Industrial processing plants — food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, cement, aggregate, and specialty materials — combine heavy motor loads, extensive process instrumentation, corrosive or washdown environments, and elevated temperatures into some of the most cable-intensive facilities in the industrial sector. Each process area has distinct environmental and code requirements that drive cable selection.
Ramcorp Wire & Cable supplies the full range of cable products used in process industries — from VFD cable for motor drives on pumps, mixers, and conveyors through instrumentation cable for process control and SCADA, tray cable for cable tray distribution, medium-voltage cable for primary power, and high-temperature cable for elevated ambient zones.
Cable Types Used in Industrial Processing
Process plants require cable for power distribution, motor drives, process control, SCADA communications, and building systems — often in environments with chemical exposure, moisture, heat, or washdown requirements. The table below covers the primary cable types used across processing facilities.
| Cable Type | Function | Common Specs | Where It's Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| VFD Cable | Variable-frequency drive circuits for pumps, mixers, conveyors, crushers, fans, compressors | Shielded, symmetrical ground, 600V – 2 kV | Between VFDs and motors throughout process areas, packaging lines, material handling systems |
| Instrumentation Cable | Process sensors, transmitters, analytical instruments, batch control, SCADA | 16–22 AWG, twisted pair/triad, foil shield (with optional braid depending on noise environment), 300V | Between field instruments and PLC/DCS panels, analyzer shelters, control rooms |
| Tray Cable (TC-ER) | Power and control where cable tray systems are implemented; conduit and MC cable may also be used depending on plant standards | 14 AWG – 2/0 AWG, 600V, sunlight resistant | Overhead cable tray runs throughout process areas, mechanical rooms, MCC buildings |
| Medium-Voltage Cable (MV-105) | Primary power distribution, large motor feeds, facility-level substations | 5 kV – 35 kV, 1/0 AWG – 1000 kcmil (depending on feeder size), copper or aluminum | Duct banks, MV switchgear, transformer feeds, large compressor and mill motor circuits |
| Building Wire (THHN / THWN-2 / XHHW-2) | Branch circuits, lighting, panel feeders, MCC wiring | 14 AWG – 750 kcmil, 600V, 90°C | Electrical rooms, MCCs, control rooms, maintenance shops, office areas |
| High-Temperature Cable | Circuits where routing near high-temperature equipment is unavoidable | FEP, PTFE, silicone, or cross-linked insulation, typically 150°C–250°C (with common industrial options in the 105°C–200°C range) | Near kilns, ovens, dryers, furnaces, autoclaves, steam systems, heat exchangers |
| Thermocouple Wire | Temperature measurement for process control and quality assurance | Type J, K, T, or E, matched conductor alloys, shielded where required for noise-sensitive environments | Ovens, dryers, reactors, pasteurizers, kilns, extruders, heat exchangers |
| Industrial Ethernet & Fiber Optic Cable | EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP, plant network backbone | Cat5e/Cat6 and fiber optic cable for backbone and long-distance communications; shielded, industrial-rated jacket (oil-resistant, flex-rated where required) | PLC racks, HMI panels, plant servers, SCADA workstations, long inter-building runs |
| Portable Cord (SOOW / SJOOW) | Flexible connections for portable and movable equipment | 12 AWG – 2/0 AWG, 600V (SOOW) / 300V (SJOOW) | Portable mixers, temporary pumps, maintenance tools, mobile packaging equipment |
Cable by Industry Sector
Cable requirements vary across processing industries based on the specific environmental hazards, regulatory requirements, and process characteristics. The table below maps cable types to major processing sectors.
| Sector | Typical Operations | Primary Cable Types | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food & Beverage | Mixing, cooking, pasteurizing, packaging, cold storage, CIP systems | VFD cable, tray cable, instrumentation cable, building wire, network cable | Washdown environments (NEMA 4X areas), FDA sanitary requirements, cold storage ampacity derating, stainless steel cable tray in production areas |
| Chemical & Petrochemical | Reaction, distillation, blending, storage, loading/unloading | VFD cable, instrumentation cable, tray cable, MV cable, high-temp cable | Hazardous location classifications (NEC 500–516, including Division and Zone systems), chemical-resistant jackets (CPE, XLPE), H₂S and corrosive vapor exposure, process safety instrumented systems |
| Pharmaceutical & Biotech | Batch processing, fermentation, purification, cleanroom packaging | VFD cable, instrumentation cable, building wire, network cable, tray cable | Cleanroom-compatible materials, extensive batch control instrumentation, validation documentation requirements, controlled environments |
| Pulp & Paper | Pulping, bleaching, paper machine operation, winding, finishing | MV cable, VFD cable, tray cable, instrumentation cable, high-temp cable | Extremely wet environments, large motor loads (paper machine drives), corrosive bleach chemicals, high ambient temperatures near dryer sections |
| Cement, Aggregate & Minerals | Crushing, grinding, kiln operation, conveying, storage, loading | MV cable, VFD cable, tray cable, high-temp cable, instrumentation cable, thermocouple wire | High ambient temperatures where routing near kilns and dryers is unavoidable, extreme dust, large motor loads (crushers, ball mills), long conveyor cable runs, outdoor exposure |
Key Considerations for Industrial Processing Cable
VFD Cable in Process Environments
Variable-frequency drives are ubiquitous in process plants — controlling pumps, mixers, conveyors, fans, compressors, and packaging equipment. VFD cable with continuous shielding and symmetrical ground conductors is essential to contain high-frequency switching noise and protect nearby process instrumentation. In processing facilities, VFD-driven equipment and sensitive analog instruments (temperature transmitters, flow meters, pressure sensors, analytical probes) often share cable trays or run in close proximity, making proper VFD cable selection critical. See our VFD Cable guide for detailed selection criteria.
