The data cable consists of a partially bio-based jacket material. The sustainable variant with a bio-based outer sheath consists of 43% renewable raw materials (in accordance with ASTM D6866). The product properties are the same as the standard version made purely from fossil raw materials. According to the company, this reduces the carbon footprint by 24% compared to the fossil-based TPU jacket.

Both the fossil-based and bio-based versions are suitable for patch cable assembly up to 60 m cable length for particularly demanding applications: for example, for continuous motion use in drag chains, in moving machine parts or for Ethercat and Ethernet/IP applications. Thanks to the Cat.5e performance of up to 1000 Mbit/s, the data cable enables fast information exchange and is used to transmit analog and digital signals in the frequency range up to 100 MHz. In addition, the copper shielding braid with a high degree of coverage protects against electromagnetic interference. Halogen-free and flame-retardant materials reduce potential hazards in the event of fire. The Bio-TPU outer jacket is insensitive to mineral oil-based lubricants and is resistant to many chemicals. The highly flexible Cat.5e Ethernet cable has been tested in Lapp's own test center for over 1 million bending cycles in the drag chain. UL/CSA certification in accordance with the technical data also allows the product to be used in North America.

Next prototype in the pipeline

The next more sustainable variant in the pipeline is the 'Ölflex Classic FD 810'. An initial prototype was recently presented. The challenge here is that it is not yet technically possible to produce polyvinyl chloride - PVC for short - entirely on the basis of bio-based raw materials. One starting point is therefore a partially bio-based coating made from a PVC compound with a bio-based content of 42% according to ASTM6866.
Incidentally, Lapp is already working on ideas for recycling secondary materials from plastic waste in production. They are to be used as filler in the cables, for example.