Documents

Assembly Houses rely on Alpha Wire to deliver

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 04:29:52 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 4:29:52 AM

Two assembly houses for a large manufacturer of glass containers are graded on their on-time delivery percentage as per their respective contracts. With a strong incentive to deliver on schedule, both companies, who together constitute 100% of the aforementioned manufacturer’s assembly business, have turned to Alpha Wire.

Both assembly houses can use any cable supplier that meets the functional specifications and, for that reason, competitors are aggressively trying to displace Alpha. Nevertheless, Alpha has consistently met or exceeded delivery requirements, helping both companies achieve over 95% on-time deliveries. Furthermore, Alpha has been able to fulfill their needs with little or no forecast information and, due to the specialized nature of these products, no distributor inventory.

Plus, Alpha is able to engineer and supply a very wide range of custom products, thus reducing the assembly houses’ supplier base. Alpha’s knowledgeable engineers kept pace with the multitude of changes that occurred during the quote process.

Currently, Alpha is supplying over 15 different designs and averaging just under 100,000 feet of cable per year with more to come.

Alpha Wire and Contract Manufacturer Share Value Proposition

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 04:18:39 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 4:18:39 AM

For Wes Price of BCP Systems in Orange County, California, business is only as good as his answer to one question. “We always ask ourselves – what value do we add?” says Price, co-founder and President of the 17-year-old contract manufacturing company. “We cannot always compete on a cost level, especially with international labor rates, but we can and do compete on a service level.”

An ISO 9001:2008 Certified organization, BCP prides itself on quality and on-time delivery. Says Price, “Simply put, if we can’t do it right and when you need it, we won’t do it. We do extensive testing to ensure our customers receive a quality product on-time.”

Adherence to that value proposition has led to an industrious relationship with Alpha Wire. “My success is dependent upon timelines of delivery and that’s one thing that is a huge advantage for Alpha Wire. We don’t have to wait a long time for a premium product,” states Price.

Furthermore, BCP tends to go after challenging projects that may require unique solutions. Here, BCP leverages Alpha’s renowned online Cable Design Center®. According to Price, Alpha’s turnaround time is “particularly good on custom-based products,” noting that it is particularly helpful to customers taking advantage of BCP Plus – BCP’s customized online tracking system.

In the end, it all circles back to that simple question of adding value for Price. “My business is based on the success of our customers. If they do well, we do well.”

Short Lead Times from Alpha = Big Business for Contract Manufacturer

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 03:01:14 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 3:01:14 AM

In the end, it all circles back to that simple question of adding value for Price. “My business is based on the success of our customers. If they do well, we do well.”

Alpha takes the heat!

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:50:42 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 2:50:42 AM

Three years ago, a global medical device manufacturer in Ohio was researching cables for a line of sterilization equipment. This particular company specializes in manufacturing machines that sterilize large objects (e.g. chairs, tables, etc.) in both the private and public sector of the healthcare industry. Sterilization equipment is vital in the pharmaceutical, medical device manufacturing, defense and industrial, and healthcare industries. Many people count on this manufacturer to help in the fight against infection and contamination.

Needing a cable able to resist the high amount of heat generated during the sterilization process, they turned to Alpha Wire’s Xtra-Guard® 4 cable. With a high temperature rating of 125°C, Xtra-Guard 4 is the perfect mix of performance and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, Xtra-Guard 4's resistance to oils, solvents, chemicals, and fuels ensures that operators of the sterilization equipment need not be concerned with contamination from such hazardous fluids.

With UL AWM 20237 and UL AWM 20238 ratings, Xtra-Guard 4's capability extends beyond this application. In addition to its high temperature rating of 125°C, it also holds up in temperatures as low as -50°C. Plus, its high-performance TPE insulation and jacket offer three times the low-temperature flexibility of ordinary PVC. Lastly, all Xtra-Guard products provide exceptional protection against EMI and RFI interference when specified with Supra-Shield® foil/braid shielding.

Alpha Wire works overtime to meet new spec

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:37:11 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 2:37:11 AM

Two years ago, Alpha Wire began soliciting a worldwide market leading manufacturer and distributor of high tech medical devices that enable or enhance diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures for computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and cardiovascular applications.

Eventually, the manufacturer placed an order for an obsolete Alpha part number. The Alpha District Manager was quickly notified of the situation and contacted one of our Product Engineers for help. This was not going to be an easy task because this specific Alpha part number was discontinued due to an industry change which required a more compliant compound that did not contain lead and/or other harmful chemicals. In order to gain RoHS status, our Product Engineer worked diligently with the manufacturer’s engineers to design the perfect cable for their application that also met compliance standards. Once this cable was created, Alpha submitted completed samples to the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) to ensure compliance.

