Skip to main content
Home  ›  FAQs  ›  Electrical Cables
Electrical Cables

Do I need individually screened instrumentation cable, or is an overall screen enough?

Quick answer

It depends on whether the pairs inside the cable can interfere with each other, not just on outside noise.

A collective screen, written CAM, is one overall screen wrapped around all the pairs. It protects the bundle from the plant around it. That's usually sufficient when every pair in the cable carries the same kind of signal, or when the signals are digital and switched.

Individual screens on every pair plus a collective screen, written IAM/CAM or ICAT, also stops one pair talking to its neighbours. That matters when a single multipair carries several low-level analogue signals from different loops with different earth references, which is the normal situation on process plant.

If the run is analogue and shared, specify individual screens. APAR's instrumentation cables are made in both configurations.

Looking for the right cable for your project?

Get expert guidance on grade, size and standards from APAR Cable Solutions.

Request a quote →