Shielded cables are widely used in various industries, including telecommunications, power transmission, and data centers. They provide protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and ensure reliable signal transmission. Understanding the wiring process of shielded cables is essential for engineers working in the cable industry. In this article, we will discuss the diagram of the shielded cable wiring process from four aspects: cable preparation, connector installation, grounding and shielding techniques.
1. Cable Preparation
Before starting with the actual wiring process, it is crucial to prepare the shielded cable properly. This involves carefully stripping off the outer jacket to expose the individual conductors inside. The length of stripped jacket should be sufficient to accommodate connectors and allow for proper termination.
Once the outer jacket is removed, each individual conductor needs to be identified and separated according to their color coding or labeling system specified by industry standards or project requirements.
In addition to separating conductors, it is important to ensure that any metallic shielding layer around them remains intact during this process. Any damage or cuts on the shielding can compromise its effectiveness in protecting against EMI.
2. Connector Installation
The next step in wiring a shielded cable involves installing connectors at both ends of each conductor. Connectors provide a secure connection between cables and devices such as switches or routers.
To install a connector on a shielded cable properly:
Carefully strip off insulation from each conductor without damaging them.
If necessary, separate twisted pairs within multi-pair cables while maintaining their twist ratio as specified by industry standards.
Prepare connectors by removing any protective caps or covers from them.
Carefully insert each stripped conductor into its corresponding slot on the connector while ensuring good contact between metal pins inside slots and conductors' exposed ends.
3.Grounding Techniques
Grounding plays a vital role in maintaining signal integrity within shielded cables by providing an effective path for unwanted electrical currents induced due to EMI.
To ground a shielded cable effectively:
Determine appropriate grounding points based on project requirements or guidelines provided by equipment manufacturers.
Create low impedance connections between metallic shields of cables at both ends using appropriate grounding hardware such as clamps or lugs.
Avoid creating ground loops which can introduce noise into signals; instead use star-grounding technique where all grounds converge at one central point.
Avoid sharing ground connections with high-power equipment that may generate significant electrical noise which could interfere with signals transmitted through shielded cables.
4.Shielding Techniques
In addition to grounding techniques mentioned above,
there are several other methods employed for enhancing shielding effectiveness:
Braided Shield: This technique involves wrapping multiple layers of fine metal wires around insulated conductors providing excellent protection against EMI due to its high coverage area.
Foil Shield: It consists of thin metallic foil wrapped around insulated conductors providing good protection against higher frequency EMI but may not be as effective at lower frequencies compared with braided shields
Semi-Conductive Layer: Applied beneath metallic shields acts as an additional barrier preventing leakage currents caused due capacitive coupling effects