Calculate optimal cable sizes, prepare comprehensive cable schedules with routing information, and design cable tray and ducting systems — ensuring safe, efficient power delivery from source to load.
Cable sizing is a critical design activity that affects safety, performance, and cost. Undersized cables overheat and pose fire risks. Oversized cables waste money and create installation challenges with crowded tray systems. Our cable engineering service calculates the optimal size for each circuit based on electrical, mechanical, and environmental factors — and produces detailed cable schedules that contractors can use for procurement and installation.
Cable sizing considers multiple criteria simultaneously to determine the minimum conductor cross-section that satisfies all requirements:
The cable must carry the design current without exceeding its temperature rating, accounting for installation method, grouping, ambient temperature, and soil thermal resistivity.
The voltage at the load terminals must remain within acceptable limits (typically 3–5% of nominal) under full load conditions.
The cable must withstand short-circuit currents for the duration of fault clearing without thermal damage (I²t criterion).
Minimum conductor sizes to ensure mechanical robustness and compliance with installation standards.
Incorrect cable sizing has serious consequences:
We use specialised cable sizing software integrated with our power system analysis tools to calculate optimal cable sizes:
Collect all load currents, distances, installation methods, and environmental conditions from the design documents.
Calculate minimum conductor size for each circuit based on current capacity, voltage drop, and fault withstand criteria.
Produce detailed cable schedules including circuit number, from/to references, cable type, size, cores, length, and routing information.
Design cable tray and ducting systems with proper fill ratios, separation distances, and fire-stopping details.
Our comprehensive cable engineering covers all cable types and applications:
We've sized cables for projects spanning thousands of kilometres of cable routes — from offshore platforms with complex routing through modules to sprawling industrial complexes. Our cable schedules include detailed routing information and length estimates that help contractors plan installations efficiently and minimise waste.
Our team of power systems engineers is ready to provide expert guidance, detailed studies, and robust solutions tailored to your specific requirements.