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Nexans RHEYFIRM Alternative

19 Min Read
Engineered for Ship-to-Shore Cranes, Bucket-Wheel Excavators, Tunnel Boring Machines, and Heavy-Duty Industrial Applications Requiring Bulletproof Power Delivery Under Extreme Mechanical Stress
Technical Department
on01/04/2026

RHEYFIRM®(RTS) (N)TSCGEWTOEUS

RHEYFIRM®(RTS) (N)TSCGEWTOEUS OFE is a breakthrough composite reeling cable engineered by Anhui Feichun Special Cable Co., Ltd. to meet the DIN VDE 0250-813 German industrial standard. It is the engineering world’s answer to a seemingly impossible challenge: simultaneously carrying massive amounts of high-voltage power (up to 30 kV) and zero-latency, high-bandwidth fiber optic data streams, while being relentlessly spooled onto a motorized drum under extreme mechanical tension and bending stress.
21 Min Read
Modern container ports operate Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes and massive gantry systems that demand unprecedented electrical power delivery. A typical STS trolley requires 18 kV to 30 kV of main power to lift 65-ton containers at speeds exceeding 600 meters per minute. This power must flow through a festoon cable system—a continuous loop of cable that unwinds and rewinds thousands of times per day as the trolley travels back and forth along the boom. Traditional round cables cannot solve this problem efficiently. A round medium voltage cable, rated for 18/30 kV, becomes rigid and difficult to bend. It occupies excessive space in the festoon track, requiring long parking lengths and increasing the footprint of the crane's electrical infrastructure. By contrast, a flat cable lays its massive phase cores side-by-side in a single plane, allowing for an incredibly tight bending radius—sometimes as small as 10 to 15 centimeters—while maintaining full electrical power delivery. This single geometric advantage reduces festoon track length by up to 40 percent, enabling faster crane acceleration and dramatically improving container terminal throughput.
Technical Department
on01/04/2026

RHEYFIRM®(RS)-FLAT (N)TSFLCGCWOEUS DIN VDE 0250 Medium Voltage Flat Festoon Cable: Premium Power Delivery for Ship-to-Shore Crane Trolleys, Heavy Gantry Systems, and High-Speed Container Port Automation

Modern container ports operate Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes and massive gantry systems that demand unprecedented electrical power delivery. A typical STS trolley requires 18 kV to 30 kV of main power to lift 65-ton containers at speeds exceeding 600 meters per minute. This power must flow through a festoon cable system—a continuous loop of cable that unwinds and rewinds thousands of times per day as the trolley travels back and forth along the boom. Traditional round cables cannot solve this problem efficiently. A round medium voltage cable, rated for 18/30 kV, becomes rigid and difficult to bend. It occupies excessive space in the festoon track, requiring long parking lengths and increasing the footprint of the crane’s electrical infrastructure. By contrast, a flat cable lays its massive phase cores side-by-side in a single plane, allowing for an incredibly tight bending radius—sometimes as small as 10 to 15 centimeters—while maintaining full electrical power delivery. This single geometric advantage reduces festoon track length by up to 40 percent, enabling faster crane acceleration and dramatically improving container terminal throughput.
10 Min Read
Full technical breakdown of Nexans (Rheydt) RHEYFIRM®(SI) NTMCGCWOEUS series — the benchmark flexible single-core medium voltage cable for movable connections between circuit breakers and mobile transformers at open-pit mines, underground mines, and industrial power installations. VDE marking NTMCGCWOEUS, voltages 6/10 kV and 12/20 kV, cross-sections 16–240 mm². Conductor: flexible tinned copper class 5 per IEC 60228. Insulation: proprietary RHEYCLEAN compound based on EPDM, exceeding DIN VDE 0207-20. Outer semiconducting screen RHEYSTRIP with easy-strip design. Screen: close-spinning tinned copper wires/strands. Outer sheath: heavy-duty abrasion & notch-resistant rubber compound 5GM5 per DIN VDE 0207-21, red colour. Max conductor temp +90°C (service) / +200°C (short circuit). OD 20–45 mm. Weight 690–3,660 kg/km. Oil, UV, ozone, moisture resistant. Flame retardant IEC 60332-1. Indoor/outdoor. Standards: DIN VDE 0250-813, DIN VDE 0298, DIN VDE 0298-4. Anhui Feichun offers certified drop-in replacement FC-RHEYFIRM with identical layer construction, EPDM insulation, copper screen, and 5GM5 sheath per VDE — import substitution for Russian mines, energy, and industry.
Technical Department
on01/04/2026

