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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

MegaHertz

One thousand kilohertz or 1 million cycles per second. See Hertz.

Megarad

A unit for measuring radiation dosage.

Megavolt

One million volts.

Megawatt

One million watts.

Megohm

One million ohms.

Megohmmeter

A testing device that applies D.C. voltage to a conductor and measures the resistance of the conductor’s insulation in millions of ohms.

Melamine

Melamine, a chemical compound (triamino-triazine) consisting of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen, is a white crystalline powder. For wire and cable, it is most often used in its pure form as a flame retardant.

Melt

The liquid steel contained in a Basic Oxygen Furnace or Electric Arc Furnace. The term is also applied to other molten metals.

Melt Index

Extrusion rate of a thermoplastic material through an orifice of specified diameter and length under specified conditions of time, temperature and pressure.

Melting Time

The time required for an overcurrent to melt a fuse protecting a circuit.

Member

1) A group of insulated wires to be cabled with other stranded groups. 2) A group of bare conductors that are wound together. Several members are then combined to make the core.

Mer

The repeating structural unit of any high polymer.

Merchant Mill

A rolling mill used to make a variety of products with different cross­ sections.

Mesh

1) A woven wire screen with an open texture and evenly spaced holes. 2) Also short for “mesh size,” the identifying number of the finest screen of a specified standard scale through which almost all the particles of a powder sample will pass. 3) A welded wire form used for concrete reinforcement.

Messenger

A bare wire used to support a suspended aerial cable. Usually a high-strength steel wire, it may be an integral part of the cable or on the exterior.

Metal Filter

A filter used in the continuous casting process to remove existing oxide particles from the molten alloy.

Metal-Clad Cable

A multiconductor cable, similar to A.C. cable, in which the core is enclosed in a flexible metal covering. The conductors are twisted together under aluminum or steel armor, with or without an overall PVC covering. The armor may be made with an interlocking spiral strip or from a single smooth or corrugated piece of metal.

Metal-Clad Switchgear

Switchgear having each power circuit device in its own metal enclosed compartment.

Metallic Braid

Braiding cables using metallic braid shield are made by crossing a number of metallic strands alternately over and under other strands in a controlled manner. This process creates a flexible covering that will help prevent stray electrical charges from interfering with currents in the core of the covered wire or cable. Such shields are used in electronic cables and are effective within certain ranges of frequencies.
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