WCA November 2022

Technology News

Final quality assurance of submarine cables The immediate and loss-free transmission of data is a feature of the increasingly digital and globally networked world. In order to be able to transmit large amounts of data quickly across borders and even continents, high-quality submarine cables are required. During production, manufacturers of submarine cables face the challenge of producing cables for long distances with as few joints as possible, as these increase the risk of potential breakdown. To ensure the quality and durability of the cables, manufacturers can use X-ray technology from Sikora for quality control in CV lines.

Chinese manufacturer ZTT uses Sikora’s measuring and control devices of the X-Ray 8000 product range for quality control in its CV line.

The X-Ray 8700 NXT installed at the end of the CV line for final quality control

Worldwide, more than 1,500 devices of the X-Ray 8000 series are in use. The systems precisely measure the concentricity, wall thickness, diameter and ovality of medium, high and extra-high voltage cables with up to three different layers. The X-Ray 8000 Advanced or NXT models are installed at the hot position and immediately provide information for fast centring of the crosshead and automatic control of the parameters. In order to provide customers with the highest possible quality of submarine cable, ZTT also uses the X-Ray 8700 NXT at the end of the CV line for a final quality assurance. The system precisely measures the wall thickness, diameter and eccentricity of the submarine cables, ensuring that only

ZTT uses the X-Ray 8700 NXT for the final quality control in its submarine cable production line

faultless cables are delivered. The X-Ray 8700 NXT can be used for cables with solid, stranded or Milliken conductors with single-, double- or triple-layer insulation. It is also suitable for quality control of insulation material based on polypropylene. By combining the X-Ray 8000 Advanced/ NXT at the beginning and the X-Ray 8700 NXT at the end of the line, the shrinkage values for all three insulation layers of the cable can be determined, ensuring an optimum process control. Sikora AG www.sikora.net

Extrusion head with no hardware, for easy cleaning The Bullet® from Guill Tool is an extrusion head with a fixed-centre, multi-port spiral flow design and gum space adjustment. With no fastening hardware, cleaning and restart are said to be easier and faster than with conventional heads. The new patent-pending Cam Lock® deflector retaining system offers additional benefits to extruders and machine builders. It only takes half a turn of the Cam Lock to remove and install the deflector and tip; no fastening hardware is required. There is a threaded retaining ring for the die and threaded tip retainer; dies are removed from the front and tips from the rear. Tooling retainers also provide gum space adjustment. The next generation of the tool – the Bullet II – allows quick tooling changes, as the tips remove from the back and the die removes from the front of the unit. The absence of fastening hardware eliminates leaking, as does the taper body and deflector design. The Bullet II has no fastening hardware such as nuts and bolts, so disassembly, cleaning and restart are easier

High- and low-volume applications are suitable for this head and are accommodated with the simple changing of just one component. Various crosshead designs are available and users can specify the “calibre” – the maximum die ID. A vacuum chamber and kit for assembly and disassembly are included with the unit. Optional keyed tooling capability offers machine designers and end users quick orientation. The overall unit design enables faster disassembly, cleaning and restart. Guill Tool & Engineering Co, Inc www.guill.com

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November 2022