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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

Three-High Mill

A stand that has three rolls, one above the other. The material that is being rolled passes one way between the bottom and middle rolls, and the other way between the middle and top rolls. The rolls are driven so that the top and bottom rolls revolve clockwise while the center roll turns counterclockwise. Thus a piece fed between the top and center rolls may be returned through the center and bottom rolls.

Three-Phase Circuit

A polyphase circuit of three interrelated voltages for which the phase difference is 120°. The common form of generated power, three-phase current is delivered through three wires, with each wire serving as a return for the other two and with three current components differing in phase successively by one-third cycle or 120 electrical degrees. A four-wire system, which includes a ground, is sometimes used in local installations.

Three-Quarters Hard

A temper of nonferrous alloys characterized by values of tensile strength and hardness about three-quarters of the way between dead soft and full hard.

Three-Way Switch

A switch used in pairs to control one piece of electrical equipment from two different points.

Three-Wire System

A DC or single-phase AC system comprising three conductors, one of which (the neutral wire) is maintained at a potential midway between the potential of the other two.

Thumper

1) A device used to locate faults in a cable by the release of power surges from a capacitor, characterized by the audible noise when the cable breaks down. 2) The mechanism within a cable-packaging machine that shakes the container by raising and rapidly dropping the container a short distance. Used to settle the cable within the pack, enabling more cable to fit into the container.

THW

Designation for thermoplastic, vinyl insulated, flame-resistant, heat and moisture resistant building cable, 75°C (167°F) dry and wet locations.

THWN

Designation for thermoplastic insulated, heat and moisture resistant, nylon jacketed cable, 600 volt, 75°C (167°F), dry and wet locations.

THWN-2

Designation for thermoplastic insulated, heat and moisture resistant, nylon jacketed building cable, 600 volt, 90°C (194°F) dry and wet locations.

TIA

Designation for either 1) Telecommunications Industry Association, a national standards-making body. 2) Tentative Interim Amendment. Issued to make corrections or cover advancement in the art. Made obsolete by a new issue of the National Electrical Code.

Tie Wire

1) Wire used for binding wire coils. 2) Interlocking wires that secure the ends of furniture springs to one another.

Tie Wire, Concrete

Wire used to tie together steel reinforcing rod lengths that are embedded in concrete as it is poured. The tied steel assemblies strengthen the concrete section. The steel wire is manufactured to critical specifications for strength, ductility and its bonding ability to the concrete.

TIG

Designation for tungsten inert gas welding.

Tilting Table

1) A device used in the rod-rolling operation to receive and deliver billets or to guide rod between stands. 2) Also, a device used to orient coils of rolled rod for packaging and handling, sometimes called an “up-ender.”

Tin

Element, chemical symbol Sn. Tin is a soft, silvery-white metal with high malleability and ductility, but very low tensile strength. It has hardening effects on copper. With a melting point of 232°C (449°F) and a boiling point of 2270°C (4120°F), tin has the longest molten-state range of any common metal.

Tin Coating Test

The continuity of the tin layer on steel wire can be tested by placing the wire, after a thorough cleaning, in a solution at 30°C (86°F) made up of gelatine, potassium ferricyanide, ordinary salt and distilled water, for a period of 1 to 3 hours, when porous areas appear as blue spots. The average weight of tin coating on steel wire is determined by dissolving it in hydro­chloric acid with antimony-trioxide, and finding the difference in weight of the sample before and after treatment.

Tin Man’s Solder

A soft solder composed of approximately two parts tin and one part lead.

Tin Overcoat

Tinned copper wire, stranded, then coated with pure tin.

Tin Pest

The tendency of tin cooled to low temperatures, specifically lower than 13°C (56°F), to crumble into a powder known as “gray tin,” an allotropic modification.

Tin/Chrome Plating

A plating process whereby the molecules from the positively charged tin or chromium anode attach to the negatively charged metal cathode. The thickness of the coating is readily controlled through regulation of the voltage and speed of the sheet through the plating area.
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