Braiding cable

Shield and ground electronics and ensure that systems and infrastructure are built durable and safe from harm with RS unbeatable range of braided cables.

Our dependable cables are produced from quality conductor materials like brass and copper wire, and polyester yarns. They come in a whole host of sizes, widths, and other specifications. And however much or many cable braids you need, our exceptional selection and availability means that you can easily meet your project requirements.

Explore hundreds of braided wire cables from trusted manufacturers and suppliers - names like Olympic Wire and Cable Corp., Rittal, and HellermannTyton. Click the PDF icon next to each product to access in-depth technical information.

Learn more about braiding cables plus their uses and benefits below, and get in touch if you have questions. Alternatively, visit our expert hub for in-depth electronics and automation guides.

What is a braiding cable?

A braiding cable is a braided metal or plastic tube, wire, or flat cable used to shield, ground, connect, protect, and bond equipment and components. They are used in a whole host of settings and industries, from mining, to manufacturing, all the way to aerospace.

Cable braids are formed by weaving thin metal or polyester wires into a braid. This braided construction affords the overall wire far greater strength and additional electronic performance and properties compared to single wires - protection from electromagnetic interference, for instance.

The exact shape of cable braids is dependent on their exact use. A hollow polyester braided electrical cord may be used to protect computer wires in an office. Flat copper braid is often used to ground equipment or as part of a flexible connection between large pieces of infrastructure. And braided electrical wire can be used to shield electronics from interference, such as in coaxial cables.

What are the benefits of braided wire cable?

Braided wire cables provide a wide range of useful benefits:

• Exceptionally durable - Braided cables are extremely durable since braids have a much higher tensile strength compared to single wires or simple bundles of wires. That makes them an excellent choice for wiring that needs to be both flexible and protected from abrasion and cutting - areas of high footfall, moving equipment, or crucial infrastructure, for instance.

What's more, the materials used to form them, such as copper, are often resistant to temperature, chemicals, and solvents.

• Interference-shielding - Braided electrical wire can protect wires from experiencing electromagnetic interference (EMI). This can be useful in electronics and computing - braided PC cables are common, for instance.

EMI includes phenomena such as the proximity effect (where current is greater in smaller regions of coiled wire) and skin effect (where currents are denser near the surface of a conductor). Electromagnetic induction (where magnetic fields can affect the current flow within nearby conductors) can also be reduced.

• Excellent connectivity - When used to transmit electrical currents, braided electrical cord offers excellent connectivity due to the number of wires constituting them and the braid's long-term durability. That makes them a viable choice for low-resistance grounding wires.

What types of braided wire cables are available?

RS stocks a wide range of braided wire cables:

• Flat braid - Often produced from copper and used as a grounding strap, these braids are flat in appearance, with no hole running through them.
• Tubular braid - Strong and flexible, tubular cable braids are often used to shield electronic cables from interference, as they can be easily threaded through the center of the tube.

It is for this reason that tubular cable braid is often manufactured with heat-shrink properties. The single core is threaded through the middle, then the braid is heated so that it fits tightly to the core.

Why choose RS' braided cables?

RS has been working alongside the best and brightest electronics and automation component producers for many decades. In that time, we have forged close relationships that have provided us with access to the very best braided copper, brass, and polyester wire cables available.

For reliability and performance, you can trust our braiding cables over the long term, reducing your maintenance costs and improving efficiency. Produced by top manufacturers such as Alpha Wire, Belden, and Heyco, and with the cost-conscious yet dependable RS PRO range on hand, you can keep your electronics shielded, grounded and secure.

Explore our extensive range of braided copper wires, braided polyester cables and more below. Get in touch if you have any queries and, while you're waiting for your order to arrive, be sure to check out our expert hub of guides and articles to learn more about electronics.