The Manufacturing of Cat6 CMP Cable
Ethernet cables come with different specifications and features. It is good to understand the manufacturing of Ethernet cables for the users. This will give them a better idea of which will be the best option for them. The same is the case with Cat6 plenum cable as it comes in different variants. Each of them has different specifications and working features.
The requirements of the network users are increasing with every passing day. Therefore, network engineers need to keep their networks up-to-date according to the changing technologies. The Cat6 CMP Cable is a modern-day Ethernet cable with advanced features and qualities. This will satisfy the needs of modern users efficiently.
In this article, we will discuss the process of manufacturing Cat6 CMP cable in detail. It will give you a better idea that what are you buying and how it will benefit you in the long run.
Main Conductor Type
The conductor wires play a vital role in the performance of any Ethernet cable. This is why it is been selected very carefully. In Cat6 plenum cable usually, pure copper conductor wires of 22 AWG to 24 AWG are used. It is recognized as one of the best conductor materials available in the cabling industry.
These conductor wires can be of two types. One is called solid copper conductor wires and the second type is called stranded conductor wires. The solid conductor wires are made of a single piece of copper material. Whereas, the stranded conductor wires are the bundle of several thin conductor wires bonded together tightly.
The solid conductor wires are more efficient compared to stranded conductor wires. They can carry signals from one end of the network to the other end with more efficiency and effectiveness. They do not let the signals drop at any point. Whereas, stranded conductor wires of pure copper material are also efficient but not as good as the solid conductor wires are.
These conductor wires are covered with insulation. The insulation is made from a top-notch material as well. This insulation supports the performance of the conductor wires while performing their task in the networking structure both mechanically and electrically.
Some features of conductor wires impact directly on the performance of the cable insulation like the evenness and shape of the conductor’s surface and the quality of the solid copper conductor material used in the cable. Most importantly, the concentricity of the conductor inside the plastic insulating material is an important factor.
Attenuation, return loss, and impedance is all intimately related to the primary conductor structure. Therefore, it increases the importance of the usage of pure copper conductor wires and with that the material used for their insulation.
The manufacturers use various methods to minimize the signal dropping issues and enhance the performance of the cables. The use of lower gauge conductor cables (22 AWG instead of 24 AWG) with increased diameter is one of them. Similarly, a lesser twist per inch of conductor wires is another way of achieving high performance. The proper annealing of the conductors also improves the performance of the cable to a great extent.
Making of Cat6 CMP Cable
The tandem insulating extrusion method starts with a bigger gauge solid copper cable (typically 12AWG or 13AWG) being drawn through several sets of diamond dies to a final size of solid copper wire ranging from 22AWG to 24AWG.
These conductor wires are passed through each die by utilizing advanced technologies and techniques. The line speed of draw blocks increases significantly as the gauge is decreased and copper is drawn. The machines utilized during this drawing process release a high amount of heat.
Therefore, to keep them cooled down constant lubricating is done on them. It ensures the long life of the dies and the level surface of a solid copper conductor wire.
Conductors are subject to cracking and brittleness as a result of the making process. In a controlled nitrogen environment, annealing equipment raises the temperature of bare copper to 450°F. This is done to produce the desired elongation qualities by adjusting the metal softness. The signal transfer capabilities are also enhanced through annealing.
Process of Insulating Conductor Wires
By using of an extruder head, coloring tiny thermoplastic pellets are homogenized, compressed, and melted. The insulation is positioned on hot solid copper conductor wires during this process.
The physical qualities of the insulation material, such as elongation and tensile strength, are preserved during the preheating phase before the extrusion process.
Cat6 CMP Cable Outer Jacket and Packaging
The primary goal of the cable jacket is to protect the completed product from interference and destruction. Normally, the jacket material used for the Cat6 CMP cable comes with great flame-retardant features. The plenum jackets are made of a special material known as Polyvinyl Chloride. It is famous for its LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) Feature. This is why Cat6 CMP cables are considered one of the best options to be installed in the plenum spaces of the buildings.
The cable is available in the market in EZ-Pull box packaging. It comes with a standardized marking on it after every foot. This marking helps the users in cutting the wire according to the required lengths properly. It reduces the wastage of the wires to a great extent.
Some manufacturers are also delivering this cable on wooden reels while some are using reels with a spindle and a holder as well.
Conclusion
The Cat6 CMP Cable is manufactured by using top-notch technologies and methods. This makes the cable a highly efficient and effective option for modern-day networks. Most network engineers prefer to use it due to its enhanced manufacturing features and qualities. These features and qualities provide the reliability and stability of their network. The users of the networks installed with Cat6 Plenum cables give their hundred percent as they get great speed and connectivity through them. We highly recommend our customers to use this cable in their networks if they want to achieve the optimum performance level.
Related Tags: Bulk Cat6a CMP cable