Development of Fiber Optic Composite Rubber Sheath Soft Cables for Coal Mining Machine

Addressing the susceptibility of control cores within flexible rubber-sheath cables for shearers to damage, and their inherent limitations in supporting long-distance communication and high-speed data transmission, which can not meet the data transmission demands of airborne camera, control and sensor equipment during intelligent coal mining, a new type of fiber optic composite rubber sheath soft cable for coal mining machine was developed. Overall structural design and key process control of the developed cable were introduced. Electrical properties, flame retardant properties, mechanical properties were carried out. Reliability and practicability of the developed cable were verified through application examples. Results showed that properties of the developed cable met the design requirements, which could provide reference for the design of drag type optical fiber composite cable for power connection of underground mining equipment.