processors maximum versatility for processing multi layer tubing for fiber optic applications. Davis-Standard recently tested the line under production conditions at its lab in Erkrath, Germany. The line, used for processing HDPE tubing, features two layers. The inside layer has small serrations and a thin silicon PE coating to reduce friction, which is essential when feeding fiber optics down long tube lengths. The outer layer has four stripes to provide color coding for identification purposes. The line is capable of line speeds ranging from 110 meters per minute for small 5mm by 4mm diameter tubing to speeds of 55 meters per minute for larger 12mm by 10mm tubing. Other line speeds tested include 75 meters per minute for 7mm by 5mm diameter tubing and 60 meters per minute for 10mm by 8mm tubing. For full product release use this link October 13th, 2005  - Product Releases Concord Ontario - Howar equipment increases manufacturing program of Pay-offs. Howar Equipment has added a new modular flyer pay-off system to its range of standard products of pay-off and tension control equipment. In addition to careful consideration for precise and easily adjustable tension control, the new pay-off module is especially noteworthy for its space saving design. It also allows for reel change in a reduced amount of time and is extremely operator friendly. Each module carries 2 reels which are supported on a pivoting arbor. With the reel in working position the arbor is locked in place. The wire is paid–off through a series of rollers and pulleys which are suitably sized, ensuring smooth and gentle treatment of the wires/conductor. Tension control is obtained through a low inertia multi-wrap dancer feeding back to the flyer brake. This allows for easy adjustment also during operation and ensures constant tension from full to empty reel. October 5th, 2005  - Product Releases Huston Texas - Dow Wire & Cable Compounds offers new high melt strength polymers Dow Wire & Cable Compounds now offers new materials for fiber optic telecommunications cables that provide improved performance, cost efficiencies and manufacturing cost savings. Novel products based on developmental INSPIRE performance polymers feature high melt strength and a balance of high stiffness and toughness. They also offer good potential to advance overall cost and performance improvements in key optic cable applications. For fiber optic core tube (center tube) and slotted core applications, Dow's high melt strength polymers offer good extrusion characteristics with minimal sag, while providing the desirable high modulus and corresponding crush resistance of conventional polypropylene materials. These materials have also demonstrated the necessary balance of other performance characteristics such as good surface smoothness, low post-extrusion shrinkage contributing to excess fiber length and signal attenuation, and sufficient cold-impact performance for outdoor installation and use in cold climates. September 24th, 2005  - Product Releases Pawtucket Rhode Islamd - Vinyl-alloy jacket compounds resist embrittlement at very low temperatures and have improved dielectric properties Chemistry that combines PVC and thermoplastic elastomers has yielded a new series of vinyl wire and cable jacketing compounds that perform better than conventional vinyl at very low temperatures, avoiding loss of physical properties caused by plasticizer volatilization or migration, it was announced Friday by Teknor Apex Company, which will introduce the compounds at IWCS/Focus (Booths 219 & 221). Tradenamed FreeFlex, the new compounds are the first plasticizer-free vinyl compounds for wire and cable, according to Mike Patel, industry manager for the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex. "FreeFlex products withstand harsh winter conditions without embrittlement and surpass conventional vinyl in retaining their original mechanical properties after prolonged use," said Patel. "While standard vinyl typically loses some of the plasticizer additive that is used to render it flexible, our new FreeFlex compounds derive their flexibility from elastomeric ingredients that are permanently alloyed with PVC." Teknor Apex is introducing five FreeFlex grades with Shore C hardnesses ranging from 89 to 92 and brittle points from -26 to -56 deg. C. Potential jacketing uses include cables for harsh outdoor environments, military-specification coaxial cables, tray cables, and industrial cables. Highly flame-resistant, low-smoke formulations can also be provided for custom applications such as indoor/outdoor data cables. See Extended Story.. September 14th, 2005  - Product Releases