Manufacturing facilities are among the most demanding environments for wire and cable. Between motor drives, robotic cells, conveyor systems, process instrumentation, and facility power distribution, a single production plant can require dozens of cable types — each selected for a specific combination of voltage rating, shielding, flexibility, and environmental resistance.
Ramcorp Wire & Cable supplies the full range of wire and cable products used in discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing, and automated production facilities — from main switchgear feeders and VFD cable through tray cable for overhead distribution, instrumentation cable for process sensors, and portable cord for mobile equipment.
Cable Types Used in Manufacturing & Automation
Manufacturing cable requirements span power distribution, motor control, process instrumentation, and industrial networking. The table below covers the primary cable types, their function within the facility, and the typical specifications specified by plant engineers and electrical contractors on industrial projects.
| Cable Type | Function | Common Specs | Where It's Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Wire (THHN / THWN-2) | Main feeders, branch circuits, panel distribution | 14 AWG – 750 kcmil, 600V, 90°C | Electrical rooms, MCC feeders, panel boards, lighting circuits |
| VFD Cable | Variable-frequency drive to motor connections | Shielded, symmetrical ground, 600V – 2 kV | Motor control centers to pump motors, fans, conveyors, compressors |
| Tray Cable (TC-ER) | Power and control in cable tray, exposed runs | 14 AWG – 2/0 AWG, 600V, sunlight resistant | Overhead cable tray, production floor runs, mechanical rooms |
| Instrumentation Cable | Analog signals (4–20 mA, 0–10V), process sensors, transmitter wiring | 16–22 AWG, twisted pair, individually shielded, 300V | Sensor runs, transmitter wiring, control panels, DCS marshaling cabinets |
| Control Cable | Discrete I/O, relay logic, motor starter circuits, PLC field wiring | 14–18 AWG, multiconductor, 600V | MCC buckets, control panels, field junction boxes, PLC I/O racks |
| Portable Cord (SOOW / SJOOW) | Flexible connections for movable equipment | 12 AWG – 2/0 AWG, 600V (SOOW) / 300V (SJOOW) | Welders, portable tools, conveyor drop cords, temporary power |
| Industrial Ethernet Cable | EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP plant networks | Cat5e or Cat6, shielded, industrial-rated jacket (oil-resistant, flex-rated where required) | PLC racks, HMI panels, robot controllers, plant backbone |
| High-Temperature Cable | Circuits near furnaces, ovens, heat-treat equipment | FEP, PTFE, silicone, or fiberglass insulation, typically 150°C–250°C (higher ratings available for specialized applications) | Oven zones, kiln areas, heat exchangers, exhaust duct monitoring |
| Fire Alarm Cable (FPLR / FPLP) | Fire detection, suppression, and notification circuits (typically specified by the fire protection engineer) | 14–18 AWG, 2–4 conductor, shielded | Throughout facility — detectors, pull stations, suppression panels |
| Medium-Voltage Cable (MV-105) | Primary service entrance, large motor feeds | 5 kV – 35 kV, 1/0 AWG – 500 kcmil | Utility substations, large compressor and mill motor circuits |
Cable in the Automation Hierarchy
Modern manufacturing plants organize automation in layers — from enterprise networking down to individual field devices. Each layer has distinct cable requirements based on signal type, data rate, noise immunity, and physical environment.
