A cable is two or more wires or optical fibers bound together, typically in a common protective jacket or sheath. The individual wires or fibers inside the jacket may be bare, covered or insulated. Combination cables may contain both electrical wires and optical fibers. Electrical wire is usually copper because of its excellent conductivity, but aluminium is sometimes used because it costs less.

Electrical cables may be made more flexible by stranding the wires. In this process, smaller individual wires are twisted or braided together to produce larger wires that are more flexible than solid wires of similar size. Bunching small wires before concentric stranding adds the most flexibility. A thin coat of tin on the individual wires provides lubrication for longest life. Tight lays during stranding makes the cable extensible (CBA - as in telephone handset cords).

Cables can be securely fastened and organized, such as using cable trees with the aid of cable ties. "Octopus cable" is a generic term for a cable that splits into several parts.

In 2004 some of the leading global producers of cable products included Draka, General Cable, Nexans, Prysmian, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Furukawa Electric, Hitachi Cable, Southwire, Marmon Group, LS Cable, LEONI, Fujikura, Tyco, Walsin Lihwa and Wilms Group.

Types of cable

• Arresting cable
• Bowden cable
• Coaxial cable
• Communications cable
• Computer cable
• Optical fiber
• Heliax cable
• Insulated cable
• Mechanical cable
• Shielded cable
• Twinax cable
• Twisted pair cable
• Wire rope (wire cable)

See also

• Cable length
• Cable modem
• Cable spaghetti
• DOCSIS
• Extension cable
• MF
• Rope
• Submarine communications cable

Cables

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