31/08/2026
Let’s Connect: Mining Mondays with Victor Industrial Equipment | Respect the Bend
Trackless and Type 41 cables are designed to move, but flexibility does not mean unlimited bending.
When a cable is bent too tightly, its outer layers are stretched while its inner layers are compressed. This can distort insulation, stress conductors and screens, weaken the outer sheath, and shorten the cable’s service life.
But what do “4 × D” and “5 × D” mean?
“D” is the cable’s actual overall outside diameter.
For Type 41 cable:
• Fixed installation: minimum bend radius = 4 × D
• Flexible operation: minimum bend radius = 5 × D
For example, if the cable has an overall diameter of 50 mm:
• Fixed: 4 × 50 mm = 200 mm minimum radius
• Flexible: 5 × 50 mm = 250 mm minimum radius
The bend radius is measured to the cable’s centreline. Because 16 mm² and 25 mm² describe conductor size, not the complete cable diameter, the manufacturer’s actual outside-diameter specification must always be checked.
Victor Tip: Never estimate bend radius by appearance or conductor size alone. Confirm the cable’s actual overall diameter and follow the manufacturer’s specified installation requirements.
How does your operation control bend radius along cable routes and at equipment connection points? Share your experience in the comments; practical knowledge from the people doing the work is what Let’s Connect: Mining Mondays is all about.
Come visit us at Electra Mining Africa 2026 to discuss all your mining cable requirements. We know what we’re talking about.
7–11 September 2026 | Hall 5, Stand C5
Expo Centre, Nasrec, Johannesburg