| Level | Function | Cable Typically Used | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise / Plant Backbone | MES, ERP, SCADA servers, plant-wide Ethernet | Cat6A or fiber optic | High bandwidth, long runs, backbone redundancy |
| Control Network | PLC-to-PLC communication, HMI connections | Cat5e/Cat6 shielded Ethernet (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET) | Shielded for noise immunity, industrial-rated jacket |
| Device / Fieldbus | PLC to field devices (DeviceNet, AS-Interface, IO-Link) | Fieldbus-specific cable (thick/thin trunk, DeviceNet rated) | Specific impedance requirements, oil and chemical resistance |
| Analog / Discrete I/O | Sensors, transmitters, limit switches, solenoids | Shielded instrumentation cable (analog), multiconductor control cable (discrete) | Shielding to prevent EMI pickup, drain wire for grounding |
| Motor Power | VFD-to-motor, DOL starters, soft starters | VFD cable, building wire, tray cable | Shielding for VFD circuits, ampacity for motor load, derating in tray |
| Safety Systems | E-stops, light curtains, safety PLCs, safety I/O | Control cable, shielded instrumentation cable | Dedicated runs per safety circuit design, SIL-rated system compliance |
Key Considerations for Manufacturing & Automation Cable
VFD Cable Selection
Variable-frequency drives are standard on nearly every motor in a modern manufacturing facility — from conveyor drives and pump motors to HVAC air handlers and CNC spindles. VFD cable must include continuous shielding (foil, braid, or both) and symmetrical ground conductors to contain high-frequency switching noise and reduce common-mode currents. Using standard building wire on VFD circuits is a common cost-cutting mistake that leads to premature motor bearing failure, nuisance trips on nearby instrumentation, and EMI complaints. See our VFD Cable guide for detailed selection criteria.
EMI and Shielding in Industrial Environments
Manufacturing floors are electrically noisy environments. VFDs, welding equipment, large contactors, and high-current motor starts all generate electromagnetic interference that can corrupt low-level analog signals and disrupt digital communications. Instrumentation cable should be individually shielded (foil with drain wire) and routed in separate cable trays or conduit from power conductors. Maintaining typically 12 inches or more of separation between power and signal cable where practical — and crossing at 90-degree angles where crossings are unavoidable — helps prevent signal integrity issues.
Environmental Resistance
Manufacturing environments expose cable to conditions far harsher than a typical commercial building. Cutting oils, hydraulic fluid, coolant spray, welding spatter, mechanical abrasion from moving equipment, and elevated ambient temperatures near ovens and furnaces all degrade standard cable. Specify cable with oil-resistant jackets (marked "Oil Res" or "Oil Res I/II") for wet machining areas, high-temperature insulation (FEP, PTFE, silicone) near heat sources, and crush-resistant or armored cable where mechanical damage is a risk. Cable that is rated for industrial environments at installation will outlast general-purpose alternatives by years.
Cable Tray vs. Conduit in Industrial Facilities
Most manufacturing plants use a combination of cable tray and conduit. Overhead cable tray (ladder, solid-bottom, or wire mesh) is the preferred method for long horizontal runs of tray cable, instrumentation cable, and power cables — it reduces installation labor, simplifies future additions, and provides better heat dissipation than conduit. Conduit is typically used for branch circuits, drops from tray to equipment, and runs exposed to physical damage on the plant floor. NEC Article 392 governs cable tray installations, including fill limits and cable support requirements. TC-ER rated cable is required for tray installations that also serve as exposed wiring.
NEC Compliance for Industrial Installations
Manufacturing electrical systems must comply with the current NEC, particularly Article 430 (Motors, Motor Circuits, and Controllers), Article 670 (Industrial Machinery), Article 409 (Industrial Control Panels), and Article 392 (Cable Trays). Hazardous locations (NEC Articles 500–516) add additional cable requirements — plants handling flammable liquids, combustible dusts, or ignitable fibers may require cable and wiring methods rated for Class I, Class II, or Class III hazardous locations. Always verify cable ratings and installation methods against the applicable code edition and AHJ requirements.
Common Manufacturing Applications
Conveyor & Material Handling Systems
Conveyor systems are the backbone of material flow in manufacturing. Each conveyor section typically requires VFD cable for the drive motor, control cable for start/stop and speed signals, and sensor cable for proximity switches, photo eyes, and encoders. Long conveyor lines spanning multiple production areas can consume thousands of feet of cable across power, control, and instrumentation runs.
CNC Machining & Robotics
CNC machines and industrial robots require high-flex cable for moving axes, shielded power cable for spindle and servo drives, and Ethernet cable for controller networking. Cable on moving robot arms and CNC gantries must withstand millions of flex cycles — standard cable will fail prematurely in continuous-motion applications. Servo and spindle drives are VFD circuits and require proper VFD-rated cable to prevent bearing damage and signal interference.
