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The Book of Terms

The Book of TermsThe WJI Book of Wire & Cable Terms: an interactive experience of learning and sharing
This book, written by industry volunteers and containing more than 5,000 entries, is an asset for newcomers to wire and cable.

At the same time, it also represents an opportunity for industry veterans to give back by either updating or adding to the more than 5,000 entries. This is an honor system process. Entries/updates must be non-commercial, and any deemed not to be so will be removed. Share your expertise as part of this legacy project to help those who will follow. Purchase a printed copy here.

   

 

All   0-9   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Flaking

Also known as spalling, refers to the falling away of small particles from the surface of a wire.

Flame Annealing

A process of softening a metal by the application of heat from a high-temperature flame.

Flame Cutting

1) Severing a piece of metal by burning a portion out by means of an oxyacetylene torch. 2) Removing a part of the surface by means of the burning torch, as in conditioning. (More properly called “scarfing.”)

Flame Hardening

A process of hardening a ferrous alloy by heating it above the transformation range by means of a high-temperature flame, and then cooling as required.

Flame Polishing

Producing a smooth, glossy finish on extruded plastic insulations or jackets by passing the hot plastic through a flame just after the extrusion die.

Flame Resistance

The ability of insulation or jacketing material not to propagate flame once the heat source is removed.

Flame Retardant

A chemical added to insulation materials to make them less combustible, such as antimony oxide (to PVC) or alumina trihydrate or carbon black (to XLP). Also used to describe flame resistance.

Flame Strand Annealing

Annealing by passing wire continuously through a line of gas flame jets controlled with great accuracy.

Flammability

Measure of the material’s ability to support combustion.

Flammability Test

A test to determine the ability of a cable to resist ignition when placed near a source of heat or flame and to self-extinguish when removed from this source.

Flange

1) A projection of metal on formed objects. 2) The parts of a structural member (e.g., channel, I-beam) at right angles to the central section or web. 3) The circular sides of a reel or spool.

Flash

1) Waste material, for instance, when rolling or stamping designs on a wire for decorative purposes. 2) Projection formed at the joint when two wires are butt-welded. Term applied to most waste materials.

Flash Baking

A quick means of baking after pickling and liming that uses a rapidly cir­culated hot-air current. Prin­cipally employed for rods and larger wire sizes.

Flash Rusting

A thin coating of iron oxide appearing on pickled steel surfaces that are allowed to dry after pickling or after rinsing.

Flashover

1) A disruptive discharge around or over the surface of a solid or liquid insulator. 2) Complete involvement of an area when a spot fire causes the area to reach critical temperature.

Flat Bars

This includes all rectangular bars, except squares, 5.16 mm (13/64 in.) and over in specified thickness, not over 152 mm (6 in.) in specified width.

Flat Braid

A woven braid of tinned copper strands rolled flat at time of manufacture to a specified width. It is generally used as a high current conductor at low voltages.

Flat Cable

A cable with two smooth or corrugated but essentially flat surfaces.

Flat Conductor

A wire having a rectangular cross section (as opposed to round or square conductors) with a width-to-thickness ratio of arbitrarily 5 to 1 or greater.

Flat Jacket

A parallel conductor configuration that is usually restricted to vinyl jackets. The outer jacket does not fuse with the primary insulation, a condition that would make impossible the stripping of the jacket without damage to the individual wire coverings. While opaque jackets are generally specified, transparent materials are available which allow the color-coded wires to be seen throughout the cable length.
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