ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 18G1.0 mm² Flexible Control Cable | LAPP Kabel | 300/500V | For Power Chains & Drag Chains

Description

Is Your Cable Failing in the Cable Chain? Stop the Downtime Now.

You know the feeling. You have a high-end CNC machine or a complex conveyor system. Everything runs smooth for a few months. Then, suddenly, a sensor fails. A signal drops out. The whole production line stops. You trace the problem back to the cable. It looks cracked. The copper is brittle. Or maybe it’s just too stiff, and it snapped the connector right off.This is the nightmare of every maintenance engineer and procurement manager. Cables in moving parts—like cable chains, drag chains, or torsion applications—take a beating. They bend, twist, and rub against each other thousands of times a day. If you use a standard rigid cable here, it will break. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when.You need a cable that moves like a snake but protects like a tank. You need a cable that handles oil, resists fire, and carries 18 different signals without interference. And you need it to last for years, not weeks.This is why we are talking about the LAPP Kabel ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810. Specifically, the 18 core 1 square millimeter (18G1.0) version. This isn’t just a wire. It is a precision-engineered solution for cable chain control systems. It solves the headache of frequent replacements and expensive downtime.

What Makes the ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 Series Special?

LAPP Kabel is a German brand. When you hear “German engineering” in the cable world, it means precision, consistency, and toughness. The ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 is part of their “Power and Control” family. But the “FD” is the secret sauce here. It stands for the specific design made for Flexible Drag chains and power chains.Unlike standard building wires, this cable is built for motion. It uses fine-stranded copper (Class 5 flexibility according to VDE 0295). This means the wire inside is made of hundreds of tiny copper threads, not one thick solid rod. When you bend it, the threads slide over each other smoothly. They don’t snap.The 18 core 1 square millimeter configuration is a “sweet spot” for many industrial control panels. It gives you enough wires to run power, ground, and multiple control signals (like start, stop, emergency stop, and sensor feedback) all in one single cable. This saves you space in the cable chain. You don’t need to run five different cables. You run one ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 18G1 and you are done.

Technical Specifications: The Numbers You Need

When you are buying industrial cable, you don’t guess. You need exact data to make sure it fits your gland, your chain, and your voltage needs. Here is the hard data for the ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 18G1.0:

Article Number: 0026138
Conductor Size: 1.0 mm² (Approx 17-18 AWG)
Number of Cores: 18
Nominal Voltage: U0/U = 300/500 V
Test Voltage: 4 kV (This shows how tough the insulation is)
Outer Diameter: 13.9 mm (This is crucial for choosing the right cable gland and chain size)
Weight: 324 kg/km (This helps you calculate shipping costs and load)
Copper Index: 173 kg/km (This tells you the actual amount of copper inside, which affects price and conductivity)
Minimum Bending Radius:
- Fixed installation: 6 x Diameter (approx 83 mm)
- Flexing/Moving: 20 x Diameter (approx 278 mm)
- Note: Always respect the bending radius. Bending it too sharp will kill the cable fast.
Temperature Range: -40°C to +80°C (Flexing). It can handle heat and cold better than cheap PVC cables.
Resistance: 19.5 Ω/km (Low resistance means less voltage drop over long distances)
Core Identification: Numbers printed on the core (0-9, then repeating or color codes)
Sheath Color: Grey (RAL 7001)

Built for the Real World: Oil, Fire, and Torsion

Let’s look at the environment where this cable lives. It’s usually inside a factory, but not in a clean office. It’s near motors, hydraulics, and coolant fluids.Oil Resistance is CriticalStandard PVC cables get soft and sticky when they touch mineral oil or lubricants. They swell up and fall apart. The ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 uses a special PVC compound that is oil-resistant. It meets the standards for resistance to oils and chemicals. If a little oil leaks onto the cable, it won’t eat through the jacket. This is a huge plus for maintenance teams who hate cleaning up messy, degraded cables.Flame Retardant SafetySafety comes first. If there is a short circuit, you don’t want the cable to catch fire and spread it to the rest of the machine. This cable is flame-retardant according to IEC 60332-1-2. It is self-extinguishing. If the fire source is removed, the cable stops burning. This is often a requirement for insurance and safety compliance in Europe and North America.Torsion and TwistingSome applications aren’t just back-and-forth movement. Some are twisting (torsion). The ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 is rated for torsional load. The cores are stranded in layers (layered stranding). This geometry keeps the cable round even when it twists. It prevents the “kinking” that ruins other cables.

Why Choose the 18 Core Version for Control Systems?

You might ask, “Why 18 cores? That seems like a lot.” But in modern automation, you burn through cores fast. Let’s look at a typical cable chain control setup for a robot arm or a CNC lathe:

Power: You need at least 2 cores for 24V DC power (Positive and Negative).
Safety: You need 2 cores for E-Stop circuits (usually a dual-channel safety loop).
Motors/Valves: You might have 2 outputs for solenoid valves.
Sensors: You have limit switches, proximity sensors, and temperature sensors. That’s easily 4-6 inputs.
Communication: You might need a pair for RS485 or CAN bus.
Spares: You always need 2-4 spare cores for future upgrades.