Process Instrumentation
Process manufacturing (chemicals, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, plastics) relies heavily on instrumentation cable for temperature transmitters (RTDs, thermocouples), pressure transmitters, flow meters, level sensors, and analytical instruments. These signals are low-level (4–20 mA or 0–10V) and highly susceptible to electrical noise. Individually shielded twisted-pair instrumentation cable with a continuous drain wire is the standard. For thermocouple circuits, thermocouple extension wire matched to the sensor type (J, K, T, E, N) must be used to maintain measurement accuracy.
Packaging & Palletizing Lines
End-of-line packaging systems combine servos, pneumatic actuators, vision systems, barcode scanners, and safety devices into high-speed automated cells. Cable requirements include VFD cable for servo drives, shielded Ethernet for vision cameras and scanners, control cable for pneumatic valve banks, and safety-rated cable for light curtains, area scanners, and emergency stop circuits.
Related Guides & Resources
- VFD Cable: Selection & Applications
- Instrumentation Cable Guide: Types, Shielding, NEC Ratings & RS-485 Selection
- Tray Cable Applications & Selection Guide
- Portable Cord Types: SOOW, SJOOW, SJT & More
- High Temperature Cable Guide: Insulation Types, Ratings & Selection
- Fire Alarm Cable: Types, Ratings & NEC Requirements
- MV-105 Medium Voltage Cable Overview (5 kV – 35 kV)
- How to Choose the Right Cable for Your Project
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cable is used in manufacturing plants?
Manufacturing plants use a combination of building wire (THHN/THWN-2) for power distribution, VFD cable for variable-frequency drive circuits on motors and conveyors, tray cable (TC-ER) for cable tray installations, instrumentation cable for analog process sensors, control cable for discrete I/O and motor starters, portable cord (SOOW) for equipment that moves or requires flexible connections, and industrial Ethernet cable for PLC and automation networks. The exact cable mix depends on the type of manufacturing, voltage requirements, environmental conditions, and automation level.
Why do VFDs require special cable?
Variable-frequency drives generate high-frequency switching noise that can damage motor insulation, cause bearing currents, and create electromagnetic interference with nearby instrumentation. VFD cable is constructed with symmetrical ground conductors and continuous foil or braid shielding to contain this noise. Using standard building wire on VFD circuits can lead to premature motor failure, nuisance trips on sensitive equipment, and EMI-related problems on the plant floor.
What is the difference between tray cable and building wire in industrial applications?
Tray cable (TC-ER) is a multiconductor cable with an overall jacket rated for installation in cable trays without conduit. Building wire (THHN/THWN-2) consists of individual conductors that must be pulled through conduit or raceway. Tray cable saves significant labor on long industrial runs where cable tray is installed, and TC-ER rated cable can also be used as exposed wiring in industrial environments per NEC Article 336. Building wire in conduit remains the standard for branch circuits and panel feeders where conduit is already in place.
What cable is used for PLC and automation wiring?
PLC and automation systems use shielded instrumentation cable for analog signals (4–20 mA, 0–10V), twisted-pair cable for RS-485 and Modbus communications, Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cable for EtherNet/IP and PROFINET networks, and multiconductor control cable for discrete I/O wiring between PLCs, motor starters, solenoids, and field devices. Shielding is critical in manufacturing environments to protect low-level signals from electromagnetic interference generated by motors, VFDs, and welding equipment.
Does Ramcorp supply cable for automated manufacturing lines?
Yes. Ramcorp Wire & Cable supplies the full range of power, control, instrumentation, and networking cable used in automated manufacturing facilities. We support projects from single-line expansions to greenfield plant builds with volume pricing, cut-to-length options, 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.
The information on this page is provided for general reference only and may contain errors or omissions. NEC® is a registered trademark of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA®). All other trademarks, product names, and brand names referenced on this page are the property of their respective owners. Ramcorp Wire & Cable is not affiliated with or endorsed by these organizations unless explicitly stated.