Peachtree City, Georgia - Furukawa America unveils new hand held fusion splicer Furukawa America Inc. announced Monday it now offers the industry's first hand-held core alignment fusion splicer designed for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTh/FTTx) and LAN installations as well as trunk line installations. Developed by The Furukawa Electric Co., the FITEL S177A is the most compact, lightweight core alignment splicer available today. At half the size of a conventional unit, the FITEL S177A delivers the automated functionality and accuracy necessary for conventional backbone or long-haul installations along with the portability and speed needed for challenging field installations such as FTTh, FTTx and LAN. The new hand-held FITEL S177A incorporates an improved heating design that cuts splice-to-heat time by 40 percent, achieving a 9-second splice time and 37-second heat time. The unit's T-shaped body design is also 40 percent lighter, weighing only 4.85 pounds including battery. Ideal for fast field use, the S177A reduces the fiber length required for splicing by 30 percent. In addition, fiber magnification power is 608X, marking the industry's most powerful rating for a core alignment splicer. September 12th, 2005  - Product Releases Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates - Ducab introduces innovative EasyPac. Ducab, a leading manufacturer of high quality power cables in the Middle East has introduced the innovative EasyPac, shrink-wrap packaging technology for its range of Building Wire cables. The new packaging will present a range of benefits to Ducab's customers. The use of the latest technology will significantly reduce product storage space and minimise wastage by eliminating broken spools, thereby offering more value to customers. See Extended Story.. August 19th, 2005  - Product Releases Concord Ontario Canada - Howar Equipment Inc. offers a full Range of Pay-off and Tension Control equipment In the equipment selection process attention generally focus on finishing speed. A well known but often overlooked fact when procuring wire & cable equipment is that if there is a disruption in the pay-off the entire line is down. Howar Equipment Inc. has now introduced a full range of Pay-off and Tension Control equipment. For more details use this link. August 17th, 2005  - Product Releases Elizabeth, New Jersey - Alpha Wire Company introduces expanded line of Fiber Optic Cables. Alpha Wire Company, a supplier of advanced wire, cable and tubing, now offers high performance, high speed, high reliability Fiber Optic Cables. A newly published 28-page product catalog is available to help Alpha Wire customers find application-matched fiber optic solutions for all critical communications networks. Alpha Wire’s Fiber Optic Cables are engineered to Alpha’s uncompromising specifications and tested against the toughest industry standards, including Telcordia, ICEA and TIA/EIA. The cables are listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for compliance with the National Electrical Code and Canadian Electrical Code. Available with fiber counts ranging from 1 to 216 in multimode, single-mode or hybrid versions, Alpha Wire’s Fiber Optic Cables can be used with all major manufacturers’ connectivity hardware, including LID fusion splicers. Most importantly, Alpha Wire Fiber Optic Cables are fiber optimized for laser-based protocols, and are fully compatible with LED systems. The cables provide guaranteed link lengths for multi-gigabit transmission while maintaining compatibility with existing installed FDDI-grade cable. The newly published Fiber Optic Product Catalog includes both a Selection Guide and an extensive Cross Referencing Guide to help customers find the right cable for indoor and/or outdoor applications. June 29th, 2005  - Product Releases Remedello, Italy - LiftyKoiler introduced by Boxy Italy-based company BOXY S.p.A. manufactures a complete range of reels and special equipment for reels and coils handling. Interwire 2005 and Wire Russia 2005 has been the best occasion for Boxy to introduce a series of new products to the wire market. The LIFTYKOILER, a very reliable take-apart reel that is used to make and transport the coil, adds to the take-apart reel family. See Extended Story.. June 21st, 2005  - Product Releases Huston Texas - JDR Cable Systems and Subsea 7 offer hydraulic flying lead JDR Cable Systems in partnership with Subsea 7 has developed what it says is the first hydraulic flying lead that offers the flexibility of a thermoplastic umbilical with the leak-tight reliability of a steel tube umbilical. "This design incorporates an all-welded