Аналог RHEYFIRM®(SI) NTMCGCWOEUS: гибкий одножильный кабель 6/10 кВ – 12/20 кВ в России — медный экран, EPDM-изоляция, оболочка 5GM5, замена FeiChun Cable

Full technical breakdown of Nexans (Rheydt) RHEYFIRM®(SI) NTMCGCWOEUS series — the benchmark flexible single-core medium voltage cable for movable connections between circuit breakers and mobile transformers at open-pit mines, underground mines, and industrial power installations. VDE marking NTMCGCWOEUS, voltages 6/10 kV and 12/20 kV, cross-sections 16–240 mm². Conductor: flexible tinned copper class 5 per IEC 60228. Insulation: proprietary RHEYCLEAN compound based on EPDM, exceeding DIN VDE 0207-20. Outer semiconducting screen RHEYSTRIP with easy-strip design. Screen: close-spinning tinned copper wires/strands. Outer sheath: heavy-duty abrasion & notch-resistant rubber compound 5GM5 per DIN VDE 0207-21, red colour. Max conductor temp +90°C (service) / +200°C (short circuit). OD 20–45 mm. Weight 690–3,660 kg/km. Oil, UV, ozone, moisture resistant. Flame retardant IEC 60332-1. Indoor/outdoor. Standards: DIN VDE 0250-813, DIN VDE 0298, DIN VDE 0298-4. Anhui Feichun offers certified drop-in replacement FC-RHEYFIRM with identical layer construction, EPDM insulation, copper screen, and 5GM5 sheath per VDE — import substitution for Russian mines, energy, and industry.
23 Min Read
Yes, a highly capable cable manufacturer can absolutely engineer generic (N)TSCGEWÖU flexible reeling cables to match or even exceed the 20/35kV (36kV maximum equipment voltage) rating of Nexans' RHEYFIRM® brand premium products. However, the critical phrase here is "highly capable manufacturer"—not every cable producer has the technical depth, quality control infrastructure, and engineering expertise to successfully execute a 20/35kV design. The fundamental cable construction—Class 5 tinned copper conductors, semi-conductive rubber inner and outer layers, EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) insulation, and a heavy-duty CPE or chloroprene outer sheath—is well understood and exists within the established scope of DIN VDE 0250-813 mining cable standards. While the traditional (N)TSCGEWÖU specification typically covers voltages up to 18/30kV, the engineering principles that govern the construction are equally applicable to 20/35kV ratings. The transition from 18/30kV to 20/35kV is not a revolutionary leap requiring entirely new materials or manufacturing processes—it is an evolutionary engineering optimization that competent manufacturers have been executing for decades. What distinguishes a genuinely compliant 20/35kV generic (N)TSCGEWÖU from a merely relabeled 18/30kV cable masquerading as 20/35kV is the application of three fundamental engineering disciplines. First, the insulation thickness must be increased according to rigorous electrical stress calculations based on IEC 60502-2 high-voltage standards, accounting for the higher electrical field strength that 20/35kV imposes on the dielectric material. Second, the semi-conductive layers must be engineered with exquisite precision to control the electric field distribution and prevent partial discharge (PD) inception, which is the primary failure mechanism for high-voltage cables subjected to continuous stress. Third, the outer sheath material must be selected and formulated from premium compounds with superior mechanical durability to withstand not only the normal environmental stresses of mining operations but also any electrical stress-related damage that might be induced by the higher voltage rating. The answer, therefore, is yes—but only when manufacturers invest in the engineering rigor and quality control discipline that the 20/35kV rating genuinely demands.
Technical Department
on03/03/2026

RHEYFIRM® 30kV vs. Generic (N)TSCGEWÖU: Can Standard Manufacturers Match Nexans’ 20/35kV Rating?