The compound limitations that Alpha had to overcome caused an increase in the wall (jacket) thickness of the cable, which in turn increased the overall diameter. Nevertheless, Alpha’s engineering and sales teams worked overtime to figure out a way to fit the newly designed cable into the existing application.

Composite cables simplify design, increase functionality

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:36:22 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 2:36:22 AM

A major trend we are seeing from medical device OEMs lately is the increasing capabilities of connectors and cable components. Custom connectors are simplifying designs and enabling new functionalities. However, custom connectors require composite cables to match up. Composite cables are typically custom built and consist of different types of internal cables and shielding, allowing one cable to perform multiple functions.

In a recent article in Medical Design Technology, Jaime Erickson explains, “The increasing complexity of (medical) systems… challenges device designers to incorporate a more complex physical link between the controllers and their end devices.” Despite the increased complexity of the cables and connectors, composite cables coupled with custom connectors actually reduce the complication of the overall electrical assembly. Instead of multiple cables and connectors, a device can often be condensed to one cable with one connector.

Nevertheless, the one drawback with composite cables is that, as aforementioned, they need to be custom built and tailored to the connector. Although this can lead to proper design and lead-time issues, Alpha Wire’s Cable Design Center® on AlphaWire.com makes the design process quick and easy. Moreover, Alpha Wire’s remarkably short lead times means you do not have to miss deadlines to get the highest-performing cable.

Xtra-Guard Flex easily conquers flexing & noise problems

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:26:36 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 2:26:36 AM

In 2004, an upstart manufacturer of advanced cardiology equipment was having quality issues with its cable harness assemblies. The application was an instrument control system for use in a cath lab that used computer controlled externally applied magnetic fields to govern the motion of the working tip of the device. The harness assemblies run from control panels, often located in another room, to the control on the machine. The assemblies are supported from the ceiling for safety purposes, as the machine does a high degree of tilting and the assemblies can run as long as 80 feet in length.

Needing a precise flexing cable with high resistance to EMI & RFI noise, the company turned to Alpha Wire. Our Xtra-Guard® Flex cables easily handled the moderate flexing and, given that they were specified with our patented Supra-Shield® shielding system, EMI & RFI noise has not been a problem. Since then, this upstart manufacturer has turned into a highly recognized corporation in the medical industry. In fact, the next year they decided to place an order for an entire year’s worth of manufacturing requirements. Luckily, Alpha maintains a high level of inventory to turn orders around as quickly as possible and the order shipped ahead of schedule.

Alpha to the Rescue!

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:14:29 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 2:14:29 AM

A Contract Manufacturer (CM) for the medical industry out of Illinois contacted an Alpha Wire distributor with a problem. The custom cable they had purchased from an Alpha competitor was emitting too much EMI interference noise for their application. The competitive cable spec’ed in wasn't shielded and the CM was now looking for something to cover the cable to reduce the noise within the medical devices being produced. The Alpha distributor, along with Alpha's District Manager and Key Account Specialist, recommended Alpha's tubular braid wire management product which provides ideal shielding effectiveness. The CM found our braid perfect for their application and ordered over 30,000 feet to start! The CM eventually made three braid orders over the next six months to upgrade the competitive cable they had already purchased.

Trend- Miniaturization in Medical Devices

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 01:56:59 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 1:56:59 AM

Perhaps the foremost trend in Medical Devices today is miniaturization. As Steve Kennelly of Microchip Technology stated, “Size is always an important design consideration, but in the case of medical devices, physical size is frequently linked to function.”

Indeed, space constraints and portability needs are the main driving forces behind this trend. In fact, many patients are taking devices home to monitor conditions that warrant constant attention. “A patient is far more likely to use their glucometer, insulin pump, or oxygen concentrator if it’s unobtrusive and easy to carry. Finally, devices like electrocardiograms and automated defibrillators are transitioning from the confines of the hospital to home use,” said Kennelly.

As a result of this portability, Robert Stanton of Omnetics has found that, “The medical industry has seen a rapid increase in the use of digital in items such as catheters, defibrillators, and monitors, and as a result, medical equipment is sending more electrical signals than ever before.”

With an increase in demand for electronic components coupled with the need for smaller devices, manufacturers like Alpha Wire are developing new products to help enable OEMs meet their customers’ demands. Just last year, Alpha introduced an extension of our flagship Xtra-Guard® product line. The new Xtra-Guard 26 and 28 AWG products have the same best-in-class quality and performance in a smaller, more flexible design.

