Guide

Cable Industry Armor Strip: Properties, Production Processes and CHY Steel Advantage

Guide
CHY Engineering Team

What Is Cable Armor Strip and Why Does It Matter?

In power transmission and distribution cables, the armor strip (armor tape) serves as the mechanical protection layer that shields conductors against crushing, impact, rodent damage, soil pressure and chemical corrosion. Without armor protection, underground power cables, sub-sea cables and industrial plant wiring systems cannot meet the safety and durability requirements defined by international standards.

Turkey ranks among Europe's top 3 cable manufacturers, with annual production exceeding 800,000 tonnes. A significant share of this output relies on galvanized or black-annealed steel strip for armoring. CHY Steel Service Centre supplies cable manufacturers with micron-level tolerance armor strip through precision coil slitting technology.

Steel Grades Used in Cable Armor

Steel Grade	Tensile (MPa)	Yield (MPa)	Elongation (%)	Coating	Application
DC01 (EN 10130)	270–410	≤ 280	≥ 28	Galvanized / Bare	General LV cables
S235JR (EN 10025)	360–510	≥ 235	≥ 26	Galvanized	MV/HV underground cables
DD11 (EN 10111)	≤ 440	≤ 340	≥ 22	Galvanized / Black	Heavy industry & mining
AISI 304 Stainless	515–690	≥ 205	≥ 40	Bare	Chemical & sub-sea

Galvanizing Thickness and Corrosion Life

Strip Thickness (mm)	Min. Coating (g/m²)	Min. Coating (µm)	Expected Life (years)*
0.5 – 0.8	100	14	8–12
0.8 – 1.5	200	28	15–20
1.5 – 3.0	275	39	20–30
3.0 – 5.0	395	55	30–40+

* Under normal atmospheric conditions (C2-C3 corrosion category per EN ISO 1461)

Dimensions and Tolerances

Parameter	Standard Range	CHY Tolerance	Industry Average
Thickness	0.2 – 1.5 mm	±0.02 mm	±0.05 mm
Width	6 – 125 mm	±0.1 mm	±0.3 mm
Burr Height	–	≤ 5% of thickness	≤ 10%
Flatness	–	≤ 2 mm/m	≤ 5 mm/m
Coil ID	508 mm	400/508/610 mm	508 mm

CHY Precision Slitting Process

Incoming Inspection: Spectrometer analysis, thickness measurement and surface inspection of master coils.
Uncoiling: Hydraulic mandrel with tension-controlled unwinding.
Leveling: 17-roll leveler removes internal stresses and ensures flatness.
Slitting: Carbide-blade slitting line cuts strips to ±0.02 mm tolerance.
Burr Inspection: Digital micrometer verification after each slit. IEC 60502 requires burr ≤ 5% of strip thickness.
Recoiling: Tension-controlled recoiler ensures uniform winding.
Packaging: Industrial packaging with moisture and oxidation protection.

Armor Types: Steel Tape vs. Steel Wire

Feature	Steel Tape Armor (STA)	Steel Wire Armor (SWA)
Structure	Helically wound flat strip	Round or shaped wire braid
Voltage	LV – MV (1–36 kV)	LV – HV (1–132 kV)
Mechanical Protection	Medium (crush)	High (impact + tensile)
Flexibility	High	Low
Cost	Lower	Higher
CHY Product	Galvanized steel strip	–

Industry Standards

IEC 60502-1/2: Power cables 1 kV – 30 kV structural requirements
BS 6346 / BS 5467: UK PVC/XLPE cable standards
EN 10130 / EN 10111: Cold-rolled steel strip quality standards
EN ISO 1461: Hot-dip galvanizing standard

FAQ

Q: What is the minimum order quantity for armor strip?
A: CHY Steel accepts orders starting from 5 tonnes. Request a quote for details.

Q: What is the price difference between galvanized and bare strip?
A: Galvanizing adds approximately 12–18% per tonne but extends corrosion life 3–5x.

Q: Can you slit narrow strip down to 6 mm?
A: Yes, our slitting lines handle widths from 6 mm with ±0.1 mm tolerance.

For technical details, request a quote or browse our e-catalogue.

Engineering Team

CHY Steel Service Center provides high-precision steel solutions to the automotive, white goods, and construction sectors with over 40 years of experience.

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