hose-to-coupler interface, eliminating all potential leak-paths", said Patrick Phelan, managing director, Oil and Gas Division, JDR. "It's a giant step forward in product reliability during deployment, carrying on through the product's service lifecycle." "This will mean significant improvements to the safety, reliability and environmental protection for our customers' installations," Phelan added JDR Cable Systems is the global leader in the design and manufacture of custom-engineered, specialty, dynamic or static umbilical and cable systems used in subsea and surface applications for the oil and gas industry. JDR’s technological strengths and innovation in cable design have been applied in other industries, most notably, military defense, scientific endeavors and multiple or continuous sensor applications. June 17th, 2005  - Product Releases Armonk, New York - InterWire Announces New Improved Bezinal The InterWire Group answers the increasing market demands with new improved Bezinal. Through process improvements, Bekaert’s Bezinal now offers the user a higher level of quality wire that has more consistent Cast and Helix. Bezinal’s wire coating and drawing processes are meticulously controlled to provide uniform thickness and better corrosion resistance. This “built-in” protection against corrosion extends the service life of the product, reduces warranty claims, and eliminates the need for costly, post coating operations. Bezinal offers better coilability than redrawn galvanized wire and is environmentally friendly since it is completely chromium free. Bezinal is an ideal economical replacement to stainless, especially with recent Ni price increases. Bezinal MW is readily available in sizes 0.0230" to 0.225". June 16th, 2005  - Product Releases Armonk, New York - InterWire introduces Sandvik SAF 2205 and 205SH The InterWire Group is proud to offer Sandvik SAF 22O5 and 22O5SH to the wire spring industry. Both the 22O5 and 22O5SH are optimized for the best corrosion resistance and forming properties besides having excellent fatigue properties, allowing for higher load cycles. The secret lies in Sandvik's new drawing technique, which allows for high tensile strength with no change in chemical composition. In many cases they can compete with 17-7PH and 316, especially where lack of space puts demands on spring design and performance where a smaller diameter wire could be used. See Extended Story.. June 14th, 2005  - Product Releases Cleveland, OH - Lincoln Electric LF-74 Wire Feeder Suited for MIG and metal- or flux-cored wire welding, LF-74 delivers positive arc starting and feeding with stainless steel and aluminum. Its 4-roll MaxTrac™ cast aluminum wire drive system delivers consistent feeding force. Accommodating 0.023–1/16 in. MIG wire diameters and .030–5/64 in. flux-cored wire diameters, unit offers feed speeds of 50–800 ipm. Split wire guides provide full support of wire throughout drive path, eliminating wire tangling. See Extended Story.. May 30th, 2005  - Product Releases Osceola Wisconsin - Yet another US cable producer offers RoHS compliant products Northwire Inc. announced this past week that their custom cable design and manufacturing are in compliance with the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. While the directive specifies that electrical and electronic products marketed within the European Union be free of specified toxic content by July 2006, Northwire has proactively shown their preparedness ahead of the worldwide schedule with their ability to offer custom performance cable designs that meet the requirements set by the directive today. “ In an exhaustive effort across several months, we (Northwire) examined all of the materials used in making custom cable products for any compounds identified by RoHS as toxic substances including lead (as a stand alone), and halogen to prepare for the inevitable demand from the markets we serve for products that comply with this important directive,” said Ted Beach, Director of Sales for Northwire. See Extended Story.. May 21st, 2005  - Product Releases Detroit Michigan - GE helps Delphi lose weight in automotive wire coating In its first application for the global automotive industry, GE's Flexible Noryl resin was selected by Delphi Corp. as a wire and cable coating for the company's vehicle electrical systems. Delphi's Packard Electric Division chose GE's Flexible Noryl resin to meet a global automotive manufacturer's need for high-performance cable that also addressed the requirements for halogen-free parts. Flame-retardant Flexible Noryl resin may now offer the auto industry a new wire coating solution that provides superior