COF - Facts of Friction5 Aug, 2021 Coefficient of friction (COF) has largely been a subjective number derived from a designer’s requirement to install cable safely. Cable manufacturers’ cable jacket formulations and products available to install the cables in earlier times were rudimentary at best and designs reflected the need to account for such situations. Advances in technologies like Polywater lubricants enable cables to be installed longer distances at lower tensions. Polywater has invested over 40 years of their time into understanding the missing link for engineers and installation professionals, an integral part of the pulling equation, the coefficient of friction. What is evident today is that designers, engineers, and asset owners are largely unaware of the COF and how they settled on a COF estimate when designing cable installations. This is not anyone’s fault rather a historical reprise from engineer to engineer based on outdated data that has traversed the years without challenge. In this time, technology has moved forward and now provides them with the ability to manage and adjust this design parameter. Whilst many engineers know about lubricants, the true value of these products are misunderstood. Our partner, Polywater offers know-how and tools to its key partners and the cable industry to enable effective pulls and conduit systems. Friction is the force generated when the cable jacket and the conduit rub together when the cable is pulled through the duct. Friction creates tension on the cable which limits the distance that the cable can reach before it is damaged. Each jacket and conduit material configuration results in a different COF, making it dynamic. This dynamic situation means that a one size fits all approach will not work. That realization that each pull has unique characteristics creates a positive effect on the cable design and pulling experience. Polywater has engineered over 30 types of lubricants for power cable and telecommunication installations. Understanding the many factors that affect COF and measuring how they influence the generation of pulling tensions and sidewall pressures give the end-user an essential baseline understanding of options, including the ideal type of lubricant for the jacket/conduit combination. Lubricants are not all the same, the best results come from the understanding of the dynamic COF that exists in the cable pulling world. Polywater has this understanding and are well advanced in the generation of COF data. If you are interested further in the resources that Polywater can contribute to your project, contact TEN for more information. Call 07 3212 8999 Lindsay Taylor Group Business Development Manager |
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