Design & Materials
Cable Jacket Material Selection Guide
Jacket material should be chosen from the use environment, routing, flexibility, abrasion, temperature, oil, moisture, UV, cleaning exposure, marking, and required documents. Name the material and the reason for it in the RFQ.
Published: Updated:
Decision summary
What to carry into the decision
- Choose a jacket from the actual exposure, movement, routing, termination, and document needs.
- Translate broad labels such as outdoor, oil resistant, or high flex into conditions and a validation method.
- Check stripping, molding, connector sealing, marking, and downstream assembly before changing material.
In this guide
- 1Direct answer
- 2Material selection table
- 3RFQ checklist
- 4Tie material to the assembly
- 5Material decision table
- 6Do not approve material by trade name alone
Use the sections in sequence, then turn the open items into one controlled build or sourcing package.
Direct answer
Select cable and jacket materials after identifying construction, flexing, abrasion, oil, moisture, UV, cleaning, temperature, color, marking, shielding or covering, and any document requirement. MTTJ can discuss PVC, PE, PP, PU / TPU, TPE, PTFE, silicone, and specified shielding or covering structures only where the project scope calls for them.
Material selection table
The material name alone is not enough; the application reason should also be stated.
| Flexibility | Handheld, retractable, bend, or moving routing requirements. |
|---|---|
| Environment | Moisture, oil, UV, abrasion, temperature, cleaning, or outdoor exposure. |
| Processing | Stripping, crimping, soldering, overmolding, marking, and packing needs. |
| Documents | Material, inspection, shipment, or target-market records requested with the inquiry. |
RFQ checklist
Add these details when jacket material is important to the build.
- Preferred material or required material document type.
- Cable OD, color, print, marking, stripe, flexibility, and bend constraints.
- Exposure to heat, oil, UV, moisture, cleaning, abrasion, or repeated motion.
- Whether the jacket must work with overmolding, seals, connectors, or labels.
Tie material to the assembly
Select jacket material from the cable construction, use environment, connector and overmolding fit, and required material or target-market documents.
Material decision table
Use conditions that can be checked, not only marketing labels.
| Exposure | Temperature, moisture, cleaning, oil or chemical contact, UV, abrasion, dust, and duration. |
|---|---|
| Movement | Static route, bend radius, repeated flex, torsion, coil forming, drag, and vibration. |
| Assembly fit | Outside diameter, stripping, seal range, connector entry, molding, marking, and packing. |
| Evidence | Named material, component data, target-market documents, test method, and acceptance limit. |
Do not approve material by trade name alone
A family or trade name may include multiple grades. Record the exact material or cable construction and the evidence needed for the intended use, then control any proposed change through the drawing and BOM process.
