IEC 61196-10:2022

Overview - IEC 61196-10:2022 (semi-rigid coaxial cables with fluoropolymer dielectric)

IEC 61196-10:2022 is the International Electrotechnical Commission sectional specification for semi-rigid coaxial communication cables that use a fluoropolymer dielectric and a tubular outer conductor. This second edition (2022) replaces the 2014 edition and defines materials, construction, type designation, marking, rated characteristics, finished-cable requirements, quality assessment, delivery and storage for these cables. The standard explicitly covers fluoropolymer dielectric materials (including FEP and PFA), and is intended for high-frequency, high-stability applications such as mobile communications, microwave test equipment, radar and aerospace.

Key topics and technical requirements

The standard focuses on practical and testable requirements for semi-rigid coaxial cables. Key technical topics include:

• Materials and cable construction: inner conductor, fluoropolymer dielectric options (e.g., FEP, PFA), tubular outer conductor and optional sheath.
• Type designation and identification: IEC type names, distinguishing numbers and marking/labeling rules (including Figure 1 and Tables 1–2 in the standard).
• Rated characteristics: nominal characteristic impedance, rated temperature range, operating frequency, average/peak RF power and minimum bending radius.
• Electrical requirements: attenuation, phase stability vs temperature, phase stability vs bending (for corrugated outer tubes), corona voltage, screening attenuation and RF power handling.
• Environmental and mechanical requirements: thermal shock, ultraviolet stability of sheaths, tensile strength (longitudinal pull), and other climatic/mechanical tests.
• Safety and fire performance (for sheathed cables): flame propagation, halogen acid gas emission, toxic gas emission and smoke density per referenced IEC fire tests.
• Quality assessment and delivery: qualification and conformance inspection schemes, storage and packaging requirements.
• New or updated elements in Edition 2: added dielectric materials, Table 1 (distinguishing number), Table 2 (rated temperature), Annex A (typical cable performance) and Annex B (thermal shock requirements).

Practical applications and who uses IEC 61196-10

This standard is essential for:

• Cable designers and manufacturers of semi-rigid coaxial cables for RF/microwave systems.
• Test laboratories performing electrical, environmental and mechanical qualification of coaxial assemblies.
• Procurement engineers and quality managers specifying cables for aerospace, radar, mobile base stations, microwave test equipment, and other high-reliability RF installations.
• System integrators and RF connector suppliers ensuring compatibility with IEC connector standards (e.g., IEC 61169 series).

Related standards

• IEC 61196-1 (generic specification for coaxial communication cables)
• Environmental and fire test standards referenced: IEC 60068-1, IEC 60332-1-2, IEC 60754-1, IEC 61034-2
• RF connector standards such as IEC 61169-4

By following IEC 61196-10:2022, organizations ensure consistent material selection, test methods and labelling for semi-rigid fluoropolymer-dielectric coaxial cables used in high-frequency and safety-critical applications.