{"id":73330,"date":"2025-09-22T13:26:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T11:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fhi.nl\/nieuws\/hoe-selecteer-je-de-juiste-datakabel-voor-je-industriele-toepassing-2\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T13:42:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T11:42:18","slug":"hoe-selecteer-je-de-juiste-datakabel-voor-je-industriele-toepassing-2","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/fhi.nl\/en\/news\/hoe-selecteer-je-de-juiste-datakabel-voor-je-industriele-toepassing-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How do you select the right data cable for your industrial application?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\tHow do you select the right data cable for your industrial application?\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t\t
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Not all data cables are the same. Many users only realize this when they experience data transfer disruptions and errors in their industrial applications. In this article you will learn what the most common mistakes are when selecting an industrial Ethernet or bus cable and how to avoid them.<\/p>

All cables and wires that contribute in any way to communications are commonly referred to as data cables. However, there are significant differences, such as the completely different structures of copper and fiber optic cables. Copper data cables come in many different types, such as low-frequency cables, coaxial cables, telephone cables, bus cables, various Ethernet systems, or microwave cables for special applications that require transmission in the gigahertz range. Selecting the wrong cable can quickly lead to costly disruptions and errors.<\/p>

In general, data cables are low capacity cables. This means that as little electrical energy as possible is stored in the cable during data transmission. This electrical energy has a negative effect on signal quality. The capacity partly depends on the insulation material of the cable. Modern bus and Ethernet cables mainly use materials such as PE (polyethylene) or PP (polypropylene), which provide particularly good insulation, which is determined by measuring the dielectric constant (\u03b5r). The lower this value, the better the material insulates and the lower the capacity of the cable. This allows thinner insulation to be used with the same dielectric strength.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

A comparison of cable insulation materials<\/h2>
Material<\/strong><\/td>VDE label<\/strong><\/td>Dielectric Constant<\/strong><\/td>Halogen free<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
PVC<\/td>Y<\/td>3.6-6<\/td>no<\/td><\/tr>
PVC +90\u00b0C<\/td>Yw<\/td>4-6.5<\/td>no<\/td><\/tr>
P.E<\/td>2Y<\/td>2.3<\/td>yes<\/td><\/tr>
PE foamed<\/td>02Y<\/td>1.6-1.8<\/td>yes<\/td><\/tr>
PP<\/td>9Y<\/td>2.3-2.4<\/td>yes<\/td><\/tr>
PP foamed<\/td>
<\/td>		1.6-1.8<\/td>yes<\/td><\/tr>
PUR<\/td>11Y<\/td>4-7<\/td>yes*<\/td><\/tr>
FEP<\/td>6Y<\/td>2.1<\/td>no<\/td><\/tr>
*Dependent on flame retardants used<\/sup><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Clean data transmission is achieved through proper cable construction. A solid wire, which is perfectly round and has a uniform diameter, provides the best electrical performance. For industrial Ethernet and bus cables, the AWG construction is preferred, because this flexible construction results in a round conductor. Metric cables are not suitable for this application because they have a bonded construction and are not round. This leads to variable capacities that strongly influence data transmission at high frequencies.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Common Mistakes When Selecting Industrial Ethernet and Bus Cables<\/h2>

1. Low-frequency cables for high-frequency applications<\/strong><\/h3>

Selecting low-frequency cables for high-frequency Ethernet connections is a common cause of data transmission failure. These cables also have low capacitance, but exhibit a different characteristic impedance than what is required by the Ethernet standard. This leads to a mismatch or discontinuity. In low-frequency data cables, all pairs are laid in parallel. This means that all four laying lengths are the same. Ethernet cables used in high-frequency applications must also be optimally decoupled. This is achieved by using four different laying lengths, which are measured individually. The positions of the twisted pairs within the overall construction must also be taken into account.<\/p>


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\"Poor<\/div><\/div>
Bad disconnection (left) and good disconnection (right)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

2. Classic twisted pairs instead of a star quad<\/strong><\/h3>

Many industrial communications standards, such as PROFInet, EtherCAT or SERCOS III, use cables with two twisted pairs twisted into a star-quad for data transmission. All four cores are turned into a perfectly round shape. The advantage of this is that there are no differences in transit time. This is in contrast to classic twisted pairs, where the individual twisted pairs must have two different twisted lengths due to the required decoupling. If the wrong twisted pair cable is used, it can cause problems with transmission and throughput times.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"2<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

2 Couples<\/strong><\/h3>