Introduction: The Complete Cable Catalogue in a Single Product

PRYSMIAN CORDAFLEX® (SMK) (N)SHTOEU is not merely a cable — it is an entire reeling cable programme contained within a single product designation. With 38 standard configurations spanning four distinct architecture types (three-phase power, multi-core power, multi-core control, and hybrid power+screened control), cross-sections from 1.5 mm² to 240 mm², ampacities from 13.7 A to 540+ A, and weights from 257 kg/km to nearly 12,000 kg/km — the CORDAFLEX (SMK) covers every motorised drum reeling application in port crane, mining, and heavy industrial operations.

What elevates the CORDAFLEX (SMK) above every other cable in this guide is the convergence of four premium specifications that no other single cable achieves simultaneously: 30 N/mm² conductor tensile (the absolute highest — 50% above the Cordaflex SMRT’s 25 N/mm² and double the standard Trommelflex (K)’s 15 N/mm²), tinned copper Class “FS” (combining corrosion immunity with the finest stranding available), mining certification per DIN VDE 0168 and 0118 for surface and underground mining applications, and triple mechanical testing (reversed bending + roller bending + torsional stress) that goes beyond standard VDE 0250-814 requirements.

Technical Anatomy: Full Specification

38 Configurations: The Complete Matrix

30 N/mm²: The Absolute Pinnacle of Conductor Tensile

The CORDAFLEX (SMK) achieves 30 N/mm² maximum tensile strength at the conductor — the highest value of any cable in this entire guide series and the highest of any LV reeling cable in the Klaus Faber / Prysmian catalogue. The comparison hierarchy: CORDAFLEX (SMK) = 30, Cordaflex SMRT = 25, Trommelflex KSM-S = 20, Standard Trommelflex (K) = 15 N/mm². The (SMK) achieves double the tensile of the industry-standard Trommelflex (K).

This 30 N/mm² is applied to a tensile designation unique to this cable: Fzv = “tensile strength during installation” — not Fzp (permanent) or Fzd (dynamic). This designation reflects the cable’s horizontal reeling context: the maximum tensile occurs during initial cable installation (pulling the cable onto the drum under controlled tension) and during subsequent operation (reeling under motor-controlled tension). The Fzv values in the configuration table can be verified using the formula: Fzv = 30 × total copper cross-section. For 3×240+3×120/3 (total: 3×240 + 120 = 840 mm²): 30 × 840 = 25,200 N. The listed value is 21,600 N — indicating the practical limit is set by the cable’s overall construction, not solely by the copper’s yield point.

Tinned Copper Class FS: The Premium Conductor Combination

The CORDAFLEX (SMK) is the only cable in this guide that combines tinned copper with Class “FS” exceptionally fine stranded conductors. All other Class FS cables (REEL XPRT, (SMK)-V, (SMK)-V-FO) use bare copper. All other tinned copper cables (TROMMELFLEX (K), URSUS VS, URSUS VS PLUS) use Class 5 stranding. The CORDAFLEX (SMK) achieves both — providing maximum corrosion immunity (tin coating) with maximum flexibility (FS stranding with wire Ø ≤ 0.05 mm).

This combination is essential for the cable’s dual port-and-mining application. In port crane drum reeling, tinned copper prevents the green verdigris corrosion that accumulates on bare copper in salt-spray environments. In mining applications (surface and underground per VDE 0168/0118), tinned copper resists the acidic mine water and mineral dust that attack bare copper surfaces. The Class FS stranding ensures the cable survives the triple mechanical tests (reversed bending, roller bending, torsional stress) that the datasheet explicitly specifies — tests that go beyond standard VDE 0250-814 requirements and simulate the most severe real-world reeling conditions.

Mining Certification: VDE 0168 / 0118 — Beyond Port Applications

The CORDAFLEX (SMK) is explicitly rated for surface and underground mining per DIN VDE 0168 and DIN VDE 0118 — a certification that no other cable in this guide carries. This extends the cable’s application far beyond port cranes into mining equipment including stacker-reclaimers, bucket wheel excavators, ship loaders/unloaders in bulk terminals, drag chain systems in open-pit mines, and underground conveyor reeling systems.

The mining certification requires additional construction robustness — the cross-linked rubber blend inner sheath (unique to this cable — not standard 5GM3 or EPR) provides the enhanced mechanical cushioning and cut-through resistance needed in mining environments where cable contact with sharp rock fragments, coal particles, and abrasive mineral dust is inevitable. The PCP-based outer sheath provides the flame retardancy, oil resistance, and ozone resistance required in mining tunnels where methane, hydraulic oil leaks, and ozone from arc-welding are common environmental hazards.

Hybrid Configurations: Power + Screened Control in One Cable

The CORDAFLEX (SMK) offers 8 hybrid configurations that integrate unscreened power/control cores with screened signal cores (“C” suffix) in a single cable. These hybrids eliminate the need for separate power and signal cables on the same drum, simplifying reel design and reducing termination complexity. The range includes small hybrids (12×2.5+12×1(C) for basic control+signal), medium hybrids (34×2.5+10×1(C) for complex spreader control+signal), and large power+control hybrids (3×120+1×70+2×(6×2.5) and 3×150+2×70/2+1×(6×1)C) that combine three-phase motor power with integrated screened control circuits.

The largest hybrid — 3×150+2×70/2+1×(6×1)C (Part No. 053384) at 67.5 mm OD and 9,250 kg/km — carries 3×150 mm² motor power (404 A), split earth 2×70/2, and a 6-core screened control bundle at 1.0 mm² for encoder feedback or safety interlock signals. This single cable replaces what would otherwise be two separate cables (one power, one signal) on the same drum — halving the cable management complexity and eliminating the risk of differential cable wear between mismatched power and signal cables.

Cost-Effective Alternative from Feichun

Feichun Lead Times: 6–12 weeks (standard configs in stock; hybrids 10–14 weeks). European: 20–30 weeks.

Technical FAQ

Why is insulation material not explicitly listed on the datasheet? The CORDAFLEX (SMK) datasheet omits the insulation material designation — unlike other cables which specify EPR 3GI3, ETFE, or polyolefin. The absence suggests a proprietary Prysmian insulation compound that may not correspond to a standard DIN VDE material designation. Feichun’s equivalent uses a high-performance insulation matched to the cable’s 90°C continuous / 250°C short-circuit thermal envelope and the tinned Class FS conductor interface requirements.

Why 8.21 Ω/km (tinned copper) instead of 7.98 Ω/km (bare copper)? The conductor resistance of 8.21 Ω/km for 2.5 mm² confirms tinned copper per IEC 60228 Class FS maximum for tinned conductors. The tin coating adds approximately 3% additional resistance. For 1.5 mm² tinned: 13.7 Ω/km (vs. 13.3 Ω/km bare). These are the maximum permitted values — actual production typically measures 2–5% below maximum.

What does “Fzv = tensile during installation” mean vs. Fzp and Fzd? Fzv represents the maximum permissible pulling force applied during cable installation onto the drum and during operational reeling. It is comparable to Fzp (permanent tensile) but specifically accounts for the installation procedure where cables are pulled from delivery drums onto reel drums under controlled tension. The 30 N/mm² limit applies to the installation phase; operational tensile during reeling should remain below Fzv with appropriate safety factor.