Stripping yarns!

It's a problem familiar to anyone who has ever had to change a plug or connect a light fitting: you need to strip a cable to expose individual wires, but don't want to risk damaging the wires themselves. The problem, of course, is that, in order to strip the insulating cable, it is necessary to use a sharp blade, something that – unless the user is extremely careful – represents a threat to the wires and the user. Of course, specific cable-stripping tools are available, but these are not cheap and may not always be to hand in a hurry. Of course, this is not necessarily a critical issue in the case of changing a plug, but it takes on a much greater significance when one considers the potential implications of damaging the wires in an industrial cable. The damage and losses that could be caused by the interruption of power or communications as a result of such an apparently minor incident does not bear thinking about for most companies. The Challenge The challenge this month, then, is to devise a means of stripping away the insulation from a cable without putting the crucial wires within at risk. This could perhaps take many forms. For instance, zips could be installed in cables that allow them to be peeled like a banana, but then resealed if necessary. However, it's difficult to see how such a solution would be cost-effective. Equally, a solution could be arrived at whereby a series of fastenings runs up the cable, allowing it to be undone and resealed at will? However, this again would seem to present problems in terms of cost effective insulation and would very probably compromise the successful insulation of the wires. The solution, then, needs to be simple, quick, safe and cost-effective, allowing easy access to the wires while minimising any risk to the operation of the business or to the person handling the cable. The solution we have in mind is a product that has recently been released by a leading engineering company. It has devised an intelligent solution to strip back long lengths of cable both quickly and easily, simplifying the stripping back of the cables without damaging the cores. The solution allows electrical engineers and panel fitters to save 50% of the cable stripping time typically required using conventional methods, but also avoid the need for additional cable stripping tools. However, you many have a better idea. -Solution- Solution to July 2012 Coffee Time Challenge The solution to the challenge of how to strip electrical cables quickly, efficiently and safely comes from igus, whose chainflex CFRIP an intelligent solution to strip back long lengths of cable both quickly and easily. By integrating a tear strip into the cable jacket, CFRIP simplifies the stripping back of the cables, especially for those with gusset-filled extruded jackets, without damaging the cores. With just a few steps, the outer jacket can be opened like a zipper to the desired length by simply pulling the special CFRIP tear strip. Electrical engineers and panel fitters can not only save 50% of the cable stripping time typically required using conventional methods, but also avoid the need for additional cable stripping tools. The cables are also designed in such a way that the integrated tear strip doesn't damage the outer jacket or cores during operation. igus CFRIP technology is offered in the chainflex CF5 PVC control cable family, where the tear strip is in the outer jacket, and in the chainflex CF6 shielded version, where the tear strip is in the inner jacket. Other types of chainflex cable integrating CFRIP technology are being considered.