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The Book of Terms

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The Book of TermsThe WJI Book of Wire & Cable Terms: an interactive experience of learning and sharing
This book, written by industry volunteers and containing more than 5,000 entries, is an asset for newcomers to wire and cable.

At the same time, it also represents an opportunity for industry veterans to give back by either updating or adding to the more than 5,000 entries. This is an honor system process. Entries/updates must be non-commercial, and any deemed not to be so will be removed. Share your expertise as part of this legacy project to help those who will follow. Purchase a printed copy here.

   

 

0-9   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

High-Strength Alloy Conductor

A conductor that shows a maximum 20 percent increase in resistance and a minimum of 70 percent increase in breaking strength over the equivalent construction in pure copper and a minimum elongation of 5 percent in 254 mm (10 in.). As required, the alloy should be capable of sustaining continuous exposure to temperatures as high as 300°C (480°F) without suffering an appreciable permanent change in properties.

High-Strength/Low-Alloy Steel

A specific class of low-alloy steels with enhanced mechanical properties that result from incorporating small amounts of one or more alloying elements other than carbon. Enhanced strength is often achieved by very fine grain structure. These are more economical than alloy steels because of the low level of alloying elements.

High-Temperature Oxidation

A condition that takes place during the heat-treating or annealing operation, resulting in symptoms such as loss of ductility and surface discoloration. It may be compounded by water vapor in the furnace.

Hinge Strip

Rolled strip specially straightened, primarily intended for the manufacture of long or continuous hinges.

HMWPE

Designation for High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Used in applications where a high degree of mechanical abuse resistance is desirable.

Hochstader Cable

A screened cable in which each core is fully insulated and provided with a layer of metal tape or metallized paper. A copper-woven fabric tape is applied over the laid-up cores to ensure contact between the core screen and the lead sheath.

Holding

A term in heat treating where the portion of the thermal cycle during which the temperature of the object is maintained constant.

Holding Furnace

1) A small furnace for maintaining molten metal temperature between the melting furnace and casting machine. 2) A furnace used to hold material at elevated temperature for either heat treating or forming. Referred to as a “soaking” operation.

Holding Strength

Ability of a connector to remain assembled to a cable when under tension.

Hole

Term used in the same sense as the word “pass.” A wire drawn through one die only is said to be one-holed or single-holed.

Hollander Weave

Uses include excep­tionally fine screening of chemicals in both powder and liquid state. Woven in a very wide variety of meshes, it is in effect a wide slot mesh. The weft wire is lighter and woven closely together, while the warp is heavier, spaced farther apart, and is not crimped by the weaving. This construction gives a very firm strong cloth with a very fine mesh suitable for filtering, because it has a tapered or wedge-shaped opening.

Hollow Copper Conductor

A hollow copper conductor is basically an electrical conductor that integrally provides a means of heat exchange. A cooling fluid is passed through the interior of the conductor and carries away the heat generated by the flow of the electrical current.

Hollow Shape

A shape, any part of whose cross-section completely encloses a void.

Hollow-Core Annular Conductor

A conductor composed of a plurality of conducting elements disposed around a supporting member, which does not fill the space enclosed by the elements. Alternately it is a plurality of such conducting elements disposed around a center channel and inter­locked one with the other or so shaped that they are self-supporting. Also called a hollow-core conductor.

Hollow-Drawn Shape

A drawn shape, any part of whose cross-section completely encloses a void.

Hollow-Extruded Shape

An extruded shape, any part of whose cross-section completely encloses a void.

Homogeneous

Usually defined as having identical characteristics throughout. However, physical homogeneity may require only an identical lattice type throughout while chemical homogeneity requires uniform distribution of alloying elements.

Homogeneous Insulation

A complete cable insulation structure whose components cannot be identified as layers of different materials. See Heterogeneous Insulation.

Homogeneous Structure

The metallurgical structure obtained by homogenizing. Where metal is heated to just below the melting point and held there for a period to allow constituents to diffuse throughout the mass. In this industry, this results in a stronger, more ductile structure beneficial to subsequent operations such as rolling and drawing.

Homogenizing

Through heating material prior to heat treating or forming. The term preheating is more common.
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