Smaller gauge conductors help reduce the cable diameter, provide better flexibility, increase compatibility with today’s smaller connectors, and still provide the high performance and system reliability for which Xtra-Guard is known. Moreover, the Xtra-Guard 26 and 28 AWG lines are available with Alpha’s patented Supra-Shield®, a proprietary foil/braid high-performance shielding that consists of a trilaminate foil and tinned copper braid to achieve exceptional EMC performance – critical in medical devices.

MRI Machine Calls for Custom Cable

thowlett — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 01:51:02 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by thowlett on 10/7/2021 1:51:02 AM

Recently, one of Alpha Wire’s District Managers (DM) was working with a major medical device manufacturer for a power supply cable in an MRI machine. At first, the customer was looking at Alpha’s Xtra-Guard® 1, Xtra-Guard 2, and Xtra-Guard Flex cables to perform the job. However, the Alpha DM noted that the application would best be accomplished by combining the required 8 and 14 AWG cables into one cable. Furthermore, the cable needed to be flexible enough to make a clean connection in the small and tight area needed for the final application.

At that point, one of Alpha’s knowledgeable Product Engineers was contacted to design the custom-build composite cable. However, the customer was also working with several other cable vendors and contract manufacturers to find the most cost-effective solution. Needless to say, Alpha’s legendary customer service and short lead times made the difference in securing the order.

FIT®︎ Heat-Shrink Tubing

Former Member — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 00:56:09 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by Former Member on 10/7/2021 12:56:09 AM
Need to protect a crimped terminal mechanically or environmentally? Color code wires for easy circuit identification? Make fast, reliable repairs to nicked or worn insulation? Whether your concerns are mechanical strain relief, environmental
sealing, or organizing wires, Alpha Wire’s FIT heat-shrink tubing is ideal for solving many challenges in electrical and
electronic wiring.

Tags: silicone, surface, ptfe, viton, elastomer, heat, fabric, dual, heatshrink, shrink, woven, extruded, polyolefin, wire, flame-retardant, kynar, rubber, semirigid, fit, alpha, irradiated, alphawire, fep

New Insulation Material beats PVC in all Disciplines

Former Member — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 00:50:49 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by Former Member on 10/7/2021 12:50:49 AM
EcoWire - is new environmentally friendly equipment wire. In contrast to standard wires and their PVC coating, the use of EcoWire almost fully eliminates the environmental problems and the possible resulting costs of PVC. There are even more advantages: the EcoWire cables are more fire-resistant, have a diameter that is 25% smaller than a PVC equivalent wire and is therefore lighter and is more ruggedized than the equivalent PVC wire. Today and especially in the future, one special advantage of the EcoWire development is that they lack hazardous materials associated with PVC and are much easier and cheaper to recycle.

Attachments:

community.element14.com/.../Pressemitteilung_2D00_EcoWire_2D00_engl.pdf	Pressemitteilung-EcoWire-engl.pdf
community.element14.com/.../AW_2D00_Pressemitteilung_2D00_EcoWire_2D00_deutsch.pdf	AW-Pressemitteilung-EcoWire-deutsch.pdf

Tags: noryl, pvc, e14news, ul, mppe, ecowire, wire, eco, polyphenylen, alpha, alphawire, ether

Hook-Up Wire

Former Member — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 00:38:05 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by Former Member on 10/7/2021 12:38:05 AM
The broad range of hook-up wire from Alpha Wire means you will find the type exactly suited to your application whether it’s as straightforward as a control cabinet in a protected environment or as specialized as a machine tool on the factory floor, a hightemperature oven, or off-road construction equipment.

Tags: pvc, up, hook-up, hook, wire, pfte, alpha, alphawire

Communication and Control Cable

Former Member — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 00:38:05 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by Former Member on 10/7/2021 12:38:05 AM

Low-Smoke, Zero-Halogen

Choosing the right cable may be one of the most important safety decisions you can make. Common wire and cable insulating materials can emit toxic gases, toxic smoke, and toxic acids when they burn. Alpha Wire offers a complete range of high-performance cable that lowers the amount of smoke and eliminates halogens emitted, without compromising on electrical and mechanical performance.

