Today, there is a wide range of different power cables designed depending on the requirements. The main purpose of power cables is transmission and distribution. Basically, a power cable is composed of one or more electrical conductors which are individually insulated and they are held together usually with an overall sheath. This type of assembly is mostly used for distribution and transmission of electricity and can be used in different ways. Some power cables are installed as permanent wiring within the walls of a building, they can be buried underground, or run overhead. There are also flexible power cables which are used for various portable devices and machinery. This type of cables can be designed and manufactured to meet the voltage requirements, the current they carry, maximum operating temperature, and other specifications required by customers. For example the Olflex Classic 110 Cy power cable has a wide application range such as plant engineering, industrial machinery, heating and air conditioning systems, conveyor systems, servo drives, EMC sensitive environments and so on.

So, what makes the Olflex Classic 110 Cy such a versatile power cable? Well, first we need to look at the construction of power cables. The various parts that need to be taken into consideration are the conductor, insulation, the LAY (for multicore cables), the bedding, armouring in some cases, and the outer sheath.

The conductor is what actually carries the power in a power cable. There are many different conductive materials, but the ones that have proven to be the most practical and that are used most often in the cable industry are copper (ATC, ABC) and aluminum. There are also different types of conductors that fall within different classes. Class 1 is solid, class 2 stranded, class 5 is flexible, and class 6 is extra flexible.

The insulation on the conductor is usually made from poly vinyl chloride, cross-linked polyethylene, or various types of rubber and it is based on maximum operating temperature. They way they are identified is either by number printing or by the colour.

The bedding which is also know as the inner sheath is mainly used in multi core cables and it serves as a binder that holds insulated conductors together. Some cables also have armouring which is used for earthing purposes, but it also provides some extra mechanical protection and strength.

And finally, the outer sheath is used t cover the cable over the armour and it is usually made from the same material as the bedding (various types of rubber, PVC, and so on). It provides electrical, mechanical, chemical, and weather protection.

The Olflex Classic 110 Cy is composed of fine wire strand made of bare copper wires, the insulation is PVC LAPP P8/1, the core is twisted in layers, the inner sheath is PVC gray, it has thinned-copper braiding, and a transparent outer sheath also made from PVC. All this makes the Olflex Classic 110 Cy flame retardant with good chemical resistance, has a high degree of screening and a low transfer impenance.