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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

PL

Designation for two rubber-insulated, parallel-laid lamp cords with overall cotton or rayon braid. For light duty on small appliances in dry locations, 300V.

Pl. Cu

Designation for plain copper (electric wire).

Plain Carbon Scrap

Scrap steel with less than 1.65 percent manganese, 0.60 percent silicon, or any other alloying element added for a special alloying effect.

Plain Conductor

A conductor that consists of only one metal.

Plain Enamel

The original film type of insulation that was formulated of natural drying oils, gums and resins diluted with coal tar naphtha. Synthetic resins such as isophtalic polyester and modified agents have been developed to produce a product marketed as Plain Enamel. It is noted for its consistency in film build and smooth finish. It is used in applications where winding stresses are at a minimum.

Plain Weave

1) A weave used on woven cables. Threads between the wires act as binders and give the cable lateral stiffness and linear flexibility. 2) A weave widely used for coarse filtering purposes. This application is also called Standard and Square Weave. The standard weave is one in which each warp wire passes over and under the successive rows of weft wires and vice versa. All warp wires are parallel and equally spaced, as are the weft wires.

Planetary Cabler

A versatile cabler that can lay down any number of shielded, over-braided or jacketed single conductors or pairs, called groups, or any combination of these in sequence. These cablers can be operated in tandem. They have become replaced for many applications by tubular stranders.

Planetary Strander

See Strander, Planetary.

Planetary Twister

A twisting machine with payoff spools mounted on rotating cradles that holds the axis of the spool in a fixed direction as the spools revolve. This prevents the wiring from kinking as it is twisted.

Planimeter

An instrument used for measuring of a plane figure, e.g., a sample piece of rod coming from a rolling mill operation.

Plasma

A gas made up of charged particles.

Plasma Arc Weld Surfacing

Technique for fusing a metallic layer on a surface to reconstruct the surface or provide a more wear resistant coating. For example, the wiredrawing industry uses this procedure to fuse a chrome oxide layer to drawing capstans or blocks to increase wear life.

Plasma Arc Welding

A technique of welding two metals where the non-consumable electrode is positioned in chamber within the torch nozzle and a low-current arc is struck between the electrode and the torch nozzle.

Plastic

High polymeric substances, including both natural and synthetic products—but excluding the rubbers—that are capable of flowing under heat and pressure. Commercial plastics come in two resin types: thermoplastic, which repeatedly soften when heated and harden when cooled; and thermosetting, which cure (solidify) under heat and pressure, and are not heat reversible.

Plastic Coating, Electric Wires and Cables

Extrusion of heated plastic over a conductor. The plastic becomes the insulation. Also, the extrusion of heated plastic over several insulated conductors.

Plastic Coating, Steel Wire

Extrusion of heated plastic over ferrous wire coating. It is used for such products from fencing and netting wires to coat hangers and florists’ wire because of its almost indefinite life in all atmospheric conditions and its decorative appeal.

Plastic Coating, Wirework

Wirework is coated with plastic primarily to protect the metal against corrosion and also to provide an attractive appearance in almost any color. Typically, the wire is cleaned, heated, primed, dipped in a ther­moplastic and reheated to sinter or cure the coating. The coating can convey other very valuable properties to the coated article. Depending on the application, the coating may be PVC, polythene or nylon.

Plastic Deformation

Deformation of a material under load (pressure) that results in a permanent change in dimensions. It is the basis for how wire dimension is reduced in a die during the wiredrawing process.

Plastic Dicers

Machines for cutting plastics material in strip form into regularly shaped cubes. Often, dicers are placed in-line with a mixer that extrudes plastic strings that are cooled and cut into pellets by the dicer. Plastic materials are cut into pellets to ensure that the material flows evenly from the hopper into an extruder, and that they are closely packed into the barrel or cylinder of the machine to ensure uniform heating of the plastic material.

Plastic Flow

Term used when a material flows under the influence of an applied pressure. It is a state where a solid material has a flow characteristic similar to a fluid. For example a metal rod changes its diameter and elongates during a wiredrawing operation.
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