Cable glands are vital and protective covers of cable management systems which provide the function of grounding, insulation and protection.
The beauty of glands is that they have each type available for specific purposes.
They are also used for sealing cables passing through bulkheads.
A similar tool of cable gland is cable grommet. It protects electrical cables from sharp edges, applied stress and other chemical reactive substances. Only there is a difference of names, the glands and cable grommets perform similar functions.
Glands also protect from external hazardous factors such as dirt, pollutants and electrical shocks or short circuits.
Glands are constructed from metallic or non metallic materials depending on which purpose it shall be used for.
Table of Contents
Types
These cables are divided into two main categories on the basis of materials they are made from.
Plastics
Plastic cables are made of nylon and commonly come in a claw or seal design. Some examples include marine, telecommunications and flex cable applications.
Metals
Stability, rigidity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity are some of the featured properties of metallic cables.
Armored
As the name implies, armored cables have extra coatings on them for protection against damage. Armoring often comes in a single wire, double steel tape.
Unarmored
As the name implies, an unarmored cable is not protected. The need for an unarmored cable is not that much in the market because it has not salient features and advantages as that of armored one.
Applications for Glands
- Aerospace glands are used on aircrafts, space vehicles and military crafts.
- Fire cables are used and rated for prevention of fire progression across the fire barrier.
- Industrial glands are used in industrial environments such as factories, plants and mills.
- Railway glands are used for purposes associated with trains and associated installations.
- Cleanroom organs utilize a cleanroom climate with related properties of keeping up with positive strain, anticipation of residue and entrance.
Components of Glands
The components of cable glands consist of five main parts.
The first one is the outer seal nut assembly. The outer seal nut assembly is a detaching part of the cable gland body which can be tightened or loosened to it.
The second part is a clamping ring which acts as an intermediary between the outer nut assembly and the third part. The third part is called an armor cone.
The fourth part of the gland is the deluge seal. The final part is the inner seal assembly which completes the body of the cable grommet.
- A flat washer is a flawless bearing surface that distributes fastener load.
- A load nut is a nut that doesn’t become loose and stays in place.
- A rubber washer helps avoid vibration while lowering noise levels significantly.
- Neoprene rubber seals avoid oxidation, and many petroleum devices.
Double compression glands in addition to the above components have double sealing features. Overall, it has the following components.
- Chuck nut
- Neoprene rubber seal
- Cone ring
- Cone
- Gland body nut
- Gland body
Installation of Cable Grommet
You need to follow certain steps before beginning the installation of glands. The first one is to follow manufacturer’s guidelines and comply with codes of practice.
- Be careful not to damage live entry wires during installation.
- Make sure your glands are not installed to solvents or dirts during the installation process.
- After you are done with these steps, begin by opening the gland and detaching the nut.
Apart from these requirements, gland is part of electrical cable systems that earths, insulates and grounds the overall infrastructure.
These glands are of multiple types and each one has different use. You have to answer certain questions to find the right gland for you. The questions might be like:
Will you be using it for your indoor housing or outdoor management?
Are you using it for an industry or will it be a house?
Will you be using it in a safe area or a dangerous one?
For example, if you are looking for a grommet related to the medical side, brass cables are best. The reason for opting brass is that it has excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. And the last feature of it is anti corrosion.
Another example would be Nylon cable. It is best for use in telecommunications, instrumentation and data cables. It has high flexibility and strain relief.
Conclusion In this article, we discussed Cable glands, their types, applications of glands, components of glands and a guide to installation of cable grommets. Finally, a brief introduction of how to select a particular kind of cable based on the specific purpose was discussed.
You may also like – DC Power Socket
