157 Electronics Technical Information Braiding Machine: Machine used to apply braids to wire and cable and to produce braided sleeving and braids for tying or lacing purposes. Braiding machines are identified by the number of carriers. Breakdown (Puncture): A disruptive discharge through the insulation. Breakdown Voltage: The voltage at which the insulation between two conductors breaks down. Breakout: The point at which a conductor or group of conductors breaks out from a multiconductor cable to complete circuits at various points along the main cable. Bridge: A device used to expand a local area network by forwarding frames between data link layers. Bridged Tap: The multiple appearances of the same cable pair at several distribution points. British Standard Wire Gauge: A modification of the Birmingham Wire Gauge and the legal standard of Great Britain for all wires. Also known as Standard Wire Gauge (SWG), New British Standard (NBS), English Legal Standard and Imperial Wire Guide. Broadband: In data transmission, the use of a carrier signal, rather than direct modulation, to carry several simultaneous channels. Buffer: (fiber optic) A soft material which mechanically isolates individual fibers in a fiber optic cable or bundle from small geometrical irregularities, distortions or roughness of adjacent surfaces. Buffing Stripper: A motorized device for removing flat cable insulation by means of buffing wheels that melt the insulation and brush it away from the conductors. Also called Abrasion Stripper. Building Entrance Area: See Entrance Room or Space, Telecommunications. Building Wire: Wire used for light and power, 600 volts or less, usually not exposed to outdoor environment. Bunched Stranding: A group of strands twisted together in a random manner and the same direction without regard to geometric arrangement of specific strands. Buncher: A machine that twists wires together in random arrangement. Bundle: (fiber optic) A number of fibers grouped together, usually carrying a common signal. Buried Cable: A cable installed directly in the earth without use of underground conduit. Also called “direct burial cable.” Bus: Wire used to connect two terminals inside of an electrical unit. Bushing: A mechanical device used as a lining for an opening to prevent abrasion to wire and cable. Butt: Joining of two conductors end-to-end, with no overlap and with the axes in line. Butt Splice: A splice wherein two wires from opposite ends butt against each other, or against a stop, in the center of a splice. Butt Wrap: Tape wrapped around an object or conductor in an edge-to-edge condition. Byte: Typically a group of eight binary digits. Cable: A stranded conductor with or without insulation and other coverings (single- conductor cable), or a combination of conductors (multiple-conductor cable). In fiber optics, a jacketed fiber or jacketed bundle in a form which can be terminated. Cable Assembly: Typically, the cable and associated connectors; ready to install. Cable Clamp: A device used to give mechanical support to the wire bundle or cable at the rear of a plug or receptacle. Cable Clamp Adapter: A mechanical adapter that attaches to the rear of a plug or receptacle to allow the attachment of a cable clamp. Cable Core: The portion of an insulated cable lying under a protective covering. Cable Core Binder: A wrapping of tapes or cords around the conductors of a multiple-conductor cable used to hold them together. Cable Filler: The material used in multiple- conductor cables to occupy the interslices formed by the assembly of the insulated conductors, thus forming a cable core. Cable Rack: The vertical or horizontal open support (usually made of aluminum or steel) that is attached to a ceiling or wall. Cable Sheath: The overall protective covering applied to cables. Cable Tray: A ladder, trough, solid-bottom or channel raceway system intended for, but not limited to, the support of telecommunications media (e.g., cable). Cable Vulcanizer: Compression molding machine used to repair cable jacketing that has had a part removed for splicing, for adding connectors or other devices or for replacing damaged sections. Cabling: (1) A combination of all cables, wire, cords and connecting hardware. (2) Twisting together two or more insulated conductors by machine to form a cable. In fiber optics, a method by which a group or bundle of fibers is mechanically assembled. Cabling Factor: Used in the formula for calculating the diameter of an unshielded, unjacketed cable. D = Kd, where D is the cable diameter, K is the factor and d is the diameter of one insulated conductor. Campus: The building and grounds of a complex (e.g. a university, college, industrial park or military establishment). Canadian Standards Association (CSA): A non-profit independent organization which operates a listing service for electrical and electronic materials and equipment. The Canadian counterpart of the Underwriter’s Laboratories. Capacitance: The ratio of the electrostatic charge on a conductor to the potential difference between the conductors required to maintain that charge. Capacitance, Direct: The capacitance measured from one conductor to another conductor through a single insulating layer. Capacitance, Mutual: The capacitance between two conductors (typically of a pair) with all other conductors, including shield, short circuited to ground. Carolprene®: Proprietary rubber compound. Carrier: The woven element of a braid consisting of one or more ends (strands) which creates the interlaced effect. Also, a spindle, spool, tube, or bobbin (on a braiding machine) containing yarn or wire, employed as a braid. Cellular Plastics: Expanded or “foam,” consists of individual closed cells of inert gas suspended in a plastic medium, resulting in a desirable reduction of the dielectric constant. Central Office: The place where communications common carriers terminate customer lines and locate switching equipment that interconnects those lines. Certificate of Compliance (C of C): A written statement; normally generated by a quality control department, which states that the product being shipped meets customer’s specifications. Certified Test Report (CTR): A report reflecting actual test data on the cable shipped. Tests are normally conducted by the quality control department, and show that the product being shipped meets the required test specifications. Characteristic Impedance: The impedance that, when connected to the output terminals of a transmission line of any length, makes the line appear indefinitely long. Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE): A rubbery polymer used for insulations and jackets. Manufactured by E.l. DuPont under the trade name of Hypalon®. Cigarette Wrap: Tape insulation wrapped longitudinally instead of spirally over a conductor. Circuit: A complete path over which electrons can flow from the negative terminals of a voltage source through parts and wires to the positive terminals of the same voltage source. Circuit Sizes: A popular term for building wire sizes 14 through 10 AWG. Circular Mil: The area of a circle one mil (.001”) in diameter; 7.854 x 10-7 sq. in. Used in expressing wire cross sectional area. Cladding: Method of applying a layer of metal over another metal whereby the junction of the two metals is continuously welded. In fiber optics, a sheathing intimately in contact with the core of a higher refractive index material which serves to provide optical insulation and protection to the reflection interface. Closed End Splice: An insulated splice in which two or more wires overlap and enter the splice from the same end of the barrel. Closet, Telecommunications: An enclosed space for housing telecommunications equipment, cable terminations and cross-connect cabling. The closet is the recognized location of the cross-connect between the backbone and horizontal facilities. Coaxial Cable: A cable consisting of two cylindrical conductors with a common axis, separated by a dielectric. Coaxial Connector: A connector that has a coaxial construction and is used with coaxial cable. Coherent Source: (fiber optic) A light source which emits a very narrow, unidirectional beam of light of one wavelength (monochromatic). Coil Effect: The inductive effect exhibited by a spiral-wrapped shield, especially above audio frequencies. Cold Flow: Permanent deformation of the insulation due to mechanical force of pressure (not due to heat softening). Color Code: A color system for wire or circuit identification by use of solid colors, tracers, braids, surface printing, etc. Commercial Building: A building or portion thereof, that is intended for office use. Glossary
