To create connections inside transformers and electrical systems, a material is required that is a good conductor but can also be bent and worked easily.
That is why copper is the most widely used material to produce high-quality wires and cables. Copper rope, obtained by twisting several thin wires together, is sold as a semi-finished product wound around iron drums , which can have different dimensions and ranges depending on their use.
The Copper wires can also be supplied both annealed and with different degrees of work hardening: they range from hard-drawn copper cables, which are harder and more rigid so are more unlikely to take shape if drawn through a die, to half-hard and annealed, the latter being malleable and easy to wind.
Types of copper rope
There are various types of copper cables and each adapts well to different possible uses. They range from flexible to concentric, from special to compact, and each has specific technical characteristics.
Flexible copper rope
Flexible copper rope is achieved by stranding individual wires with a smaller diameter than class 2 because it produces the best results in terms of flexibility. Generally, class 6 wires are used as they have a particularly small diameter. In terms of applications, flexible copper rope is mainly used in the electromechanical field, for low- and medium-voltage electrical cables, earthing, induction systems and inside transformers.
Concentric copper rope
The structure of concentric copper rope is different and is achieved by stranding the individual wires into one or more concentric circles depending on the section you want to achieve. This is used in the electromechanical sector and as earthing rope but also for overhead power lines and LV and MV energy transport and as a conductor in low-voltage insulated cables.
Special copper rope
Built in line with the specifications provided by RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana – the Italian railway infrastructure manager) and ENEL (the Italian multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity and gas), special copper rope with a concentric structure is used in earthing and overhead electrical lines.
Compact copper rope
Compact copper rope is made in a similar way to concentric, by stranding individual wires into one or more concentric circles but using wires with a smaller diameter to get a smaller outer diameter and an almost cylindrical shape. This type of conductor is mostly used for low- and medium-voltage electrical cables.