Sanlo manufactures jacketed aircraft cable in a wide range of materials, constructions, and sizes. Coating aircraft cable in materials such as vinyl or nylon defends against abrasion, adds aesthetic value, and increases corrosion resistance. As an added benefit, jacketed aircraft cable can be used to produce many of the same cable assemblies as bare cable. This does beg one simple question, though. Is it necessary to strip the cable coating prior to swaging on hardware?

The simple answer is yes, because swaged terminals maintain their attachment to cable with friction. In order to ensure appropriate connection, there must be direct contact between the hardware and cable strands. If there is a malleable plastic surface between the fitting and the cable, it may cause the fitting to slide off the end. This poses a severe safety risk that endangers others and puts equipment at risk of damage. It should be noted that under normal conditions, terminals that are properly swaged and appropriately employed will not randomly disconnect from their cable.

Terminals are also only as strong as the surface they are secured to, which means metal-to-metal swaging is essential. Consider the following example. Even if the breaking strength of a cable is 2,400 lbs under its coating, failing to strip that coating prior to swaging would render a terminal only as strong as the outer plastic. As you can imagine, plastic is significantly weaker than steel. This is the same logic that says a 1/4" diameter cable jacketed to 3/8” OD is still only as strong as a bare 1/4" cable. In essence, the coating does not add any breaking strength, and it actually limits hardware performance if not removed prior to swaging.

For more information about incorporating coated aircraft cable into assemblies, visit the custom assemblies page on our website. You can also browse our wide selection of coated cable at https://sanlo.com/product-category/coated-cable/. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at sales@sanlo.com.