Listen to this article

OKI Electric Cable, a subsidiary of Japan’s OKI Group, launched its Ultrafine diameter robot cable, ORP-30F, and Ultrafine diameter cable, OFV-30F. The cables offer fineness for wiring in confined spaces inside industrial robots and machine tools.

The ORP-30F cable is designed for use in the moving parts of industrial robots and machine tools. It incorporates a special elastomer insulation material developed by OKI Electric Cable to impart both toughness and sliding characteristics, realizing the high durability required of movable wire to accommodate machine movements, including bending, sliding and twisting.

“In recent years, more and more manufacturing facilities have introduced industrial robots and machine tools in pursuit of labor and power savings, and demand has also grown for downsizing such machinery,” said Hideo Yamaguchi, president of OKI Electric Cable. “In response, OKI Electric Cable has developed two types of ultrafine diameter cables. These cables offer up to approximately 30% smaller diameter than existing products for use with equipment with voltage ratings up to 30V.”

Designed for use with fixed machinery components, the OFV-30F Cable incorporates cross-linked PVC (polyvinyl chloride) for heat resistance. Both cables incorporate newly developed manufacturing technologies to form the thin-walled insulation material and optimize the cable structure.

The ORP-30F cable is available with a minimum external diameter of 2.1 mm, and the OFV-30F Cable is available with a minimum external diameter of 2.7 mm. OKI Electric Cable said this allows wiring in confined spaces, and contributes to machinery downsizing. In addition, enhanced oil resistance of the PVC sheathing allows deployment in harsh environments, including those in which cables are exposed to cutting fluid, a substance that typically degrades exterior sheathing.