Term
Definition
American Wire Gauge (AWG)
A standard for expressing wire diameter. As the AWG number gets smaller, the wire diameter gets larger.
Anneal
To soften and relieve strains in any solid material, such as metal or glass, by heating to just below its melting point and then slowly cooling it. Annealing generally lowers the tensile strength of the material, while improving its flex life and flexibility.
AWG
American Wire Gage. A wire diameter specification. The smaller the AWG number, the larger the wire diameter.
Bunch Strand
Conductors twisted together with the same lay and direction without regard to geometric pattern.
Circular Mil
Area of a wire that is one-thousandth of an inch (.001 inch, one mil) in diameter. This area is pi/4 of a square mil. The circular mil area (CMA, cmil) equals the diameter in mils squared. By knowing the CMA of various conductors, they can be used to determine what conductivity and gage size various combinations will produce.
Cladding
A low refractive index material that surrounds the core of an optical fiber causing the transmitted light to travel down the core and protects against surface contaminant scattering or a layer of metal applied over another. Cladding is often chosen to improve conductivity or to resist corrosion.
Concentric Stranding
A group of uninsulated wires twisted together and containing a center core with subsequent layers spirally wrapped around the core with alternating lay directions to form a single conductor.
Conductor
A substance, usually metal, used to transfer electrical energy from point to point.
Copperweld
Trademark of Copperweld Steel Co. for copper-clad steel conductor.
Drain Wire
A non-insulated wire in contact with parts of a cable, usually the shield, and used in the termination to that shield and as a ground connection.
Equilay
More than one layer of helically laid wires with the length of the lay the same for each layer.
ETP
Abbreviation for a copper refining process called Electrolytic Tough Pitch. This process produces a conductor that is 99.95% pure copper (per ASTM B115) resulting in high conductivity.
Gage
The physical diameter of a wire. A standard for expressing wire diameter. As the AWG number gets smaller, the wire diameter gets larger.
OFHC
Abbreviation for oxygen-free, high conductivity copper. It has 99.95% minimum copper content and an average annealed conductivity of 101% compared to standard copper.
Rope Strand
A conductor composed of groups of twisted strands.
Signal Conductor
A conductor in a transmission cable or line that carries electrical signals.
Skin Effect
The tendency of alternating current to travel only on the surface of a conductor as its frequency increases.
Strand
A single uninsulated wire.
Stranded Conductor
A conductor composed of groups of uninsulated wires.
Unilay
A conductor with more than one layer of helically laid wires with the direction of lay and length of lay the same for all layers.