properties compared to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and is an excellent candidate for thin- and ultra-thin-wall coatings that significantly reduce weight and size and meet halogen-, chlorine-, and lead-free part requirements. "Delphi's collaboration with GE Advanced Materials has been strong. Our combined efforts allowed Delphi Packard to meet a customer's need for a better environmental alternative to current offerings, one that also provides benefits in weight and bundle size, without compromising durability," said Lynn Long, Business Line Manager for Specialty Wiring, Delphi Packard Electric. May 17th, 2005  - Product Releases Atlanta, Georgia - Adiabatic Processing Technology LMC Inc out of DeKalb Illinois features a new cut off technology referred to as high impact or adiabatic processing by which you achieve molecule separation. Materials with particular hardness such as titanium alloys that in the past have had to be sawn off with abrasive discs are now possible to cut or sheared off without the loss of any material or any wear through high impact processing that not only leaves a clean burr free straight surface but works for wire or bar diameters as large as 4" (100mm). April 1st, 2005  - Product Releases Hartford Connecticut - Novel wire reinforced 'Shock Absorber' used in high seismic areas In a recent presentation to the Wire Reinforcement Institute's Executive Committee, Thomas D. Verti, president of Charles Pankow Builders, Ltd., discussed the strategic advantages of using "wire reinforcement" products for construction in high seismic areas, such as Southern California. In his presentation, titled "Innovations in High-rise Concrete Construction," Mr. Verti provided several case studies demonstrating the use of the revolutionary Precast Hybrid Moment Resistant Frame (PHMRF) construction methodology. Pankow, one of the country's foremost innovators of concrete construction methodologies, spearheaded the development of the PHMRF from concept to code approval and industry application. The PHMRF, which incorporates strategic use of "wire reinforcement" products, is an innovative precast concrete frame system that uses post-tensioning cables and energy dissipating, mild reinforcing steel in the beam-column connections. "The makeup of the joint causes it to work much like an automobile shock absorber to dampen seismic forces that occur in a major earthquake," described Mr. Verti. The featured project was the 40-story Paramount residential tower in San Francisco, California, the tallest precast concrete building in a high seismic zone. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration and partnering of all concrete and reinforcing-related companies. March 16th, 2005  - Product Releases Coconut Grove, Florida - Stereovox introduces HDSE tubular cables Stereovox has introduced a series of studio cables to complement its extravagant reference products. The new Studio HDSE (high-definition single-ended) interconnects are thin and flexible, but each cable is constructed from a single high-purity 0.008" thick copper tube, clad in a silver-plated copper woven shield, with pure tape-wrapped full-density PTFE Teflon dielectric and an FEP jacket. The Studio cables employ a new chrome-plated Xhadow™ Reference precision-machined RCA connector. The HDSE's "microtube" construction gives the conductor "the skin profile of a 32 AWG conductor, while maintaining the lower resistance of a larger gauge," explained designer Chris Sommovigo. "Making it this way is strictly a skin-effect management approach. It's simply one of many viable ways to deal with skin effect—other designers have used ribbons or Litz, while others don't use Litz but still use finely stranded wires in other arrays. In our Reference Series, I emulated a multi-tiered, tubular, thin-walled conductor by helically wrapping thin conductors around a core to shape them into a tube. It occurred to me that, rather than having to perform all that expensive assembly processing to emulate a tube, I should just use a tube." "After that, it simply became a process of getting the wall thickness and the annealing right, so it didn't collapse on itself when you bent it. The Studio Series is pretty flexible—you can radius it as tight as the thickness of your thumb and you'll be all right. Of course, you don't want to work it back and forth a whole bunch, but you don't want to do that with any cable, probably." March 11th, 2005  - Product Releases Sarnia Ontario - DuPont announce new low-gel coupling agents DuPont has announced the introduction of tailor-made, low-gel coupling agents for production of improved halogen-free insulation