Bridge Cable Fails, TPE to the Rescue
After large rubberinsulated cables for a lift bridge connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin failed after less than two years, Northwire Inc., Osceola,Wis., replaced them with 40% smallerdiameter cables insulated with Hytrel thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) from DuPont, Wilmington, Del.
“TPE’s high dielectric
strength and
toughness let Northwire
spec thinner
cables that have longer
flex life at a given
bend radius,” says
Northwire Director of
Sales Ted Beach. The
old cable used ethylene-
propylene rubber
for insulating its 50
conductors (16 awg)
and measured 1.86 in.
(47 mm) in diameter.
The replacement cable
is just 1.1 in. (28 mm)
in diameter and its
conductors are each
insulated with 0.01 in.
(0.25 mm) of Hytrel.
Make contact
DuPont,
(800) 441-0575,
plastics.dupont.com
Northwire Inc.,
(800) 468-1516,
northwire.com