Detailed Description
What Is Medical & Industrial Sensor Cable?
Medical and industrial sensor cable is a flexible, shielded multi-conductor or twisted pair cable designed to connect sensors and transducers to their signal conditioning electronics — the cable that carries the microvolt-level ECG signal from the electrode on the patient's chest to the bedside monitor, the cable that transmits the picocoulomb charge from a piezoelectric pressure sensor to the charge amplifier, and the cable that connects the RTD temperature sensor in the process pipe to the transmitter. The sensor cable is the first link in the measurement chain, and its electrical characteristics — capacitance, shielding effectiveness, insulation resistance, and conductor resistance — directly determine the accuracy, noise level, and bandwidth of the measurement.
The dual medical and industrial designation reflects the fact that the same cable technologies serve both markets: medical sensor cables add biocompatibility and sterilisation resistance requirements; industrial sensor cables add chemical resistance and mechanical durability requirements. The core cable technology — low-capacitance insulation, individual pair shielding, and flexible stranded conductors — is common to both.
Medical vs Industrial — The Specific Requirements
| Requirement | Medical Sensor Cable | Industrial Sensor Cable |
|---|---|---|
| Biocompatibility | ISO 10993 tested — patient contact | Not applicable |
| Sterilisation | EtO, autoclave, gamma, STERRAD | Not applicable (industrial sensors are not sterilised) |
| Chemical resistance | Hospital disinfectants (alcohol, quaternary ammonium, H₂O₂) | Process chemicals, oils, solvents, cleaning agents |
| Electrical safety | IEC 60601-1 applied part isolation | Standard ELV insulation |
| Flexibility | Very high — patient-worn cables must be soft and non-kinking | Moderate — fixed or semi-fixed installation |
| Jacket material | Medical-grade PUR or silicone | Industrial PUR or PVC |
| Colour | Medical device colours (grey, light blue, white) | Black (standard industrial) |
| Regulatory | Medical device regulations (FDA, MDR, NMPA) | Industrial product regulations |
| Connectorisation | Often factory-terminated with medical-grade connectors | Field-terminated at the sensor junction box |
Why Choose Yichi Medical & Industrial Sensor Cables
- ISO 10993 biocompatible materials — tested and certified: The medical-grade PUR and silicone jacket materials are tested for cytotoxicity, sensitisation, and irritation per the applicable ISO 10993 parts. The test reports are available for the medical device manufacturer's regulatory submission (FDA 510(k), EU MDR Technical File, NMPA registration)
- Sterilisation-compatible — EtO, autoclave, gamma, STERRAD: The cable materials and construction are validated for the specified sterilisation method. The cable withstands the sterilisation process without degradation — the insulation does not crack, the jacket does not discolour, and the electrical properties remain within specification after the rated number of sterilisation cycles
- Silver-plated copper conductor — optimal for medical connector assembly: Silver-plated copper solders with standard Sn-Ag-Cu solder at standard temperatures, crimps cleanly without fracturing the fine wire strands, and maintains low contact resistance through repeated sterilisation cycles. Tinned copper is an alternative for EtO and autoclave-sterilised cables where soldering is not required
- Custom cable constructions — designed to your sensor interconnection specification: The conductor count, pair configuration, shielding type, jacket material, colour, and overall OD are engineered to your medical device or industrial sensor specification. Yichi manufactures the cable to your design — you receive a cable that integrates directly into your sensor assembly process with the electrical performance and mechanical characteristics your sensor requires
- Silicone jacket option — the softest, most flexible sensor cable: For patient-worn cables (SpO₂, ECG leads, temperature probes) where the cable must be comfortable against the skin for hours, flexible enough to move with the patient, and resistant to kinking when the patient moves, silicone is the preferred jacket material. Yichi medical-grade silicone is ISO 10993 tested for patient skin contact and manufactured under ISO 13485 quality management