Attachments:

community.element14.com/.../AL_5F00_1242_5F00_LSZH_5F00_bro_5F00_R7.pdf

AL_1242_LSZH_bro_R7.pdf

Tags: halogen, control, smoke, cable, zero-halogen, low, zero, alpha, alphawire, low-smoke, communication

Understanding Shielded Cable

Former Member — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 00:36:05 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by Former Member on 10/7/2021 12:36:05 AM

Industrial applications such as the factory floor are typically electrically noisy environments. Electrical noise, either radiated or conducted as electromagnetic interference (EMI), can seriously disrupt the proper operation of other equipment. Insulation protects a cable mechanically from scraps and abrasion and environmentally from moisture and spills. But insulation is transparent to electromagnetic energy and offers no protection. Shielding is needed to combat the effects of EMI.

Cables can be a main source of transfer for EMI, both as a source and receiver. As a source, the cable can either conduct noise to other equipment or act as an antenna radiating noise. As a receiver, the cable can pick up EMI radiated from other sources. A shield works on both.

Attachments:

community.element14.com/.../Understanding_2500_20Shielded_2500_20Cable.pdf

Understanding%20Shielded%20Cable.pdf

Tags: multicored, multi, multipaired, guard, xtra-guard, wire, foil, sheilded, screened, xtra, alpha, cored, braid, paired, alphawire

High Performance Flexibility: Alpha Wire's Xtra-Guard Flex Cable Series + Alpha Connect

kjm12121 — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 21:22:04 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by kjm12121 on 10/6/2021 9:22:04 PM

High-Flex, Torsional-Flex, Continuous-Flex

The Flex Cable series from Alpha Wire's Xtra-Guard catalog provide multiple options for moving applications in an industrial setting. Xtra-Guard flex cables meet a wide range of flexing needs from torsional and moderate flexing, to continuous-flexing. Each cable is rated for a number of flex life cycles depending on the particular flex type. Xtra-Guard Flex cables are built to provide superior performance within high-flex, high-torsion, and continuous-flex applications (robotics, automation, & motion control industries).

Flex cables are available in multiple shielding options including a double-jacket configuration with 85% braid coverage to achieve high shielding effectiveness while maintaining the desired flexibility. For torsional flex applications, we offer spiral wound shielding with 90% coverage.

Alpha Wire Xtra-Guard Flex cables are in stock and available for sample requests today.

For more information on the Xtra-Guard Flex cable series, please visit our website www.alphawire.com or contact your local distributor for purchase.

65305 SL (2 AWG, 5 Conductor, Unshielded)
87104 BK (22 AWG, 4 Conductor, Unshielded)
87304 BK (18 AWG, 4 Conductor, Unshielded)
87507 BK (14 AWG, 7 Conductor, Unshielded)
65850 SL (18 AWG, 50 Conductor, Unshielded)
85634 BK (16 AWG, 34 Conductor, Unshielded)
85007CY BK (20 AWG, 7 Conductor, Braid Shield)
87107CY BK (22 AWG, 7 Conductor, Spiral Shield)
87207CY BK (20 AWG, 7 Conductor, Spiral Shield)

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Alpha Connect

Through the use of flexible cordsets & passive distribution boxes, Alpha Connect proves to create an easier, more reliable high performance industrial connectivity system. Alpha Connect is our end-to-end solution for connecting sensors and actuators on the factory floor.

We are stocked on a wide variety of part numbers. Visit our website for more information, to request a connectivity sample, or consult with one of our cable experts on a custom connectivity quote to fit your next application.

FREE SAMPLES

Requesting samples from Alpha Wire is now easier than ever! Submit a Sample Request Form to have your sample order processed in no time. Provide your contact information, product number, and a few additional pieces of information to complete your request.

No account needed
Samples are sent via ground service unless otherwise specified
Request multiple products on the same form - No need to submit separate request forms!

NOTE: We are currently unable to ship to PO Boxes.

Tags: sample request, xg flex, alpha connect, xtra guard, alpha wire, distribution box, alphawire

Documents

migration.user — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 17:55:26 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by migration.user on 10/1/2021 5:55:26 PM

Product Spotlight: Alpha Wire's All New 600 V ThermoThin Hook-Up Wire

kjm12121 — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 18:12:04 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by kjm12121 on 8/28/2017 6:12:04 PM

Alpha Wire now offers ultra-thin hook-up wire with high-temperature capabilities. Watch as Paige DiAntonio, our Product Management Specialist introduces our latest in high temperature hook-up wire. ThermoThin hook-up wire is built to withstand a range of temperatures from -150°C up to +300°C. To learn more about the new ThermoThin product line, please contact your local Alpha Wire representative.

www.youtube.com/watch

Want to try ThermoThin in your current application? Visit www.alphawire.com for more information or to request FREE samples today!

Tags: hookup wire, thermothin, hook-up wire, alpha wire, alphawire