Yes, a highly capable cable manufacturer can absolutely engineer generic (N)TSCGEWÖU flexible reeling cables to match or even exceed the 20/35kV (36kV maximum equipment voltage) rating of Nexans’ RHEYFIRM® brand premium products. However, the critical phrase here is “highly capable manufacturer”—not every cable producer has the technical depth, quality control infrastructure, and engineering expertise to successfully execute a 20/35kV design. The fundamental cable construction—Class 5 tinned copper conductors, semi-conductive rubber inner and outer layers, EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) insulation, and a heavy-duty CPE or chloroprene outer sheath—is well understood and exists within the established scope of DIN VDE 0250-813 mining cable standards. While the traditional (N)TSCGEWÖU specification typically covers voltages up to 18/30kV, the engineering principles that govern the construction are equally applicable to 20/35kV ratings. The transition from 18/30kV to 20/35kV is not a revolutionary leap requiring entirely new materials or manufacturing processes—it is an evolutionary engineering optimization that competent manufacturers have been executing for decades. What distinguishes a genuinely compliant 20/35kV generic (N)TSCGEWÖU from a merely relabeled 18/30kV cable masquerading as 20/35kV is the application of three fundamental engineering disciplines. First, the insulation thickness must be increased according to rigorous electrical stress calculations based on IEC 60502-2 high-voltage standards, accounting for the higher electrical field strength that 20/35kV imposes on the dielectric material. Second, the semi-conductive layers must be engineered with exquisite precision to control the electric field distribution and prevent partial discharge (PD) inception, which is the primary failure mechanism for high-voltage cables subjected to continuous stress. Third, the outer sheath material must be selected and formulated from premium compounds with superior mechanical durability to withstand not only the normal environmental stresses of mining operations but also any electrical stress-related damage that might be induced by the higher voltage rating. The answer, therefore, is yes—but only when manufacturers invest in the engineering rigor and quality control discipline that the 20/35kV rating genuinely demands.
23 Min Read
RHEYFIRM® (XT) "Extreme" is a specialized arctic-grade flexible reeling cable engineered specifically for continuous dynamic operation in permafrost mining zones and open-pit operations where temperatures fall to -50°C (-58°F), whereas RHEYFIRM® (RS) standard versions are designed for conventional industrial and port environments operating down to approximately -25°C to -35°C maximum. The XT extreme variant differs from the RS standard version through four fundamental structural and chemical modifications. First, the outer jacket compound transitions from standard chlorinated rubber (5GM5 formulation) to an ultra-low-temperature advanced elastomer or specialized cold-resistant polyurethane (PUR) blend that remains flexible and resistant to crystallization and embrittlement even when exposed to -50°C arctic blasts. Second, the internal structure incorporates enhanced cold-adapted synthetic anti-torsion braids fabricated from Kevlar and Aramid fibers instead of conventional braid materials, which maintain their reinforcement properties at extreme temperatures where standard materials would lose rigidity. Third, the insulation material evolves from standard EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) to an optimized cold-flexible EPR formulation that prevents micro-cracking around copper conductors under severe thermal stress. Fourth, the cable incorporates specialized core lubrication systems and internal slip-layers designed to reduce friction between conductor wires at sub-zero temperatures, where natural friction increases dramatically and would otherwise cause internal conductor fatigue and snapping. The result is a cable system that remains mechanically robust and electrically reliable for continuous high-speed reeling (up to 190 meters per minute) on frozen ground and ice-covered surfaces in the harshest mining environments on Earth. The electrical specifications remain identical to RS standard cables (same voltage ratings, same current capacity), but the physical behavior and mechanical reliability at extreme cold are fundamentally different. You should specify RHEYFIRM® (XT) when your mining operation is located in permafrost regions, when winter operations regularly experience temperatures below -40°C, when continuous reeling stress is combined with sub-zero conditions, and when cable failure could result in equipment shutdown in a remote arctic location where emergency replacement is logistically impossible.
Technical Department
on03/03/2026

RHEYFIRM® (XT): How Does the “Extreme” Version Differ from Standard (RS) for Operations in -50°C Arctic Mines?

