EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF Armoured Cable

What is EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF Cable?

The EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF cable is a European-standard, low-voltage, individually and collectively screened, galvanised steel wire armoured (SWA) multi-pair instrumentation cable featuring plain copper conductors, Polyethylene (PE) core insulation, individual and overall Al/PET electrostatic tape screens [PIMF – Pairs in Metal Foil] with tinned copper drain wires, a PVC inner bedding sheath, SWA armour, and a UV-resistant PVC outer jacket complying with EN 50288-7 and EN 60228 standards. It is designed to connect electrical instrument circuits and transmit low-level analogue signals, digital telemetry, and voice communication up to 300V (500V available on request) in and around continuous process plants and petrochemical facilities where enhanced signal security is required.

Engineered to prevent telemetry distortion across electrically turbulent facilities while withstanding extreme physical abuse, the cable utilizes pair-by-pair individual Al/PET foil screening to completely eliminate intra-cable cross-talk between adjacent circuits carrying differing signal levels, while the collective Al/PET screen blocks external high-frequency electromagnetic interference (EMI). Beneath the weather- and UV-resistant PVC outer jacket, heavy helical galvanised steel wire armour provides superior tensile pulling strength and radial crush resistance, ensuring long-term operational integrity during direct underground burial in aggressive soils.

EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF Cable Construction

• Conductor: 0.5mm² and 0.75mm²: Class 5 flexible plain copper; 1.0mm² and above: Class 2 stranded plain annealed copper conforming to EN 60228 and HD 383.
• Insulation: Solid Polyethylene (PE) compound delivering high dielectric strength and low mutual capacitance (XLPE insulation available on request).
• Individual Screen (PIMF): Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) with a continuous tinned copper drain wire applied over each pair to prevent circuit-to-circuit cross-talk.
• Collective Screen: Overall Aluminium/Polyester tape [Al/PET – (st)] with an integral tinned copper drain wire providing 100% electrostatic coverage against external EMI.
• Bedding / Inner Sheath: Extruded Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) compound serving as a robust intermediate cushion for the metallic armour.
• Armour: Galvanised Steel Wire Armour (SWA) helically applied to deliver heavy-duty mechanical crush protection, tensile pulling resistance, and direct burial suitability.
• Outer Sheath: Specially formulated UV-resistant industrial Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) compound, flame retardant per IEC/EN 60332-1-2 and bunched vertical fire test IEC/EN 60332-3-24.
• Core Identification: Pairs: White and Black with continuous numerical printing; Triples: White, Black, and Red.
• Outer Sheath Colour: Blue (for intrinsically safe circuits) or Black (for general industrial process systems).

Applications

EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF cables are specifically engineered for interconnecting measuring instruments, process transducers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and supervisory distributed control systems (DCS) where individual pair channel isolation, electromagnetic screening, and heavy mechanical crush resistance are mandatory. Their dual-screened, steel wire armoured construction makes them ideal for direct burial in ground trenches, outdoor open raceways, and aggressive petrochemical environments.

Typical installation environments include:

• Direct Burial Applications: Direct underground burial in process plant perimeter trenches, utility duct corridors, and unpaved rights-of-way without secondary conduit.
• Petrochemical & Refining Complexes: Transmitting sensitive analogue 4-20mA transducer signals and digital telemetry across outdoor processing units subject to heavy electrical switching noise.
• Intrinsically Safe (IS) Circuits: Hazardous-area low-energy signal networks identified via the dedicated blue outer jacket.
• High-Density Transducer Marshaling: Multi-pair analog and digital transducer links requiring individual pair shielding to isolate differing voltage and frequency signals from mutual cross-talk.

Specifications & Dimensions

The EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF cable series covers multi-pair (1P to 20P), 1-triple (1T), and 2-pair quad [2P(Q)] configurations across nominal conductor cross-sections of 0.5mm², 0.75mm², 1.0mm², 1.5mm², and 2.5mm². Operating at a rated voltage of 300V (500V available on request), the cable supports fixed ambient temperatures from -40°C to +80°C and flexed moved installation from 0°C to +50°C, maintaining a minimum bending radius of 10× overall diameter. Conductor DC resistance values at 20°C range from 36.36 Ω/km (Class 2, 0.5mm²) / 39.39 Ω/km (Class 5, 0.5mm²) down to 7.56 Ω/km (Class 2, 2.5mm²) / 8.05 Ω/km (Class 5, 2.5mm²), with mutual capacitance values of 115 pF/m, minimum insulation resistance exceeding 10 GΩ/km, and maximum L/R ratios between 25 µH/Ω and 65 µH/Ω, with all dimensions manufactured in strict compliance with EN 50288-7 harmonized tolerances.

