Is your production line stopping because of broken cables?
You know the feeling. You hear a loud “pop” or see a spark. Then your expensive robotic arm stops moving. You check the cable, and the outer skin is cracked. The copper inside is exposed. This happens because you are using standard cables in a moving environment. Normal wires are not built for constant bending, twisting, and pulling. They crack after a few months. You lose money on repairs. You lose time on downtime. And your maintenance team is tired of fixing the same wire over and over.You need a cable that moves as much as your machine does. You need a cable that ignores oil, resists scraping, and bends millions of times without failing. This is not just a wire. It is the lifeline of your automation system. Let’s look at the solution that solves these headaches forever.
What is TRVV High-Flexibility Drag Chain Cable?
TRVV stands for “Towline Resistant PVC-insulated PVC-sheathed Flexible Cable.” The “T” is the key. It means this cable is built for the drag chain (also called a towline or energy chain). A drag chain is the plastic track that holds cables on a moving robot or CNC machine.Unlike standard RVV power cords, TRVV cable has a special structure. It uses very thin copper strands twisted together. This makes it super soft. It can bend in tight spaces without kinking. The jacket is made of special PVC or PUR material. This material does not get sticky in oil. It does not get brittle in the cold. It is designed for one job: to move back and forth, up and down, and twist around, for years.When you see the specification “316+110 square millimeter,” it describes the power inside. You have 3 main power cores, each 16 sq mm thick. You also have 1 smaller core that is 10 sq mm. This is often used for grounding or a specific control signal. This size is for heavy-duty equipment. It carries a lot of power. But it stays flexible because of how it is built.
Technical Specifications of 316+110 TRVV Cable
Here are the hard numbers you need for your engineering team. We build this cable to meet strict standards for industrial use.
Electrical Performance
- Rated Voltage: 300/500V. This is standard for industrial control systems.
- Test Voltage: 2000V. We test every batch to ensure safety.
- Conductor Resistance: The copper is high purity. For 16 sq mm cores, resistance is very low (around 1.2 to 1.3 Ohm/km). This means less heat and more power for your motor.
- Insulation Resistance: Greater than 20 Mega-Ohms per kilometer. No signal leakage.
Physical Properties
- Conductor Material: Fine-stranded bare copper or tinned copper. Tinned copper is better if you have humidity or chemicals.
- Insulation Material: Special flexible PVC or PUR.
- Sheath Material: PVC (standard) or PUR (premium for oil/UV).
- Bending Radius: This is crucial. For this cable size, the minimum bend is about 7.5 times the diameter when moving. If you bend it tighter, it will break faster.
- Operating Temperature: From -40°C to +105°C. It works in freezers and near hot motors.
- Bending Life: Up to 15 million times. This is the industry gold standard.
Dimensions and Weight
- Cores: 3 cores x 16 mm² + 1 core x 10 mm².
- Outer Diameter: Approx 23.6mm to 24mm (±0.2mm tolerance).
- Weight: Roughly 108 kg per 100 meters. It is heavy because of the copper, but the design keeps it manageable.
Why choose PVC or PUR for the Jacket?
The jacket is the armor. It protects the copper from the outside world. You have two main choices based on where you install the cable.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – The Cost-Effective Choice
PVC is great for indoor use. It resists abrasion well. It is flexible down to -40°C. If your machine is inside a factory and there is no heavy oil splashing, PVC is perfect. It is cheaper than PUR and handles most industrial dust and dirt very well.
PUR (Polyurethane) – The Heavy-Duty Choice
If your cable sees oil, coolant, or sunlight, choose PUR. PUR is much tougher.
- Oil Resistance: Machine oil and hydraulic fluid will not eat through PUR. PVC can swell or soften in oil, but PUR stays hard.
- Abrasion Resistance: If the cable rubs against the metal drag chain, PUR lasts longer.
- UV Resistance: If your machine works outside, PUR does not crack in the sun.
- Chemical Resistance: It handles weak acids and alkalis found in cleaning agents.
For the 316+110 size, we recommend PUR if the cable travels more than 10 meters or if the environment is dirty.
Where do you use this specific cable size?
The 316+110 configuration is for high-power moving parts. You do not use this for small sensors. You use this when you need to push a lot of electricity to a moving motor.
Robotics and Robotic Arms
This is the #1 use case. A 6-axis robot arm has heavy servo motors in the joints. They need thick power cables (16 sq mm) to run at full speed. The cable must bend millions of times as the arm moves. TRVV is the only cable that survives this.
CNC Machine Tools
Large CNC machines have moving gantries. The spindle motor and axis motors need power. If you use a stiff cable, it limits the machine speed. TRVV allows the machine to accelerate fast without snapping the wire.
Logistics and Conveyor Systems
In a big warehouse, conveyor belts move packages. The control box for the sorter moves with the belt or hangs above it. These systems run 24/7. A cable failure stops the whole warehouse. TRVV ensures the lights and sensors stay on.
Heavy Machinery and Mining
Drills, crushers, and stackers move constantly. They vibrate heavily. Standard cables shake loose. TRVV is built with fillers (like cotton yarn or aramid fiber) inside to keep the shape and absorb vibration.
Wood and Stone Processing
Saws and routers create a lot of dust. The cable jacket must resist dust getting into the cracks. The oil from the hydraulic presses also demands a resistant jacket.
How to install it correctly for maximum life
Buying the right cable is half the battle. Installing it wrong will still kill it. Follow these simple rules to get the 15 million bends promise.
1. Leave Slack (The 10% Rule)
Never pull the cable tight inside the drag chain. When the chain moves, the cable needs to be a little loose. If it is tight, it will stretch and the copper will break. Leave about 10% to 15% extra length inside the chain. Let it “float” a bit.
2. Respect the Bending Radius
Do not bend the cable into a sharp corner. For this 24mm cable, the bend should not be tighter than 180mm radius (7.5 x 24). If you force a 90-degree sharp bend, you stress the insulation. Over time, cracks will form right at the bend point.
3. Separate Power and Signal
If possible, put power cables (like this 316+110) in one side of the drag chain. Put data cables (like Ethernet or encoder cables) in the other side. High power creates magnetic fields that can mess up data signals. If you must mix them, use shielded data cables.
4. Check the Temperature
If your machine gets very hot (over 105°C), the PVC will soften. Tell us if you have high heat. We can use special high-temp materials. If it is freezing cold (below -40°C), make sure you use the “cold resistant” grade so the jacket doesn’t shatter on impact.
Why buy from us?
We are not just a trading company. We understand the physics of cable failure. We know that “bending resistance” is not just a marketing word. It comes from using Class 5 or Class 6 fine-stranded copper. It comes from the right twist pitch in the conductor. It comes from the right plasticizer mix in the PVC.We supply cables that meet UL standards (like UL20234 or UL20549) if you need certification for the US market. We can do Tinned Copper for corrosion resistance. We can print your brand name on the jacket every meter.We have seen competitors’ cables fail after 3 million bends. Our TRVV cables are tested to 15 million. That is 5 times the lifespan. For you, that means 5 years of running without stopping to change a wire.
Get your custom quote now
Don’t guess which cable you need. Tell us your application.
- What is the moving distance?
- What is the speed (meters per second)?
- Is there oil or coolant?
- Do you need the 316+110 size, or a different mix like 310+16?
Send us an email today. Attach your machine photos or the old cable specs. We will calculate the right weight, diameter, and material for you. We ship worldwide. Let’s keep your production line moving.Click here to request a quotation for TRVV 316+110 High-Flex Cable.