PRESS INFORMATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alpha Wire Delivers
'Xtreme' EMC Shielding and Stops Signal Noise

Elizabeth, NJ, …Leading supplier of advanced solutions and service in wire, cable and tubing, Alpha Wire Company, has announced that its dedicated range of unparalleled EMC cable shielding solutions, SUPRASHIELD®, provides effective protection against ambient signal noise.  In industrial control systems it is estimated that well over 50 per cent of all system hardware failures are caused in part by electrical noise.  Today’s infinitely more complex communications and control systems incorporate higher transmission and switching speeds, meaning that the implications of noise-related failures from conducted EMI, radiated EMI, ESD and RFI are increasing exponentially.

Alpha Wire Company has answered growing industry concern and increasingly more rigid regulations related to electrically radiated emissions and EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) with its range of shielding options.   EMC and effective shielding have become just as critical as any other design concerns, particularly in mission critical applications such as: medical, defense, industrial machinery, sensing and control, and communication.  EMC is the ability of systems to function as designed, without failure or unacceptable degradation of performance due to EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) within the system environment.

The ability of a cable to perform in these environments is critical to the performance of the overall system and consequently Alpha Wire has developed a series of shielding constructions to match the needs of its customers.  When these shielding options are combined with the company’s extreme performance cable range XTRA•GUARD®, the result is a hazard-matched range of cables that are designed to perform under the harshest of environments.  SUPRASHIELD® is available in a number of configurations, including customized solutions designed to provide effective shielding to cables operating in flexing environments. 

For maximum protection SUPRASHIELD® deploys a tinned copper braid, a drain wire and a tri-laminate aluminum foil designed to offer the most complete protection against electrical noise across the full frequency range.  When a cable is in a static application, a braid providing 70 per cent coverage gives excellent results, whereas cables that are operating in flexing cycle applications need a denser braid construction of 85 per cent coverage.

For more moderate protection, especially at low frequencies (up to 15 KHz), an 85 to 90 percent coverage copper braid is suitable. A braid shield will provide effective EMI/RFI resistance for applications such as power, control, and data applications and can be made from either tinned copper or bare copper.  In order to achieve moderate protection at frequencies greater than 15 KHz, a dual layer aluminum/polyester shield should be specified with the addition of a drain wire in order to facilitate making the electrical connection between the shield and the circuit ground. 

For flexible cable applications, Alpha’s SUPRASHIELD FLEX® shielding system combines a double jacket construction with a high coverage (85%) tinned copper braid to ensure the maximum signal protection in EMC intensive environments while maintaining the desired flexing characteristics of the cable.

Sandra Jaouen, Director Of Marketing for Alpha Wire Company, summed up why getting the correct shielding levels was so important:  “Selecting the correct shielding for critical applications is essential to overall system reliability, performance and safety. It’s also crucial that this selection is made the first time to avoid cable failure, which can be very costly in terms of production levels, profits and a company’s reputation.  By understanding what our customers need and what will be required as technology moves forward we can ensure that SUPRASHIELD® will continue to protect installations from EMI and RF interference”.

David Watson, XTRA∙GUARD® Product Marketing Manager, for Alpha Wire Company added: “Shielding is not a black art - choosing the right shielding is simply a matter of knowledge and foresight.  We understand that selecting the right cable with all the necessary attributes can be complicated, which is why we have looked to de-mystify the process.  We have developed an online SeleXion Guide at www.xtraguard.com specifically to help engineers specify the correct cable type with the appropriate shielding system for their application’s environment.”

For detailed information on SUPRASHIELD® please visit www.xtraguard.com or contact you local distributor.

Editors Notes:

• Conducted EMI is commonly emitted by high or low frequency signals which travel the length of any cable. Cable cross talk is common in unshielded cables. Conducted EMI can cause potentially catastrophic system failures without the use of proper cable shielding.
  
  
• Radiated EMI is radiated by a variety of sources including motors, magnetic sources, generators and transformers. Radiated EMI can cause significant system failures by inducing undesirable signal interference in mission critical electronic equipment.
  
  
• RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) is a common design concern due to the pervasiveness of broadcast, communications and radar transmitters, notably cellular phones. RFI interference can be minimized with effective cable grounding and shielding systems such as SUPRASHIELD®.
  
  
• ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) describes the rapid discharge of energy, common in low humidity environments and motion systems.

About Alpha Wire Company

For over 80 years Alpha Wire Company has designed, developed and manufactured wire, cable and tubing products for technologically advanced industries. Its single goal is to help customers find the best possible systems solutions to their production and manufacturing challenges. From its leading XTRA•GUARD® cables offering extreme performance for extreme environments to FIT®  Preferred Heat Shrink Products providing simple, comprehensive tubing solutions to the Alpha Wire INDUSTRIAL SERIES of technologically advanced cable systems for automotive and industrial factory automation, Alpha Wire Company brings customers the right products for the right applications – anywhere in the world.

Alpha Wire also specializes in the design and manufacture of special customized cable products at their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Leominster, MA.  As a custom cable manufacturer, Alpha Wire Company produces the exact specified cable product.

Alpha’s logistical excellence and broad inventory availability provide dependable, same-day shipment and next day delivery to most international destinations.

Alpha Wire continues to develop the industry’s next generation of wire, cable and tubing products aimed at tomorrow’s high technology demands.

Copyright © 2008 Alpha Wire Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Use of this Web Site indicates you accept the Terms of Use
listed in the Legal Information And Terms Of Use Document.