and jacketing for wire and cable. Available in a very broad choice of base polymers, DuPont™ Fusabond® modifiers enable compounders to improve both mechanical properties and flame retardancy by allowing increased filler levels in halogen-free, flame retardant and low-smoke insulation and jacketing compounds used in wire and cable constructions. Fusabond® coupling agents increase the tensile strength 20 to 30 percent and elongation at break up to 300 to 400 percent for the finished wire and cable product (compared to formulations not using coupling agents) in its unaged state, as well as after aging in air or in an oil environment. The result is a more flexible and durable product, which allows higher filler loadings, so better flame retardancy can be achieved due to higher filler acceptability of the base polymer. To ensure its wire and cable coupling agents are as fault-free as possible, DuPont has installed state-of-the-art systems to measure and control gels and black specks in their production facilities in Sarnia, Canada, and Shenzhen, China. January 21st, 2005  - Product Releases Wujiang City,Jiangsu,China - 21 JiangSu HengTong fiber-optic cables adopt slim steel wires JiangSu HengTong Photoelectric Stock Co. Ltd has released a new series of fiber-optic cables ideal for applications in high density and complexity of centralized cables such as host apparatus or domain centers of big network systems. The company reduced the diameter of the cables and adopted slim steel wires to enhance flexibility, according to Zhang Bin, manager of the layout commission department. The series has already acquired patent protection from mainland China's State Intellectual Property Office. JiangSu HengTong, a subsidiary of the HengTong Group Co. Ltd, accounts for about 15 percent of the total sales revenue of the mainland's fiber-optic cable industry. January 21st, 2005  - Product Releases Irvine California - CTC &General Cable Introduce TransPowr(TM) ACCC/TW Bare Overhead Conductor a new technology that provides up to twice the capacity. Composite Technology Corporation a leading US developer of high-performance composite core cables for electric transmission and distribution cables, through it's subsidiary CTC Cable Corporation (CTC), and General Cable Industries, Inc., the principal US operating subsidiary of General Cable Corporation, announced the introduction of the TransPowr(TM) ACCC/TW bare overhead conductor at the 2005 General Cable National Sales Conference. The TransPowr ACCC/TW bare overhead conductor integrates General Cable's ACSS/TW technology and CTC Cable Corporation's carbon and glass fiber core technology. See Extended Story.. January 18th, 2005  - Product Releases Cartage Missouri - Interesting rod mill technology introduced at former Northwestern Steel & Wire. Sterling Steel Co. LLC, a Leggett & Platt subsidiary, ordered Danieli's EWR-Endless Welding Rolling technology for its 12-in. rod mill in Sterling, IL. It will be the first EWR installation in the U.S. and the 13th installed worldwide. Start-up is expected late this year. Situated between the reheat furnace and the first rolling stand, the EWR flash-welds billets head-to-tail to allow Sterling to roll material without interruption, improving plant productivity, efficiency, material yield and production costs. The new Sterling Steel EWR line will be designed for automatic continuous welding of 130x130 mm, 11-m-long billets at rates of up to 100 tond/hour, for low, medium and high carbon spring steels. The order also calls for a new shear to be installed at the coil reforming station to divide the wire rod into finished coil weights. "The billet-welding process is particularly beneficial in wire rod mills," Danieli notes, "as it enables production of 'customized-weight' coils, granting higher product marketability. Extra-heavy coils can be produced, even starting from relatively low billet weights." As earlier reported Sterling Steel operates the former Northwestern Steel & Wire plant in Sterling, IL.

Wire & Plastic Machinery Pan Chemicals Bongard Machines view the archive by month... All February January March April May June July August September October November December the latest ... yesterday... last 7 days... last 28 days... last 60 days categories... Acquisitions....471 Closures....72 General....2976 Interwire....34 IWCS/Focus....17 Joint Ventures....41 Market Stats....704 Mergers....45 No Change....24 Personnel....173 Press Releases....236 Product Releases....197 Projects....915 Reports....413 Wire & Cable India....10 Wire China....18 Wire Dusseldorf....39 Wire Expo....8 Wire Russia....24 Wire Singapore....12 wirenews admin