RS has introduced Belden’s full Alpha Wire portfolio to its industrial product offering, including the rugged Xtra-Guard and EcoGen cable series. These purpose-designed cabling solutions are engineered to maintain electrical and mechanical performance in some of the harshest industrial automation environments, from robotics and conveyors to clean rooms and oil refineries.
Cables in industrial systems must deliver uninterrupted power, signal, and control transmission under extreme mechanical and environmental stress. Belden’s Alpha Wire range is designed to withstand a broad mix of challenges, including heat, cold, vibration, EMI, moisture, oil, flame, and continuous flexing. Each cable is hazard-matched to suit specific risks and application needs, ensuring durability without compromising signal integrity.
The Xtra-Guard series is built for the most extreme operating conditions, with temperature ratings from −80 °C to +200 °C. It’s proven in everything from cleanroom environments to aerospace systems, and meets standards including UL, CE, CSA, FDA, and military specifications.
Xtra-Guard cables are highly configurable, with nearly 5,000 standard constructions. Available options include:
2 to 80 conductors
28 to 10 AWG
300 - 600 V ratings
Cat 5e and Cat 6A Ethernet
Seven shielding types
TPE, PVC, and other jacket materials
Moderate, continuous, and torsional flex options
These cables are used widely across automotive, military, semiconductor, and renewable energy sectors, wherever high mechanical durability and stable electrical performance are essential.
EcoGen cables are designed to offer similar performance to Xtra-Guard in a more compact, lightweight, and environmentally responsible package. Using halogen-free, low-outgassing modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) materials, EcoGen cables meet RoHS, REACH, and WEEE compliance standards. They're up to 47% smaller and 65% lighter than equivalent Xtra-Guard constructions.
While slightly narrower in range, EcoGen cables still offer:
UV, oil, abrasion, and flame resistance
Moderate flexing capability
-40 °C to +105 °C temperature range
mPPE and zero-halogen PUR jacket options
These characteristics make EcoGen especially suitable for space-constrained or sustainability-focused applications, including mobile electronics, medical robotics, and outdoor LED systems.
Both cable families are suitable for robotics, AGVs, machine tools, cleanroom systems, and industrial controls, with expanded relevance in energy, medical, aerospace, and consumer electronics sectors. Medical-grade variants are also available for sterilisation-intensive applications.
RS offers full technical support for Alpha Wire products, along with sourcing guidance and expert advice. Engineers can refer to Belden’s latest RS Expert Advice article, featuring Julie Harnishfeger, Alpha Wire Product Manager, for more insight on selecting cabling for harsh industrial environments.
With Belden’s Xtra-Guard and EcoGen ranges now available through RS, engineers have more flexibility than ever in specifying rugged, hazard-matched cabling, whether they’re designing for extreme heat, tight spaces, or demanding regulatory environments.
Originally published via PR Newswire – Read the original article here.