If you add that up, you are already at 16-18 cores. If you buy a 12-core cable, you will have to run a second cable. Running two cables in a chain takes up more space, adds weight, and costs more in connectors and labor.The LAPP Kabel ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 18G1 gives you “future-proofing” in a single jacket. It keeps the cable chain tidy and organized. The outer diameter is only 13.9mm. That is very slim for an 18-core cable. LAPP uses a high-density stranding technique to keep it small. This means you can use smaller cable chains (which are cheaper) and save space in your control cabinet.

Installation and Handling Tips

Installing this cable is easy if you follow the rules. Because it is a German brand LAPP Kabel copper wire cable, the quality control is high. You won’t find bad cuts or inconsistent insulation.Stripping and TerminatingUse a proper automatic stripping tool. Don’t use a knife. Because the strands are fine (Class 5), nicking them reduces the current capacity. Use ferrules (end sleeves) on the ends. Crimp them properly. This ensures all the tiny copper strands stay together and make a solid connection in the terminal block.Glands and ConnectorsFor an outer diameter of 13.9mm, you should use an M20 or M25 cable gland, depending on the strain relief you need. Make sure the gland has a “low-adhesion” or “slippery” surface if you are using multiple cables in one chain. This prevents the cables from sticking together and rubbing off the sheath.Drag Chain Installation

Don’t pull too hard: Use a pulling eye or a swivel anti-tension device.
Let it settle: When you first install it, let the cable hang for a bit to relieve internal stress.
Separate power and data: If possible, keep high-voltage cables separate from these 18-core control cables to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, if you must mix them, the ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 CP (the screened version) is a better choice.

The Screened Version: ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 CP

Sometimes, you have heavy motors running right next to your sensitive sensor cables. This creates “noise” (Electromagnetic Interference or EMI). The noise can make your sensors give false readings.For these harsh environments, LAPP offers the ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 CP. The “CP” stands for Copper Braid Screened (CY).

It has a tinned copper braid around the cores.
It has an inner sheath to protect the braid.
It is still flexible, but slightly thicker (outer diameter for 18G0.75 is 14.9mm, so for 1.0mm it would be slightly larger than the unshielded version).
It is oil-resistant and flame-retardant.

If your application involves frequency converters (VFDs) or servo motors, spend the extra money on the CP version. It will save you hours of troubleshooting “ghost signals.”

Cost vs. Quality: The Smart Choice

We know price matters. You can buy cheap generic cable from anywhere. But let’s do the math.

Cheap Cable: $1.00 p er m e t er . L a s t s 6 m o n t h s . F ai l s, c a u ses 4 h o u r so f d o w n t im e . D o w n t im ecos t s$ 500/hour. Total cost: $2000+.
LAPP ÖLFLEX® FD 810: $2.50 p er m e t er . L a s t s 5 y e a r s . Z er o d o w n t im e . T o t a l cos t :$ 250.

The ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 is a “cost-effective premium” product. It is not the most expensive cable on the market (like the PUR jacketed ones for extreme heat), but it is much better than the bargain bin stuff. It hits the perfect balance of performance, flexibility, and price.It uses a PVC sheath. PVC is great for general industrial use (-40°C to +80°C). If you need to go hotter (up to 100°C or more), you need the ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 CPH which has a PUR (Polyurethane) jacket. But for 90% of indoor factory automation, the standard FD 810 is perfect.

Summary: Why You Should Buy This Today

You are looking for a 18-core 1 square millimeter cable for a cable chain. You need it to be reliable, flexible, and safe. You need it from a trusted German brand LAPP Kabel.The ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810 (Article 0026138) checks every box:

Flexibility: Class 5 copper, bends easily, resists torsion.
Durability: Oil-resistant, flame-retardant, tough outer sheath.
Convenience: 18 cores in a slim 13.9mm diameter. Grey color for easy identification.
Compliance: VDE certified, CE marked, EAC certified. Meets international standards (IEC 60228, IEC 60332).
Application: Perfect for conveyors, CNC machines, robotics, assembly lines, and power chains.

Don’t risk your production line with inferior wire. Use the cable that engineers in Germany and around the world trust for their most critical moving applications.Ready to get the best price for your project?We have direct access to LAPP Kabel production slots. Whether you need 100 meters for a prototype or 10 kilometers for a mass production line, we can supply it. The copper price changes daily, but we can lock in a price for you.Send us your inquiry now. Tell us the length you need, the destination port, and if you need the screened (CP) or unshielded version. We will send you a detailed quotation within 24 hours. Let’s keep your machines moving smoothly.Click “Ask for a Quote” or email us today. Don’t wait until your cable snaps!