Comparing U.S. and International Power and Control Cable Standards

From the engineer’s perspective, the specification, selection, testing, application, and installation of wire and cable is becoming more complicated as we move further into the age of the “global economy.” No longer can engineering firms in their respective countries rely on their domestic standards for the application and installation of wire and cable on export or offshore projects. It is now necessary for cable engineers to have a working knowledge of international standards so they can specify the proper cable for installation across the globe. Herein lies the difficulty that most of the cable engineers face—the unfamiliarity with international standards.