APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation Cable

What is APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation Cable?

The APL ICAM armoured instrumentation cable is a low-voltage, individual and collectively screened, aluminium-polyethylene laminated armoured multi-pair and multi-triple instrumentation cable featuring stranded annealed bunched copper conductors, XLPE insulation, dual Al/PET electrostatic shielding, PVC bedding, and a black PE outer sheath complying with SANS 1411 standards. It is designed for fixed interconnection up to 300/500V between field sensors, measuring transmitters, electronic monitors, and supervisory distributed control systems (DCS) in heavy industrial and petrochemical plants.

Engineered to ensure complete signal fidelity across electrically hostile environments, the cable utilizes pair-by-pair individual shielding alongside an overall metallic wrap to eliminate capacitive cross-talk and static electromagnetic interference. The integrated Aluminium Polyethylene Laminated (APL) armouring layer functions as a robust radial moisture barrier and physical armour that protects internal conductors from mechanical crushing, chemical contamination, and moisture ingress while preserving electrical transmission parameters up to +105°C.

APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation Cable Construction

• Conductor: Stranded annealed bunched plain copper conductors providing low electrical resistance and dependable transmission continuity.
• Insulation: Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) compound offering exceptional dielectric strength, low mutual capacitance, and continuous operation up to +105°C.
• Individual Screen: Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) with a tinned copper drain wire over each pair or triple to eliminate cross-talk between adjacent circuits.
• Overall Screen: Collective Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) with a tinned copper drain wire providing 100% electrostatic coverage against external high-frequency noise.
• Bedding / Inner Sheath: Extruded Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) compound serving as a robust intermediate cushion for the armour layer.
• Armour: Aluminium Polyethylene Laminated (APL) sheath with a bunched tinned copper drain wire for enhanced mechanical protection and radial water-tight barrier defense.
• Outer Sheath: Heavy-duty Polyethylene (PE) compound delivering superior environmental toughness, abrasion resistance, and moisture impermeability.
• Core Identification: Pairs: White and Black cores, numbered; Triples: White, Black, and Red cores, numbered.
• Sheath Colour: Black.

Applications

APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation cables are specifically designed for low-frequency analog and digital signal circuits, temperature sensors, transducer monitoring, and automated process control loops where noise immunity and physical barrier protection are paramount. The moisture-impermeable APL barrier and tough PE outer jacket make them ideal for outdoor installations, industrial cable trays, underground ducts, and harsh chemical processing plants.

Typical installation environments include:

• Petrochemical & Refining Complexes: Critical analog sensor circuits routed across plant racks exposed to chemical moisture and mechanical hazards.
• Power Generation & Substation Automation: Interconnecting SCADA networks, temperature monitors, and control panels in high EMI environments.
• Water Treatment & Heavy Industrial Processing: Harsh, moist outdoor duct runs requiring radial water barriers and robust APL mechanical shielding.
• Distributed Control Systems (DCS) & PLCs: Transmitting precision 4-20mA instrumentation loops requiring total suppression of static noise and cross-talk.

Specifications & Dimensions

The APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation cable range covers multi-pair (2P up to 24P) and multi-triple (4T up to 24T) configurations across nominal conductor cross-sections of 0.5mm², 1.0mm², and 1.5mm². Operating at a rated voltage of 300/500V with a maximum continuous conductor temperature of +105°C, the cable maintains a compact minimum bending radius of 9× overall diameter. Maximum conductor DC resistance values at 20°C range from 39.0 Ω/km (0.5mm²) down to 13.3 Ω/km (1.5mm²), with nominal mutual capacitances between 100 nF/km and 120 nF/km, nominal ground capacitance from 200 nF/km to 240 nF/km, and inductances between 0.629 mH/km and 0.707 mH/km, all manufactured in strict accordance with SANS 1411 and international manufacturing tolerances.

Standards

Huadong Cable Group manufactures and factory-inspects APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation cables in full compliance with rigorous international safety and quality standards:

Design & Material Standards: SANS 1411 Part 4, SANS 1411 Part 2 Type B1, SANS 1411 Part 7
Voltage Rating (Uo/U): 300/500V
Temperature Spectrum: Maximum operating temperature: +105°C
Minimum Bending Radius: 9× overall diameter
Regulatory Compliance: CE Marked, Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, RoHS Directive 2015/65/EU, REACH Directive EC 1907/2006

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the operational benefit of having both individual and overall (ICAM) Al/PET screens?
A: The individual screen isolates paired or tripled circuits from one another to eliminate signal cross-talk, while the collective overall screen shields the entire cable bundle from external electromagnetic pulses and static noise.

Q: How does the APL (Aluminium Polyethylene Laminated) armouring differ from traditional steel wire armour (SWA)?
A: APL armouring provides a lightweight, corrosion-proof mechanical protection layer that also acts as an impervious radial moisture barrier, preventing water and chemical ingress into the cable core without adding the heavy weight of steel wire.

Q: Why is XLPE insulation preferred over PVC for high-precision instrumentation circuits?
A: XLPE exhibits lower dielectric losses, superior thermal performance up to +105°C, and stable mutual capacitance characteristics, ensuring minimal signal attenuation over extended cable transmission lengths.

Q: What payment terms does Huadong Cable accept for international industrial export orders?
A: We accept standard international commercial payment terms including Telegraphic Transfer (T/T) and 100% Irrevocable Letter of Credit (L/C) at sight for engineering contractors, petrochemical plants, and automation system integrators.

Why Choose Huadong Cable for APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation Cable?

Huadong Cable Group manufactures APL ICAM Armoured Instrumentation cables in strict compliance with SANS 1411 specifications to satisfy the exacting requirements of process control engineers. Utilizing high-purity oxygen-free stranded annealed plain copper conductors, our automated extrusion lines apply cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation to ensure consistent mutual capacitance and thermal resilience up to +105°C. Combined with individual and collective Al/PET screening tapes with continuous tinned copper drain wires, an inner PVC bedding, and an APL moisture-armour barrier sealed under a tough black PE outer sheath, our cables deliver total noise cancellation, high physical crush resistance, and impervious moisture protection across hazardous industrial environments.

With more than 20 years of precision cable engineering expertise, Huadong Cable Group operates fully automated multi-pair cabling, metallic taping, laminating, and jacket extrusion lines certified to ISO 9001, CE, RoHS, and REACH protocols. By eliminating commercial middlemen, we offer competitive direct factory pricing, 100% Mill Test Certificates (MTC) tested in accredited testing facilities, tailored continuous drum lengths on ISPM 15 export wooden reels, and seamless door-to-port logistics for EPC contractors and industrial instrumentation builders worldwide.