EoW July 2008

taping, armouring & sheathing of cables

Boosting competitiveness for low voltage cable producers Borealis has launched a high productivity, low voltage cable insulation material designed to boost the competitiveness of cable manufacturers. Making its début at wire 2008, new Visico™ FX LE8823 is said to deliver all-round advances in productivity and cost efficiency, resulting in higher output and increased profitability at the manufacturing stage with knock-on benefits for grid owners and installers. Visico FX is a new base material for low voltage moisture cured XLPE (cross linked polyethylene) cables, for faster production of consistently high quality cables. Its crosslinking speed is twice that of Borealis’ traditional Visico material and typically more than five times that of grafted XLPE materials. This allows cost efficient curing under ambient conditions when used in combination with the Ambicat catalyst, resulting in a more efficient production flow by eliminating production steps and speeding up the overall production process. By removing traditional bottlenecks from XLPE production, Visico FX shortens lead-times, reduces manufacturing complexity and lowers the potential for handling-related errors. At the same time, it delivers the environmental and cost-related benefits of reduced energy usage, and minimised handling and production space requirements. In addition to advances in curing speed, Visico FX improves productivity by delivering a consistent product with less down time for cleaning. Suitable for running on standard extruder equipment, the new material shares the scorch retarder technology of standard Visico material, creating a smooth production process with minimum change, higher output and less waste. Visico FX also offers time and cost saving benefits to grid owners and cable installers. The material gives cables greater flexibility, thus improving ease of installation and so reducing time and cost. Hans Christian Ambjerg, vice president of Borealis wire and cable, comments: “Borealis’ Visico FX innovation demonstrates our commitment to developing products that respond to the business and sustainability challenges facing the wire and cable industry today. The low voltage cable market in particular faces increasing competition from low cost producers driving down sales margins. Visico FX gives companies a competitive edge by tackling the need for higher productivity and lower costs at the same time as addressing environmental concerns by reducing energy usage and waste generation.” Borealis AG – Austria Fax : +43 122 400 333 Website : www.borealisgroup.com

New 8-pad taping head for Queins

Queins & Co has recently designed a new high-speed 8-pad taping head, mainly used for flat conductors and CTC-strands. The manufacturing range further includes modern concentric and tangential taping heads for paper, plastics and Mica-tape.

The new high-speed 8-pad taping head ▲ ▲

Machines are also available for armouring with galvanised steel wires or steel tapes. Extrusion/sheathing lines are being built for all types of cables and equipped with state-of-the-art electrical controls and measuring instruments. Queins & Co – Germany Fax : +49 2472 3014 Email : info@queins.com Website : www.queins.com

57

EuroWire – July 2008