A very fine coaxial cable bundle is a super-thin coaxial cable structure with a diameter typically between 0.2mm and 0.5mm, widely used inside miniaturized electronic products such as laptops, tablets, camera modules, smartphones, and 5G communication devices. Since such cable bundles often need to be repeatedly bent and turned inside the equipment, or even remain in a dynamic motion state for a long time, the bending life (flex life) has become one of the important indicators for evaluating their quality and reliability.
What is bending life?
Bend life refers to the number of times a cable harness can be bent repeatedly under specified conditions of bending radius, frequency, and angle, without breaking the cores, wires, and without any abnormal performance.
Common test conditions are as follows:
Bend radius: 5mm; bend angle: ±90°; speed: 60 times/min.
• Criteria: Signal continuity, no open circuit, stable insertion force.
Quality standards: Determined by specific application scenarios and wire requirements.
The bending life performance of micro coaxial cable harness
Under the same testing standards (φ5mm bend radius, ±90° angle, 60 times/minute speed), the bending resistance of micro coax cable assemblies with different qualities shows significant differences and can be roughly divided into the following three categories:
Conventional harness
Can withstand about 3,000 to 5,000 bends, meeting the internal usage requirements of ordinary equipment.
High flexibility harness
By optimizing the conductor braiding structure, improving the flexibility of the insulation layer, and enhancing the weaving density of the shielding layer, it can achieve about 8,000 to 12,000 bends.
Ultra-high-end wiring
Made with multi-strand ultra-fine copper wire (such as 46AWG), FEP high-performance insulation material, and a high-density braided + ribbon structure, it is commonly used in high-end scenarios such as medical equipment, industrial automation, drones, and 5G high-speed modules, with a tested bendability of up to 15,000 times or more.
Key factors affecting the bending life
Conductor material and structure
Multifilament braided ultra-fine copper wire (40AWG~46AWG) has high flexibility and can effectively improve the bending resistance performance.
Insulation material selection
The use of high flexibility insulation layers such as FEP, ETFE, etc., can significantly reduce the concentration of bending stress.
• Design of屏蔽层
High-density woven structure can effectively protect the core and reduce the risk of breakage.
Connector and welding technology
The contact point is the most vulnerable part, and it requires the use of high-quality connectors (such as I-PEX 20438-030T-01) and precision welding techniques to enhance the overall bending resistance.
Four, performance of I-PEX 20438-030T-01 connector
In the micro coaxial cable system, the connector is the core that determines the signal stability and mechanical life.
I-PEX 20438-030T-01 is indeed a high-performance ultra-small high-speed connector specifically designed for 0.5mm pitch micro coax cable assemblies.
Product features:
0.5mm ultra-fine spacing design, maximum space saving;
Supports high-speed differential signal transmission, up to 8Gbps.
Double lock structure ensures firm and reliable connection.
Optimize terminal structure, reduce signal interference and loss.
Bend test performance:
The I-PEX 20438-030T-01 micro coax cable assembly has demonstrated excellent reliability, with no abnormalities after 5,000 cycles under a φ5mm bend radius, and stable performance after 8,000 cycles.
As devices continuously develop towards thinness and high speed, micro coax cable assemblies have become an important trend in internal wiring. Their performance and durability directly determine the stability and lifespan of the entire machine. Choosing high-quality cable assemblies and connectors, such as the I-PEX 20438-030T-01 matched with high flexibility micro coax solutions, not only makes the product thinner, faster, and more reliable, but also enables it to stand out in the high-end market competition.
We have been focusing on the design and customization of high-speed signal cables and ultra-fine coaxial cables for a long time, committed to providing stable and reliable high-speed interconnection solutions to our customers. If you have any related needs or want to learn more, please feel free to contact: Manager Yin.
18913228573（WeChat same number）.
