Cable entry plates from PFLITSCH –
simple and safe to use, cost-effective

Due to their “splittability”, PFLITSCH cable entries are suitable not only for initial installation, but also for retrofitting. They also facilitate maintenance work. The ability to separate the cable entry into two halves – in conjunction with the modular design of the cable grommets – simplifies assembly and gives you the flexibility to equip them entirely in line with your own requirements. The cables are simply inserted into the slots in the matching cable grommets. Then the grommets are secured in the frame and firmly compressed by screwing down the upper part of the frame.

Environmental influences such as dust and moisture can penetrate the control cabinet environment at the insertion points of the cables/lines and interfere with the equipment inside, potentially causing malfunctions. In this case, the cable entries need to ensure that the enclosure is securely sealed towards the inside. The type of protection IP (ingress protection, but sometimes referred to as international protection) provides information regarding the tightness of seal. It consists of two numerals: The first of these stands for protection against solid foreign objects. The second one stands for protection from water. The CABseal, for example, fulfils type of protection rating IP 66, where the first 6 stands for absolute dust-tightness and the second 6 for protection against powerful water jets.

The inserted cables must be held securely at their point of entry into an enclosure or control cabinet so that any strain is reliably taken off the contact points inside the enclosure in order to prevent the cables from being pulled out of connectors or suffering breaks. The CABseal cable entry ensures basic strain relief, which is achieved by the positive fit between the grommets and cables when the frame is screwed together. The strain relief lug on the CABseal grommets offers the additional option of significantly increasing strain relief using cable ties.

Certain applications require cable entries that provide reliable resistance to particularly low or high temperatures. Others, in turn, demand suitability for use in a temperature range subject to pronounced or even extreme fluctuations. Depending on the version, PFLITSCH cable entries can be used across a temperature range from –4 °C to +100 °C and also have high UV resistance so that they can be installed outdoors without any problems.

In addition to price, the ease and speed of assembly plays an increasingly important role with regard to the total cost of ownership of a product, that is, the total costs incurred over a complete life cycle. That’s why we emphasize simple and reliable assembly, which saves time and money, right from the development stage of our cable entries: It’s also why PFLITSCH cable entries consist of just a few fully compatible components that can be installed quickly, easily and yet safely – without any special tools. In large projects in which hundreds of components need to be installed, even a small time saving per cable entry can add up to a significant amount of time saved overall.

With a cable entry, the focus is on tightness of seal in conjunction with a high packing density and a small footprint (spatial requirement). Its dimensions are matched to standard cut-outs of control cabinets.

In the case of a cable gland, the focus is on maximum tightness of seal in combination with high strain relief and mechanical protection. It also has other features designed to fulfil additional functions such as EMC shielding, explosion protection, hygienic design, etc.

In this context, the PFLITSCH UNI flange offers a genuinely special feature: it combines the advantages of both products. As a splittable cable entry, it is designed for standard cut-outs and provides maximum tightness of seal and strain relief – based on the principle of the UNI Dicht cable gland.

The degree of tightness of seal provided by a cable entry is indicated by the IP rating awarded to it, this rating comprising two numerals. The first of these, a “6” in the case of the CABseal, stands for protection against dust. The second indicates the level of protection against water; the higher the number, the greater the degree of tightness. Here are a number of examples of common types of protection against dust and water: 


• IP 65: Protected against water jets from all directions

• IP 66: Protected against powerful water jets

• IP 67: Protected against temporary immersion 

• IP 68: Protected against continuous immersion

• IP 69: Protected against high-pressure/high-temperature water jets,
 especially in agriculture

In addition to the IP protection ratings, the UL ratings of NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association), the trade association of the US electrical engineering industry, are also relevant. The IP and UL classifications are more or less identical. For example, IP 66 is equivalent to UL Type 4 or 4X.

On the one hand, it is crucial which required properties are relevant: These include the minimum and maximum cable cross-section (diameter), the number of cables to be inserted, the IP protection rating required, but also the flammability rating according to UL 94. On the other hand, the cut-outs or drill holes found in the control cabinets or enclosures may have to be taken into account as they determine the dimensions of the cable entry. In case of doubt, PFLITSCH’s customer service team will be happy to assist you.

Strain relief is a measure of how tightly a cable is held at its entry point, so that the strain is reliably taken off the contact points inside the enclosure. Cable glands usually provide better strain relief than cable entries. European standard EN 62444 defines specific strain relief ratings for metric cable glands. A distinction is made between three ratings: retention capacity as the minimum requirement, strain relief (anchorage) type A as the intermediate rating requirement and type B as the highest. With each type, the required strain relief capacity, which is measured in Newtons (N), increases with the cross-section of the cable. The CABseal cable entry offers a sophisticated solution in terms of strain relief: strain relief lugs on the cable grommets allow optional, additional strain relief beyond the level of strain relief already integrated into the cable entry to be provided using cable ties.