Cable

For other uses, see Cable (disambiguation).

A cable is two or more wires bound together which may be bare, covered or insulated. It may be protected by a jacket sheath which protects all. Electrical cables can also act as carriers for other media, including optical fibers.

Cables may be made more flexible by stranding, usually twisting or braiding. Smaller individual wires allows more flexibility. Bunching small wires before concentric stranding adds the most flexibility. A thin coat of tin on the individual wires provides lubrication for longest life. Tight lays during stranding makes the cable extensible (as in telephone handset cords).

Cables can be securely fastened and organized (e.g. into cable trees) with the aid of cable ties.

Types of cable

• arresting cable
• bowden cable, a type of flexible sheathed cable used to transmit mechanical force.
• communications cable
• coaxial cable
• fiber optic cable
• heliax cable
• insulated cable
• mechanical cable
• shielded cable
• twinax cable
• twisted pair cable
• wire cable (also known as wire rope)

See also

• extension cable
• rope
• cable modem
• DOCSIS
• Submarine communications cable
• MF
• cable length in maritime usage