Coil cords are used in everywhere. From the telephone wires to the industrial cables, you can find coil cords in an array of applications. These cords typically consist of both straight section of cords and curly cord sections. All of us have had experienced the typical spring like form in them which can only be achieved by wounding the curly sections of the cord around a mandrel. Geometrically these cords are round though even rectangular or oval sections are not rare at times. Following the wounding process the entire cable is given a cover made of polymer and at last heat is applied to give it the coiled shape as we see and use.
Coil cords are used on a wide array of electronic devices. From auto mechanic equipment to medical instruments to electric guitars and musical instruments to telecommunication equipment, coiled cables are used on an array of applications and devices. For many of us the most prominent example of coil cord can be cited in land line phones. Thanks to the coil cord in land lines the receiver can be stretched out across the space of a room without any difficulty. Moreover, just because the cord is coiled much less space is taken by it compared to traditional cords. Though, they can easily be stretched out as and when required. Let us discuss in this blog about the materials used in coil cords, the purposes and applications they serve and the typical advantages they offer for the users.
Coil cord materials
As in most other cable products, coil cords consist of a conducting material inside and insulation outside. There are also coil cords with foil shields. As for conductors in coil cords mostly metals such as copper, tinned copper and aluminum are used. For insulation mostly polyvinyl chloride or PVC and polypropylene PP are the most used materials. In applications where there is enough chances of coming in contact with mineral oils and cutting fluids or chances of abrasions are there, polyurethane PU is mostly used for jacketing.
In most cases, coiled cables are produced respectively in 10 and 20 foot lengths for one increment. To give the cord a spiral shape the metal conductor inside is bound around a tube. The insulation wraps over this conducting material and just on the outer side the protective coating is given. For both stretching out in need of covering length of space and for recoiling to take the storage space, coil cord just offers the ease and flexibility to the user. Because of this flexibility to recoil and stretching out, coil cord has fewer chances of damage and getting affected from the wear and tear of handling.
Different products, uses and applications
According to the specific uses and applications there are various types of coil cords and cables. From the cords used in telecommunication to retractile cords to power cords, there is a whole range of coil cords with different capacity, durability and designated elements for diverse applications. According to various applications they are used in, coil cords can be designated as well. From using in automated equipment to telecommunication products to generators to regular hand tools to electrical musical instruments to soldering irons to medical equipment to portable appliances, coil cords are used across various types of applications.
Advantages of using coil cords
Every one of us experienced situations where too many cords connecting some equipment create a mess that makes challenging to handle them in case of any repairing or technical job concerning the connectivity. To get rid of this mess of too many cords getting tangled into one another, one needs to organize each connecting cable without taking much room. Coil cords having the flexibility of recoiling into a small space just offers an ideal solution to this.
While maintaining order in environments with too many wired instruments is a great advantage, the flexibility of stretching out the cord as and when needed and low footprint because of the recoiling shape are two other important advantages of coil cords. Custom cable manufacturers came up with lowest footprint and highest recoiling capacity to offer more room and flexibility.
Some negative aspects to remember
There are few negative aspects for using coil cords as well though in overall comparison they cannot weigh down the advantages offered by these cords. Irrespective of saving space, they are a little heavier compared to straight ones. Just as they are recoiled in a small space, stretching them too much can be dangerous as well, because springing back they can actually hurt anything in between and even the instrument itself.