Copper Clad Aluminum Cable Market Analysis

Over the years, the global wire and cable industry has been focusing on finding a way to effectively reduce the cost of raw materials. As a result, new products such as aluminum alloy cables and copper-clad aluminum cables have been warmly welcomed by the cable industry, and many wire and cable manufacturers have already stepped up their efforts. Copper clad aluminum cable and aluminum alloy cable research and development and production.

Take copper-clad aluminum cables as an example. In fact, copper-clad aluminum cables are not new technologies and new products. Copper-clad aluminum cables have been used for more than 80 years now. At least copper-clad aluminum cables are already very mature technologies in the United States. Now. In recent years, due to the increase in copper prices (currently the price of copper plummets, but copper prices continue to rise sooner or later), manufacturers of copper-clad aluminum conductors in the wire and cable industry have gradually increased. However, from the perspective of the application of copper-clad aluminum cables, copper-clad aluminum cables have been mainly used only in high-frequency signal transmission cables for more than 80 years. In other words, although copper-clad aluminum cable is a good technology and good product, it is not successful in promotion.

The United States has successfully developed copper-clad aluminum cables since the 1930s and has made remarkable achievements. For example, the reliability of the GCgs of the United States on the connection location of the copper clad aluminum wire concluded that it can be connected to the copper wire in the same way. UL has investigated the aluminum conductors of 10AWC and 12AWC due to poor connections, and copper clad aluminum does not have this problem. U.S. UL has also established copper-clad aluminum conductor standards (UL1561-2001). The British BICCgs have studied the power of cables and connections for up to 7 years. After 10 million hours of trial and error, the results show that copper clad aluminum can compete economically and technically with copper wires, and the price is stable.

Moreover, copper clad aluminum wire has received high attention in various times in various countries. In the United States, the ASTM standard squadron copper clad aluminum wire structure and characteristics have made detailed provisions; the United States TI company also put the copper ratio of 10% copper package Aluminum is the wire standard. Japan Electric Wire Co., Ltd. has conducted extensive research and research on copper clad aluminum as a conductive material for wire and cable. The contents of the research experiment include: copper-clad aluminum conductor structure (copper ratio of 10-15%) and wire thickness thickness; physical and mechanical properties; surface characteristics, especially aluminum contact resistance is particularly large, and copper clad aluminum is It is as good as copper. At the same time, its bending rigidity, repeated bending, repeated winding, etc. were tested.

In addition, Electric Wire Co., Ltd. has conducted a lot of studies on the connection of connectors and wiring fixtures (tests on contact resistance and energized thermal cycling tests) and connection studies with copper joints, including the use of an optional size range. , The effect of secondary crimping, and the suitability for various connectors and connectors. After several years of applicability research, Japan’s Electric Wire Co., Ltd. proved that copper clad aluminum has the advantages of easy connection, reliable connection, light weight, good winding, economical, etc., and is as safe and reliable as copper wire.

Relevant experts and experts stated that the conductive properties and various parameters and indicators of copper clad aluminum wire are the same as the equivalent pure copper wire. The density is smaller than that of pure copper wire and is only 37-40% of that of pure copper wire. The price is the same as the specification. Pure copper wire is about 15% lower; environmental protection, energy saving; saving copper resources, copper specification copper-clad aluminum wire saves 76.5% of copper than pure copper wire; overcomes the large contact resistance of aluminum conductors, low strength, easy creep, corrosion, easy The disadvantages of oxidation.

In addition to superior performance, copper-clad aluminum cables also have unique advantages in recycling. Obviously, whether copper-clad aluminum conductors are used for high-frequency signal transmission cables or power transmission cables, there are actually problems with the recycling of conductors. Since copper-clad aluminum conductors have been used for high-frequency transmission cables for many years, how are those conductors recycled?

In fact, the copper-clad aluminum conductor has the properties of both copper and aluminum metal, is a bimetallic composite conductor, is a good electrical conductor, and is being used more and more in electronic cables, communication cables and power cables. . Under the guidance of the “Al-copper-based copper” technical policy of wire and cable conductors, copper-clad aluminum conductors have taken a big step forward in various performance indicators than pure aluminum conductors.

Perhaps in the minds of some people, it is always believed that the wire and cable conductors are either copper or aluminum. Why do they use copper clad aluminum? This is a kind of confused understanding that does not understand the development trend of metal conductors in the world today. At present, copper-clad steel and aluminum-clad steel wire have been widely used in electrical and power grid construction projects. Copper-clad aluminum wire is being used and promoted in the world. Its purpose is to save rare copper resources and reduce the price and cost of copper products. .

As for some people who say that "copper-clad aluminum conductors are not easy to recycle," don't worry. Copper-clad aluminum conductors have mature recovery technologies. Copper-clad aluminum conductor professional manufacturers will specifically recycle this conductor. The use of copper-clad aluminum conductors to reduce costs is a brilliant technological innovation, and it is not stealing and cutting corners. Therefore, the wire and cable manufacturers should comply with the technological trend of the times, develop their products in a rigorous manner, and promote the copper-clad aluminum conductor wire and cable products to users in a meticulous manner in order to win-win with users.

At present, the technical barriers to the promotion of copper-clad aluminum conductors in China's wire and cable industry are undoubtedly the recycling of conductors. However, according to relevant experts, the copper-clad aluminum conductor can be completely 100% recycled. If you can really achieve 100% recycling of copper-clad aluminum conductors, this will undoubtedly be a great contribution to the promotion and application of copper-clad aluminum conductors.

The research on copper-clad aluminum cables in China was later, and it was thirty years later than the United States. According to statistics, China began to study bimetallic composite wires in 1960. However, other methods were not used to produce products except the electroplating process. In 1996, the “clad welding method” produced copper-clad aluminum cables and obtained patents. The Ministry of Science and Technology classified copper-clad aluminum cable development as the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” scientific and technological research project. In December 2001, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Economic and Trade Commission, etc. Five identified copper clad aluminum cables as the country's key new products.

Obviously, despite the state's full recognition and affirmation of copper-clad aluminum cables, the promotion of copper-clad aluminum cables in China is not ideal. Among them are the reasons for understanding of the procurement units and the reasons for insufficient attention in the wire and cable industry. However, from the perspective of making the Chinese cable industry bigger and stronger, copper-clad aluminum cables are worth promoting.