Document 8REXnrRGmdd61npQB2wDDd8d

vmmm mmm mmm LIA16292 ; -A&liSCA*rt- r't" Wv.- < CAms_smirCTg R. C. Waldron, Assistant to Chief Rng1 near ] The aconite CofW)r 1 Pma* do, R. A. I em glad to hawo tMi opportunity to discuss problems la connection with !1 tiM of lead. Th* Cable Induatry uses about 11X of tbs total load used In this country* This Include* tbs load used for both penor sad telephone cables and whllo tin roquir*- amta for shoaths for different Insulation* or Installations wary, most of tin roquire- j mmts ars rrwawin to all cable** Th* only roison for using load 1* to obtain a mixture laporrlou* shoath* If aigr othar material wero awailahle which was laporrious to moisturo and could be applied to cables, the use of laad would be draatically reduced. Tbs many shortcoatings of lead justify extonslvw research to find a suitable substitute. Prioa la also n Important factor In that th* higiwr ths price of load, the moro soar/ cam justifiably be spent to dewelop a substitute. I Two years ago Kr. B* K. Spofford tdd you of our efforts to reduce the use of laad by a 1/3 reduction In wall thickness with a protective cowering to prewent dmon. Last year Mr. Stowor of Western Eloctrlc discussed their alternate sheath construction usod for certain types of tcluphona cables to reduce the amount of lad. This was a dlffarent type cabls but again resulted la seme 1/} reduction In lead used and might easily bo extended. This cawing In load may be dosirabla during periods of shortages, but In ths long run will cartel ly hart tho load producers. A reduction in tin price of load will not cutomatteelly rogsin this load wrist fear. If this tin* ewer comae, price* on tho substitute maturids will also probobly drop. Also tho substitute may bswe adrnstaco* which our castrmwrrs like and tbay will not return to lead purely on a pries bests. Rut ere the lead producers doing to Increase tho use of lead in tho cable lnductryl In tbs wire and cabin Industry wo are always looking for ways la which u* can Increase tho use of Insulated cable. During the past few years we developed s type of aerial cable irtdeh could be tapped hot so It would be practical to aae cable in place of aany opan wire lines at distribution woltagas. This was deslrod hr the users but thoy did not haw* the kaotCodgo or oquipaent to dewelop such a cable, 3* soar the possibility of th* greater use of cable If It could be dewslopod and spent considerable time end morwy on Its dewelopmcnt. Re also dewolopod a high woltago pipe type cable aystom to replace open wire circuit* nt transmission woltagoa. There had previously been the choice of on expondwe eonwentlonal ccble system or the cheap open wire. This new system nxfaced the cost of underground trcnsmlsslon and resulted In Increased us* of Insulated cable* These two dewelepment* did not merely rubititute the us* of a new kind of Insulated . cable for an existing type but actually axtendod the us* of insulated cable* ' This typo of dewelepment Is being carried out In many lndistrles oa e neoesseqr part of their business. It Is essentl-1 If their position Is to be e.tntHnwt competitor* In their own and related fields* Presented at the 23rd Annuel Meeting, Lead Industrie* Association, May 17-lS, 1951, Now York, R.T. at the Panel Discussion of Lead Consmors. B ' ws,!i '.me-t.m.i i .jen .y J* ii cjie e'-wmwwwtqwew'we'PSaePmemwmiP-Ujmsewme 0 wmmmmm LIA16293 a 0f I f*1 that the load producers could hold thnir position la tho cabin field by act! roly seeking ways to lncrooao tha uso of land la the chhla Industry, | The mojor weakness In load sheaths Is du* to lapcritles in load os extruded onto a cable. All cable aanufacUirors ere working on this prohltw. Methods are c t c H* ablo for reducing trouble but.not oliainctir.? it, If the load producers considered this their p.-obloa and wurkod with tho airsif.ctercrs of load press equipment, forhaps an earlier solution wuli bo obtained. Lead proas equipsont has not ehintud eppro* dably sinco tha start of tha eablo Industry, Tbc lnturnlttent slog method Is slew* troublesocao, ml subject to awnj defects. A continuous press is* of course tho anew# but its development hes boon slow. Interest by tho load prodtacars might wall take pressure oft the search of suhstituos and koop the suutcot for lead In this field* Keen If properly and easily applied, load has some shortcomings particularly i for paper insulated penrar cablos. It Is soft and creeps under stoajy prossuro end is subject to fatigue crocking, Efforts by cable nocafaeturcr* and eablo users sou being ado to find nuiiablo allaya to overcome these difficulties, in eoctensivo acnes of studies base boon carried cut by the University of niiaols under sponsorship of the Dtilitlo* Rosoarch Ccadssion. This wn* largely toatii# of savins supplied by util* ltios end cable mansf octurora frem cable she-tha. The actdso perilcipetioo of tha ' load pirodncors mould bo helpful in connection with this problem* : There are two typos of material which can be substituted for lead sheathe* A metal shoath he* the required moisture resistance If It can be applied and handled, Almira is the most premising end 1s now In regular prediction abroad, Tim al rostra 0 producers, particularly the Aluminas Cemptaj of America, are most Interested and hew dene large Mount cf work in development of processes far applying alminum to cables. Tbay apparently feel that this development will Increase the use of rnliwiM and so are very aoeh interested. A nm mstelUc sheath* of which polyethylene is the most premising from a moisture standpoint, is being studied, Tha jreiiesra of possible ratori ala are very I f4 such Interested in these davwlojnants and are most cooperative. Many non metallic sheaths are oom being used to replace lead on rubber insulated cable# and may seom be used on paper cables. While in seme cases this is because of tim desirable char acteristic* of tho non metallic sheaths. In many cases It is beeease of oost or shortcomings of lead. It Is sy opinion that the use of lead for cabin sheathe is falling off tr because of shortcactors in the processing rather than fundamental sbortconings of thg material. Increase! interest of the laad Industry in helping develop better methods i of handling and alloying lead could ovwroooo these disadvantages. Sot long ago lead was the only material considered suitable for a cable sheath. That condition no longer exists and unless the producers show s greater interest in technical develop r ment of laad sheathe, the use of lead for cable sheethe La due far a steady decllns irrespective of the prioe or supply. 9 r t r