RHEYFIRM® (XT) “Extreme” is a specialized arctic-grade flexible reeling cable engineered specifically for continuous dynamic operation in permafrost mining zones and open-pit operations where temperatures fall to -50°C (-58°F), whereas RHEYFIRM® (RS) standard versions are designed for conventional industrial and port environments operating down to approximately -25°C to -35°C maximum. The XT extreme variant differs from the RS standard version through four fundamental structural and chemical modifications. First, the outer jacket compound transitions from standard chlorinated rubber (5GM5 formulation) to an ultra-low-temperature advanced elastomer or specialized cold-resistant polyurethane (PUR) blend that remains flexible and resistant to crystallization and embrittlement even when exposed to -50°C arctic blasts. Second, the internal structure incorporates enhanced cold-adapted synthetic anti-torsion braids fabricated from Kevlar and Aramid fibers instead of conventional braid materials, which maintain their reinforcement properties at extreme temperatures where standard materials would lose rigidity. Third, the insulation material evolves from standard EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) to an optimized cold-flexible EPR formulation that prevents micro-cracking around copper conductors under severe thermal stress. Fourth, the cable incorporates specialized core lubrication systems and internal slip-layers designed to reduce friction between conductor wires at sub-zero temperatures, where natural friction increases dramatically and would otherwise cause internal conductor fatigue and snapping. The result is a cable system that remains mechanically robust and electrically reliable for continuous high-speed reeling (up to 190 meters per minute) on frozen ground and ice-covered surfaces in the harshest mining environments on Earth. The electrical specifications remain identical to RS standard cables (same voltage ratings, same current capacity), but the physical behavior and mechanical reliability at extreme cold are fundamentally different. You should specify RHEYFIRM® (XT) when your mining operation is located in permafrost regions, when winter operations regularly experience temperatures below -40°C, when continuous reeling stress is combined with sub-zero conditions, and when cable failure could result in equipment shutdown in a remote arctic location where emergency replacement is logistically impossible.
21 Min Read
RHEYFIRM® is Nexans' premium line of flexible medium-voltage reeling cables specifically engineered for the extreme mechanical and environmental stresses of port machinery (STS cranes, automated stacker-reclaimers) and mining equipment (continuous dragline cables, mobile crusher power systems). Unlike fixed installation cables that remain stationary throughout their service life, reeling cables experience constant dynamic stress—deploying and retracting hundreds to thousands of times over their operational life. This continuous reeling duty subjects the cable to millions of bending cycles, sustained tensile loads, electromagnetic stress, salt spray corrosion, intense ultraviolet radiation, and temperature extremes far exceeding what conventional industrial cables are designed to tolerate. The physical diameter of a reeling cable is not simply a matter of aesthetics or standardization—it directly affects how much cable can fit on a physical drum of fixed dimensions. Consider a stacker-reclaimer with an existing cable drum that has a fixed flange width (say, 1,200 millimeters) and a fixed core diameter (say, 400 millimeters). The amount of cable that can be wound onto this drum depends on how tightly the cable packs around the core. A cable with a 59-millimeter outer diameter will create a larger spiral as it is wound layer by layer, limiting the total cable length to perhaps 600 meters. That same physical drum, if fitted with a 55.8-millimeter diameter cable, creates a tighter spiral and accommodates perhaps 750 meters of cable—a 25 percent increase in usable length with zero change to the physical equipment. For equipment where travel distance requirements have increased due to terminal expansion or operational upgrades, this diameter optimization can mean the difference between being able to extend operations and being forced into an expensive drum replacement project costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Technical Department
on03/03/2026

RHEYFIRM® (RS) vs. RHEYFIRM® (RTS): When to Choose the “Reduced Diameter” Version for Space-Constrained Reels

RHEYFIRM® is Nexans’ premium line of flexible medium-voltage reeling cables specifically engineered for the extreme mechanical and environmental stresses of port machinery (STS cranes, automated stacker-reclaimers) and mining equipment (continuous dragline cables, mobile crusher power systems). Unlike fixed installation cables that remain stationary throughout their service life, reeling cables experience constant dynamic stress—deploying and retracting hundreds to thousands of times over their operational life. This continuous reeling duty subjects the cable to millions of bending cycles, sustained tensile loads, electromagnetic stress, salt spray corrosion, intense ultraviolet radiation, and temperature extremes far exceeding what conventional industrial cables are designed to tolerate. The physical diameter of a reeling cable is not simply a matter of aesthetics or standardization—it directly affects how much cable can fit on a physical drum of fixed dimensions. Consider a stacker-reclaimer with an existing cable drum that has a fixed flange width (say, 1,200 millimeters) and a fixed core diameter (say, 400 millimeters). The amount of cable that can be wound onto this drum depends on how tightly the cable packs around the core. A cable with a 59-millimeter outer diameter will create a larger spiral as it is wound layer by layer, limiting the total cable length to perhaps 600 meters. That same physical drum, if fitted with a 55.8-millimeter diameter cable, creates a tighter spiral and accommodates perhaps 750 meters of cable—a 25 percent increase in usable length with zero change to the physical equipment. For equipment where travel distance requirements have increased due to terminal expansion or operational upgrades, this diameter optimization can mean the difference between being able to extend operations and being forced into an expensive drum replacement project costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.