Cable clamps are mechanical devices or clips that define a route for one or more cables along a building wall or within an instrumentation, control or other type of electrical enclosure. They provide all the mechanical support required.
Smaller-scale cable clamps also exist, suitable for managing and routing insulated cables along a PCB board. Some types can be soldered into position together with other board components, reducing assembly time.
The path should be aesthetically pleasing and impart a sense of order and professionalism to the installation. It should also keep the cables out of harm’s way, without risk of damage from shock, stress, vibrations, human activity, tools or nearby pieces of installed equipment. The clamps should also prevent the cables themselves from becoming sources of obstruction or danger.
A clearly-defined cable path ensures technicians and electricians can easily trace the cables from source to destination for trouble-shooting or identification. It also eliminates the possibility of random inductive coupling and resulting interference problems through cables being left to run close to high-power electrical equipment.
Cable clamps are available in many materials and sizes, and can be sized for the diameter of the cable or set of cables they must accommodate. Various mountings are also available. They should be rated for UL94V-2 flammability resistance, as well as resistance to corrosion, fuels, lubricants and other chemicals. They should also be non-conductive.