Standards

Huadong Cable Group manufactures and factory-inspects EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF armoured instrumentation cables to guarantee complete adherence to European and international electrical and mechanical standards:

Design Standards: EN 50288-7, EN 50288-1, EN 60228, HD 383
Flame Retardancy: IEC/EN 60332-1-2 (Single cable vertical test), IEC/EN 60332-3-24 (Bunched vertical fire test)
Environmental Resistance: Sunlight and UV-Resistant outer sheath compound, suitable for direct burial
Voltage Rating: 300V (500V available on request)
Temperature Spectrum: Fixed: -40°C to +80°C; Flexed/Installation: 0°C to +50°C
Regulatory Compliance: CE Marked, European Regulation EN 50575 (CPR Compliant), Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, RoHS Directive 2015/65/EU, REACH EC 1907/2006

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does “PIMF” stand for in EN 50288-7 cables, and what is its operational advantage?
A: “PIMF” stands for Pairs in Metal Foil. Each pair is wrapped with an individual Aluminium/Polyester tape screen and dedicated drain wire, eliminating intra-cable capacitive cross-talk and allowing signals of differing voltage, frequency, or sensitivity to run in the same cable bundle without interference.

Q: What is the structural difference between RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY and RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PIMF cables?
A: The standard RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY cable incorporates only an overall collective Al/PET screen over the core bundle, whereas the PIMF version adds individual Al/PET screening over each twisted pair in addition to the collective screen, delivering enhanced channel isolation.

Q: Can this cable be directly buried underground without secondary protection?
A: Yes, the cable is engineered specifically for direct burial applications at suitable depths; the heavy Galvanised Steel Wire Armour (SWA) provides mechanical protection against soil compaction, trench rocks, and accidental strike hazards.

Q: What payment terms does Huadong Cable accept for international industrial export orders?
A: We accept standard international commercial payment terms including Telegraphic Transfer (T/T) and 100% Irrevocable Letter of Credit (L/C) at sight for engineering procurement contractors, system integrators, and plant infrastructure builders.

EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PIMF – Why Choose Huadong Cable?

Huadong Cable Group manufactures EN 50288-7 RE-2Y(st)Y SWAY PVC PIMF armoured instrumentation cables in strict conformity with European standard EN 50288-7 and EN 60228 conductor standards, verified through rigorous IEC/EN 60332-1-2 and IEC/EN 60332-3-24 vertical flame propagation testing. Utilizing high-purity oxygen-free Class 5 flexible copper (0.5–0.75mm²) and Class 2 stranded plain annealed copper (1.0–2.5mm²), our precision extrusion lines apply solid polyethylene (PE) insulation to ensure superior dielectric stability, low mutual capacitance, and insulation resistances exceeding 10 GΩ/km. Combined with continuous individual and collective Al/PET screening foils, tinned copper drain wires, an extruded PVC bedding sheath, heavy galvanised steel wire armour (SWA), and a UV-resistant PVC outer jacket, our cables deliver complete cross-talk cancellation and rugged mechanical survivability across aggressive industrial plants.

With more than 20 years of precision cable engineering expertise, Huadong Cable Group operates fully automated multi-pair stranding, planetary cabling, high-tensile wire armouring, and polymer compounding workshops certified to ISO 9001, CE, CPR (EN 50575), RoHS, and REACH protocols. By eliminating commercial intermediaries, we provide competitive direct factory pricing, 100% routine and type test Mill Test Certificates (MTC) tested in accredited testing facilities, tailored continuous drum lengths on ISPM 15 heat-treated export wooden reels, and seamless door-to-port logistics for EPC contractors and industrial instrumentation builders worldwide.