Flat Cables

Flat cables are used in computers for internal connections to peripherals. They consist of highly stranded, individually insulated conductors that are laid parallel and then fused in a flat, flexible ribbon form. Flat cables distribute the mechanical load over the total width of the cable, improving heat dissipation and eliminating the need for large conductors. Unlike conventional round wire cables, flat cables do not require redundant insulating materials, fillers, and tapes. Because the conductor spacing is fixed and the geometry is constant, electrical characteristics such as impedance, capacitance, time delay, cross talk, and attenuation remain constant. Important specifications for flat cables include the number of conductors, cable width, cable pitch, rated voltage, and rated temperature. In North America, wire area is measured by the American Wire Gauge (AWG) to indicate conductor size. Outside of North America, conductor size is measured by the wire area in square millimeters (mm²).  

There are a variety of insulation materials for flat cables. Ethylene propylene diene elastomer (EPDM) is a chemically cross-linked product with excellent flexibility at both high and low temperatures (- 55° C to 150° C). Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), a thermoplastic with strong dielectric properties, is often used in fire-rated cables and in high temperature applications. Polyethylene (PE), another thermoplastic, features a stable dielectric constant over all frequencies and is suitable for low temperature applications. Polypropylene is similar to polyethylene, but is stiffer and has a higher softening temperature. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a general-purpose thermoplastic, is often used in non-plenum wire insulation and cable jackets. A modified version of PVC is used in the jacketing of some plenum-rated cables. Other insulators include proprietary fluropolymers and fluorocopolymers as well as polychloroprene, a silicon rubber that provides excellent flexibility at low temperature, but poor mechanical toughness and fluid resistance.

Flat cables use a variety of cable shielding and cable conductor materials. Cable shielding is an envelope of wires or metal foil that covers the dielectric and center conduction. Typically, shielding for flat cables consists of copper braids; however, another common type is aluminum foil applied to both sides of a supporting mylar or polyester film. Cable conductors are wires or combinations of wires that are not insulated from one another, and that are suitable for carrying electric current. Cable conductors for flat cables are made out of aluminum, aluminum alloys, aluminum-clad steel, copper-clad steel, copper, and copper alloys. Aluminum, a metal characterized by high resistance to corrosion, provides good electrical and thermal properties and a density that is about one-third less than steel, copper, or nickel. Copper is the most widely used electrical conductor and offers excellent corrosion resistance and high thermal conductivity.

• Wiring
  Several types of wire conductors are used to connect electrical systems. Common ones include single wires, twisted pairs, coaxial cable, flexible flat cable, and bundled wires. Single or...
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• Insulation Displacement Connectors (IDC)
  Insulation displacement connectors (IDC) slice through the cable insulation to make a connection. Electrical connection is made when an insulated conductor is forced into a restrictive slot in the...
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• Atlona Flat HDMI Cables are now HDMI 1.3b Certified
  Atlona Technologies (Lenexpo Electronics Company) is one of the industry's faster growing Audio Video Cable Manufactures in the US has announced that their flat HDMI cables are now HDMI 1.3b...
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Part Numbers for Flat Cables