Product Roundup: Wire and cable

Manufacturers in the wire and cable market have the daunting task of keeping wired connections simple and fast for a spectrum of applications. Read on for a few of the latest products for high speed connections, and more.

For applications requiring USB connectivity, L-Com (www.l-com) offers a line of USB 3.0-compliant assemblies for computers and peripherals, including the USB 3.0 Type A male/female extension cables. The cables provide data transfer rates up to 4.8 Gbit/s and feature a Type A male on one end and a Type A female on the other. Fully shielded for EMI/RFI protection, they are and available in lengths of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 m.

The Armored LL142 Series low-loss RF cable assemblies from Crystek Microwave (www.crystek.com) are housed in spiraled stainless-steel casings and Neoprene jackets for heavy-duty adhesive strain relief, to eliminate failures due to cable flexion and compression. The 18-GHz assemblies are available in standard lengths of 24, 36, 48, and 60 in., with SMA-male-to-SMA-male connectors. The assemblies offer attenuation of 0.36 dB/ft, VSWR characteristics of ≤1.3 and shielding effectiveness of ≥–110 dB in temperatures of –55° to 85°C (extended range of –55° to 125°C also available). The cables have rugged stainless-steel solder-clamp construction and a 1.5-in. minimum bend radius with minimal spring-back.

For pulsed laser applications that requires the transmission of high-power pulses at low impedance, Alpha-Core (www.alphacoredirect.com) offers the BM Pulse cable series flat power cables. The cables feature two ribbon-shaped conductors enclosed in a microthin, high-grade polymer film. Typical pulse lengths range from 100 to 200 ns with repetition rates in the kilohertz range. The cables have short pulse currents to 100 A and are available in standard models with characteristic impedance values of 1.0, 1.7, 2.5, and 4 Ω.

The Gore High Flex Flat Cables from W.L. Gore & Associates (www.gore.com) feature a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) composite jacket material. Suited for high-flex applications, the PTFE material offers a flex life greater than 20 million cycles at 50-mm bend radius, and a low coefficient of friction. The material is also flexible enough to allow the flat cables to be stacked on top of each other without needing dividers and shelves.

Christina D’Airo