Galvanized Steel Wire for Power Cable Armouring
Galvanized steel wire and strip armour low-, medium- and high-voltage power cables against mechanical damage and corrosion. The steel layer resists crush, impact and abrasion during installation and service, while the hot-dip zinc coating protects the armour in buried, duct and coastal environments.
Zhongbo supplies soft, smooth-unwinding round armour wire from 0.8–8.0 mm and galvanized steel strip, manufactured to ASTM A641 and EN 10244-2 with heavy, uniform zinc coating for long service life.
Power cables are often buried for decades or run through ducts where replacement is costly, so the armour has to survive both the mechanical stress of installation and years of corrosion underground. We match wire diameter, tensile grade and zinc-coating weight to the cable construction and the ground conditions, so the armour lasts as long as the cable it protects.
Challenges in power cable
Power cable makers judge armour wire on how cleanly it strands and how long it lasts in the ground. The problems that matter on the line and in the field:
- Armour that corrodes early in buried, wet or coastal ground because the zinc coating is too light or uneven.
- Wire that springs, kinks or unwinds during high-speed armouring, leaving gaps or uneven lay around the core.
- Diameter or tensile variation across a coil, so the armour bed is inconsistent from drum to drum.
- Choosing between round wire and steel strip for a given cable construction and level of mechanical protection.
- Coating weight that has to meet the cable standard for a specific voltage class and installation method.
Where it is used
Power cable armour wire is specified wherever cables face mechanical stress or aggressive ground conditions — from utility distribution networks to heavy industrial plants.
- LV / MV distribution and underground feeder cables
- Duct, trench and direct-buried power cables
- Industrial plant, mining and infrastructure cabling
- Coastal and high-moisture installations
How it protects the cable
Round wire armour gives the highest radial crush resistance and is preferred for single-core and large multi-core cables; flat steel strip suits lighter mechanical protection and tighter bending. In both, the zinc coating is the corrosion barrier — a heavier, more uniform coating means a longer service life.
Our wire is annealed soft for smooth, unwinding-free stranding, with controlled tensile strength and surface finish so it lays evenly around the cable without gaps or kinks.
Round wire or steel strip?
One of the first decisions in armouring a power cable is round wire versus steel strip, and the two protect the cable differently. Round-wire armour gives the highest radial crush and impact resistance and carries tension well, which is why it is standard for single-core, larger and buried power cables. Flat steel-strip (tape) armour is lighter and bends more tightly, suiting multi-core cables and installations where lighter mechanical protection is enough.
We supply both from the same plant — round wire from 0.8 to 8.0 mm and galvanized strip — so a single order can cover different cable constructions without adding a second supplier. If you are unsure which suits a given cable, send the construction, the voltage class and the installation, and we will recommend round wire or strip and the coating class to match, with samples for approval before the production run.
Standards & compliance
Power cable armour wire is normally specified to ASTM A641, EN 10244-2, JIS G 3547 or GB/T, which set the zinc-coating class and diameter tolerance. Zhongbo manufactures and tests to these standards or to your cable-design specification, and can supply a mill test certificate covering diameter, tensile strength and zinc-coating weight per batch. Tell us the cable standard and installation and we will confirm the coating class and wire size.
Why power cable buyers choose Zhongbo
Cable manufacturers stay with us because the armour strands cleanly and lasts in the ground, backed by test data. What sets our power-cable wire apart:
- Heavy, uniform hot-dip zinc coating from a ceramic pot and nitrogen-wiping line for long buried and coastal life.
- Soft, unwinding-free wire annealed for smooth, gap-free stranding on single- and multi-core cables.
- Round wire from 0.8–8.0 mm and galvanized steel strip, so one supplier covers both round-wire and tape armour.
- Diameter and tensile held steady across the coil, for a consistent armour bed drum to drum.
- Coating-mass, tensile and diameter reports to your cable standard, with pre-shipment inspection on request.
Typical Specifications
| Wire diameter | 0.8 – 8.0 mm (1.5 – 6.0 mm typical armour) |
| Strip size | 0.74 – 0.84 mm thick, up to ~60 mm wide |
| Zinc coating | Standard / heavy galvanized (g/m², as specified) |
| Tensile strength | Customizable to your standard |
| Standards | ASTM A641 · EN 10244-2 · JIS G 3547 · GB/T |
| Surface / packing | Smooth, unwinding-free · coils / spools / pallets |
Frequently asked questions
Should I use round wire or steel strip for power cable armour?
Round galvanized wire gives the best crush and impact resistance and is standard for buried and single-core power cables. Galvanized steel strip is used for lighter mechanical protection and where tighter bending is needed. Send your cable construction and we will recommend the right armour.
What zinc coating is needed for direct-burial power cables?
For buried and high-moisture installations we recommend a heavy hot-dip zinc coating with uniform adhesion. Exact coating weight (g/m²) is confirmed against your standard and soil/environment.
What wire sizes do you supply for LV/MV cables?
We supply 0.8–8.0 mm round wire, with 1.5–6.0 mm being typical for power cable armour, plus galvanized strip. Diameter is selected from the cable diameter and required mechanical protection.
Do you supply both wire and strip for one cable order?
Yes. We produce round galvanized armour wire and galvanized steel strip from the same plant, so a single order can cover round-wire armour and tape armour for different cables.
How do you stop the wire springing during armouring?
The wire is annealed soft and tension-controlled so it lays flat and unwinds without springing or kinking on high-speed armouring lines. Share your line speed and we will confirm the temper.