The growing demand throughout the world for precision, reliability and safety in the field of temperature-measurement and regulation techniques, which covers everything from a simple furnace to nuclear power plants; this has led to the increasing substitution of conventional cables by Mineral Insulated Cables.

Mineral Insulated metal sheathed cables are proven choice in industries it comprises a metal sheath in which thermoelectric conductors or copper conductors are embedded in highly compressed MgO insulation. The metal other sheath protects the inner wire (i.e. thermocouple conductor) against contamination. Metal sheath makes it moisture proof, weldable, compact and mechanically strong. Another distinct advantages, especially in thermocouple cable are, it allows, fabrication of thermocouple in small diameter.

The thermocouples, manufactured from MI thermocouple cables are flexible in design and can penetrate to odd location where ordinary thermocouple cannot approach. The small mass and higher thermal conductivity enables fast thermal response. Is general, the standard features and advantages of MIMS cables are:

• High Insulation Resistance Conductor / Sheath and Conductor / Conductor.
• Long Life.
• Easy Installation
• Mechanical Strength
• Safety
• Rapid Response
• Dielectric Strength
• Radiation Resistance
• Corrosion and Scaling Resistance
• Long Lengths
• Small Cable Diameter

Manufacturing Process. 
MIMS Cables are manufactured by using a higher diameter tubes and conductors. The conductors are inserted into metal pipe. The conductors are properly spaced in the pipe by using crushable Mgo blocks. These Mgo blocks provide insulation between the conductors as well as with the wall. Also these blocks maintain the geometry, i.e. the position of conductors. Processing of MIMS cables includes:

• Cleaning of tubes.
• Insertion of conductor into the bocks.
• Host filling (I,e, insertion of conductors along with the blocks into the pipe).
• Swaging (this operation crush the MgO blocks).
• Drawing (The diameter is reduced by successive drawing which also ensures compact powder around the conductors).
• Inter pass annealing (Various annealing are required to achieve the metal properties back, which are disturbed in drawing process. This annealing is conducted in controlled environment to retain the chemical properties of the sheath material).
• Pickling and finishing.

Techno offers wide range of MI cables for the production of thermocouples and RTD assembly. The standard OD of cables are 1.6 mm,3mm,4.5mm,6mm and 8mm. They are available with outer sheath of SS304, SS 316l, Inconel 600, Incolloy 800, SS310 and SS 321.

You can also visit http://www.technocontrols.com/micable.htm for more information.