Add retractile qualities to nearly any cable with our custom retractile cords.

A wide variety of material is available including; PVC, TPU, TPR, TPE, olefins, Hytrel®, halogen-free, plus a variety of fluoropolymers. Special constructions are offered for medical applications, where sterilizability is a factor. Conductor constructions include tinned or bare copper, special alloys, complex stranding, coax and composite constructions. Your custom cable can be configured for maximum flex-life and enhanced environmental or electrical performance.

Custom Colors Select from your choice of 10 standard colors or ask about custom color matching, depending on materials. Other custom options include fluorescents, luminescents, holographic effects, glitter and other special effects.

Custom Legends Whether you need your brand indentity, Web site URL, telephone number or agency approvals, Northwire can print your customer legends directly onto the cable. In most cases, we can even print logos onto the cable.

One Source

We offer single-source benefits. Since engineering, cable production, and actual retractile production is coordinated and finished at our facility, you will enjoy faster delivery times and more reliable, guaranteed performance.

Custom Designs for Special Applications:

The design engineering is executed in accordance with your specifications. We guarantee that the finished product meets or exceeds your requirements, or your money back. You can rely on our years of experience with diverse applications, such as lift equipment, tiny audio cable for helmet-mounting, medical instrumentation, power cable, aircraft assembly robots, and many other applications.

Specifying Custom Retractile Cords

Introduction

Retractile Cords are used in a wide variety of applications. Most simply stated, retractile cords facilitate managed movement under power. In addition to the classic case where extension and retraction is needed, retractile cords provide excellent means for dealing with torsional flex.

More than Cable

Retractile cords are the sum of the cable plus the coiling. Each has its own parameters. Proper choices in both areas are critical for a successful outcome. A cable destined to become a retractile cord will most likely be designed differently that one that will not be coiled.

In Your Application, Consider the Motion:

• How will the retractile be used (extend-retract, torsion)?
• If extend-retract; how far, and for how many cycles?
• If extend-retract; how long will it be extended, and in what environment?
• If torsion; +/- how many degrees, how many cycles?
• Any mounting constraints (max. coil O.D., min. coil I.D.)?
• Tangent design (90 degree, straight)?
• Retractile "snappiness" (soft, med. firm)?
• Does anything touch retractile cord in application?
• Operating environment (temp., contaminants, etc)?

Specifier's Worksheet

• As a guide, please refer to our Specifier's Worksheet
• For your convenience we have two options available.
• You may download the PDF version for Adobe Acrobat or you may use our on-line retractiles Specifier's Worksheet
• With the PDF you may save a copy, fill in the form, and submit either electronically (using the buttons on the form) or through manual methods (such as fax, mail etc)
• **NOTE: At this time unless you have Adobe Acrobat Professional you will not be able to save a completed copy of the PDF. It is possible to print a completed form.

Standard Products

Northwire offers a complete line of retractile Power Cords in various, lengths and configurations, 300V and 600V, readily available through Northwire DIRECT. <Click here to see our Standard Retractile Power Cords>