Chemical, Moisture & Washdown Resistance
Process environments expose cable to conditions that destroy standard cable in months. Chemical plants expose cable to acids, caustics, solvents, and corrosive vapors. Food and beverage plants require cable that survives daily high-pressure washdown with caustic cleaning agents. Pulp and paper mills combine extreme moisture with bleach-based chemicals. Specify cable with chemical-resistant jackets appropriate for the specific exposures present — CPE or XLPE for chemical plants, oil-resistant PVC for food plants, and stainless steel cable tray in the most corrosive areas.
High-Temperature Process Areas
Cement kilns, paper machine dryer sections, food processing ovens, glass furnaces, and autoclave areas generate ambient temperatures that exceed standard cable ratings where routing near high-temperature equipment is unavoidable. Cable in these zones requires high-temperature insulation (FEP, PTFE, silicone, or fiberglass) rated typically 150°C–250°C, with common industrial options in the 105°C–200°C range. Ampacity derating per NEC 310.15 must account for actual ambient conditions. Thermocouple extension wire matched to the sensor type is required for accurate process temperature measurement.
Hazardous Location Classifications
Chemical plants, grain elevators, paint manufacturing, pharmaceutical solvent areas, and other processing facilities may have areas classified as hazardous locations under NEC Articles 500–516 (including Division and Zone classification systems). Class I (flammable gases/vapors), Class II (combustible dusts), and Class III (ignitable fibers) designations each impose specific cable and wiring method requirements. Always verify cable selection against the facility's hazardous area classification drawings and applicable NEC edition.
Process Instrumentation & SCADA
Process plants are instrumentation-heavy — a single food processing line or chemical batch system can have hundreds of field instruments connected to PLC and DCS systems. Shielded twisted-pair instrumentation cable is standard for 4–20 mA analog signals. Cat6/Cat6A Ethernet and fiber optic cable support plant network backbones, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET device-level networks. Proper separation between power and instrumentation cable, and consistent shield grounding practice, are critical for signal integrity in electrically noisy process environments.
NEC Compliance
Industrial processing electrical systems must comply with the current NEC, particularly Article 430 (Motors), Article 392 (Cable Trays), Articles 500–516 (Hazardous Locations, including Division and Zone systems, where applicable), and Article 670 (Industrial Machinery). Cable ratings, installation methods, and ampacity calculations must account for the specific environmental conditions — ambient temperature, chemical exposure, moisture, and bundling — present in each process area. Always verify against the locally adopted code edition and AHJ requirements.
Related Guides & Resources
- VFD Cable: Selection & Applications
- Instrumentation Cable Guide: Types, Shielding, NEC Ratings & RS-485 Selection
- Tray Cable Applications & Selection Guide
- MV-105 Medium Voltage Cable Overview (5 kV – 35 kV)
- High Temperature Cable Guide
- Thermocouple Wire Guide
- Portable Cord Types: SOOW, SJOOW, SJT & More
- AWG Wire Gauge Guide: Sizes, Ampacity & Selection
- How to Choose the Right Cable for Your Project
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cable is used in industrial processing plants?
Industrial processing plants use VFD cable for variable-speed motor drives, instrumentation cable for process sensors and SCADA, tray cable (TC-ER) for cable tray installations, medium-voltage cable for primary power distribution and large motor feeds, building wire for branch circuits, high-temperature cable for elevated ambient zones where routing near heat sources is unavoidable, and thermocouple wire for process temperature measurement. The specific cable mix depends on the process type, environmental conditions, and applicable hazardous area classifications.
Why is VFD cable critical in process plants?
Process plants run VFDs on nearly every major motor — pumps, mixers, conveyors, fans, and compressors. VFD cable with continuous shielding and symmetrical ground conductors prevents high-frequency switching noise from corrupting nearby process instrumentation (4–20 mA transmitters, analytical probes, flow meters) and prevents bearing currents that cause premature motor failure. In process environments where VFDs and sensitive instruments share close quarters, proper cable is essential for reliable operation.
What cable is needed for food and beverage processing?
Food and beverage plants require cable that withstands daily washdown with caustic cleaning agents, exposure to moisture, and installation in stainless steel cable tray in production areas. Oil-resistant jackets are standard. VFD cable is used extensively for motor drives on mixers, pumps, conveyors, and packaging equipment. Instrumentation cable connects process sensors for temperature, pressure, flow, and product quality to batch control systems.
What cable is used near kilns, ovens, and high-temperature process equipment?
Where routing near kilns, ovens, dryer sections, and other high-temperature process equipment is unavoidable, cable requires insulation rated typically 150°C–250°C (FEP, PTFE, silicone, or fiberglass), with common industrial options in the 105°C–200°C range. Standard 90°C-rated building wire is not suitable. Thermocouple extension wire matched to the sensor type (J, K, T, E) is required for accurate temperature measurement. Ampacity must be derated for actual ambient conditions per NEC 310.15.
Does Ramcorp supply cable for industrial processing plants?
Yes. Ramcorp Wire & Cable supplies VFD cable, instrumentation cable, tray cable, medium-voltage cable, building wire, high-temperature cable, thermocouple wire, industrial Ethernet cable, fiber optic cable, and portable cord for food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, cement, and general industrial processing facilities. We support project-scale orders with volume pricing and delivery coordination.
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Disclaimer: This guide is provided for informational purposes only and is not installation advice. Installing wire & cable can be dangerous and pose a risk of possible electric shock or other hazards. Specifications, availability, and pricing are subject to change without notice. Always verify product specifications with the manufacturer's current datasheet before ordering. Consult a licensed professional for installation advice.
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