![]() The larger the cable diameter, the farther it can carry data before a signal drop occurs. But small cables also carry the highest levels of signal loss, meaning a decrease in signal strength.Across long cable runs, diameter matters even more. We often see industrial plants choosing the smallest-diameter cables because they’re most cost effective and easier to handle. 1: Always Choosing the Smallest CableĬable size matters. They can have a negative impact on productivity, safety and the bottom line. Throughout our decades of helping industrial environments choose the right cable and connectivity components for analog applications, we’ve seen these five common mistakes play out. To put it simply: Low-resistance cable allows more signals to pass through.ĥ Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Cables for Analog Signals A low capacitance supports better signal transmission, which leads to reduced attenuation (insertion loss) and the ability to carry the signal for longer distances without degradation.Ī cable with low resistance converts less power to heat and more to the intended destination. The higher a cable’s capacitance (its ability to store charge), the less fidelity it offers, which equates to lower performance. ![]() Important Electrical Parameters to ConsiderĬapacitance and resistance are two good examples of attributes to consider. Electrical parameters and construction characteristics determine the cable’s performance level, as well as its noise immunity capabilities and its longevity. Even in these situations, however, the final connection to the instruments is still (for the most part) analog.īecause of the continued importance of analog signals in today’s manufacturing environments, it’s essential not to gloss over the selection of an analog cable. ![]() Now, the cables are combined into a cabinet, converted to digital signals and brought back to the central control system through digital media. Historically, analog and digital cables would be combined in marshalling cabinets and brought back to the central control system via a large multi-pair cable. Digital signals and cables aren’t necessarily replacing analog, but instead working side by side with them. Many industrial sites-such as large process manufacturing facilities-are trending toward a mixture of analog and digital cables, including single pair Ethernet (SPE). Whether we’re talking about digital adoption as it relates to pressure readings from vessels, temperature readings from thermocouples or a device’s pressure switch status, the foundation remains the same: tried-and-true analog. Failure to properly transmit this reading could result in a damaging outcome. Some of this data is vitally important to safety and productivity: like a pressure-transmitter reading that controls a valve which feeds stock into a refinery vessel. Conservatively, just one facility alone could hold 50,000+ instruments that all give off constant data points. While digital technology is beginning to dominate process and discrete manufacturing, the backbone cabling that supports these processes remains reliant on analog signals.Ĭonsider a polyethylene plant, for example.
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