Spring Cable | High-Flex Retractable Cable for Industrial Automation
The SC-RX series is a spring cable designed for robotic arm tooling, pendant control stations, and telescoping automation equipment. Its fine-stranded coiled construction self-retracts to manage slack between fixed and moving connection points, while the creep-resistant PUR jacket maintains coil shape through 250,000+ extension cycles. This cable is engineered for automation integrators who need consistent retraction performance, not a coil that sags out after a few months of use.
Key Benefits:
✅ Self-retracting design eliminates loose cable slack and floor drag
✅ Up to 5:1 extension ratio with sizing options for different reach requirements
✅ Creep-resistant PUR jacket maintains coil shape over 250,000+ cycles
✅ Custom retracted length built to your exact connection-point distance
Spring Cable | High-Flex Retractable Cable for Industrial Automation
Loose cable slack is a hazard and a failure point — it drags on the floor, catches on moving equipment, and eventually gets crushed or severed. This spring cable solves that by design: it retracts itself into a compact coil when not extended, keeping the working length exactly where it needs to be and nowhere else.
How Coil Design Determines Performance
Not all coiled cable behaves the same way over time. Cheaply wound coils lose their shape after a few hundred cycles — they stretch out, sag, and stop retracting fully. The difference comes down to two things: coil pitch and conductor construction.
- Coil pitch — the spacing between coil turns determines how tightly the cable retracts and how much force is needed to extend it. Too tight, and extension force becomes excessive; too loose, and the coil sags under its own weight.
- Conductor construction — the copper strands themselves must tolerate repeated stretching without work-hardening and breaking. This cable uses fine-stranded, high-flex copper specifically rated for coil applications, not standard stranded wire wound into a spring shape.
- Jacket memory — the outer jacket has to return to its coiled shape after every extension cycle. A PUR jacket compound is used here specifically because it resists “creep” — the gradual, permanent stretching that flattens cheaper coiled cables over time.
Technical Specification
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | SC-RX Series |
| Construction | Coiled spring cable, fine-stranded high-flex copper |
| Jacket | PUR, creep-resistant compound |
| Retracted (Body) Length | Configurable, typically 0.3m–1.5m |
| Extension Ratio | Up to 5:1 (extended vs. retracted length) |
| Flex Life | 250,000+ extension/retraction cycles |
| Conductor Count | 2–12 cores (application-dependent) |
| Temperature Range | -30°C to +80°C |
| Certifications | UL, CE, RoHS |
Choosing the Right Extension Ratio
The extension ratio determines how far the cable can reach before it runs out of coil — oversizing wastes space and adds unnecessary retraction tension, undersizing risks over-extending and damaging the coil permanently.
| Retracted Length | Typical Extended Reach | Common Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 0.3m | Up to 1.2m | Compact tool balancers, small pendant stations |
| 0.6m | Up to 2.5m | Robotic arm tooling, workstation equipment |
| 1.0m | Up to 4.0m | Overhead gantry tooling, larger reach requirements |
| 1.5m | Up to 6.0m | Long-reach automation, mobile equipment docking |
If your application sits between these, our engineering team can build to a custom retracted length and extension ratio.
Get Help Sizing Your Coil →
Where This Cable Is Used
- Robotic arm end-of-arm tooling that needs slack management between fixed and moving points
- Pendant control stations on cranes and hoists
- Tool balancers and torque-controlled fastening equipment
- Telescoping or extending automation equipment
- Any application where a cable needs to self-manage slack between two points at variable distance
Quality Assurance
Every batch of this spring cable is tested before shipment:
- Cyclic extension/retraction testing to confirm rated cycle life
- Retraction force testing to verify consistent coil behavior across the batch
- Conductor continuity and insulation resistance testing
- Jacket creep testing to confirm long-term coil shape retention
Test reports are available for engineering qualification.
Request Test Reports
Custom Configuration
| Option | Available Configurations |
|---|---|
| Retracted length | Built to your specified body length |
| Extension ratio | Up to 5:1, application-dependent |
| Conductor count/gauge | 2–12 cores, gauge per load requirement |
| End fittings | Fixed leads, connectors, or custom termination |
| Retraction tension | Adjustable via coil pitch, per application |
Discuss Your Configuration →
FAQ
Will this cable permanently stretch out over time? Not under normal use within its rated extension ratio. The PUR jacket and fine-stranded conductors are specifically selected to resist creep, unlike cheaper coiled cables that lose their shape after repeated cycles.
How do I choose the right extension ratio? Base it on the maximum distance between your two connection points at full extension, then select a retracted length that reaches that distance without exceeding the rated 5:1 ratio. Our team can help size this from your application details.
Does temperature affect coil retraction? Yes, to some degree — retraction force can be slightly reduced in cold environments. If your application operates in low temperatures consistently, let us know so we can account for it in the build.
Can this cable be used for both power and data together? Yes — hybrid configurations combining power and signal/data conductors are available within the same coiled cable.
What happens if the cable is over-extended beyond its rated ratio? Extending beyond the rated ratio risks permanent deformation of the coil and potential conductor damage. If your application has variable or unpredictable reach requirements, size for the maximum expected distance with some margin.
Do you offer custom end connectors? Yes — we can terminate with connectors matched to your equipment interface, or supply bare leads for field termination.
Get a Spring Cable Sized for Your Application
Tell us your minimum and maximum distance between connection points — our engineers will recommend the right retracted length and extension ratio.
Request a Quote | Ask About Your Extension Length | Download Datasheet
Manufactured for automation equipment builders, robotic integrators, and industrial control system designers.
