The Tug-of-War Between Speed and Strength

How to strike a balance between cable performance and resilience.

In aerospace and defense applications, cables hold vast mechanical responsibility. Quietly operating in the background, they are expected to successfully transmit signals and data in some of Earth's harshest conditions, needing to withstand extreme winds, temperatures and vibrations. The main challenge lies in achieving the optimal balance between cable performance and rugged resilience. Here, Jeff Wood, from mil-spec cable specialist WireMasters, explains the importance of both performance and resilience in wiring solutions for aviation and military, and how to find a middle ground that best fits the application.

Often, a successful cable design is associated with its speed or bandwidth. While both qualities contribute towards high cable performance, durability can consequently be overlooked. However, a resilient cable provides longevity, ruggedness and reliability, which are crucial to aerospace and military applications in demanding environments. Instead of maximizing one or the other, good cable solutions intelligently integrate both performance and durability into their designs.