Glossary · Electrical engineering and control panels
Cable duct
Also known as: Wiring duct, Slotted wiring duct, Wireway
German: Verdrahtungskanal
In control panel building, a cable duct is a slotted plastic channel with a removable cover mounted on the mounting plate to route and hold the wires between devices in a control cabinet.
- Control panels
In one sentence
A cable duct is a slotted channel with cover that routes and holds the wiring between devices in a control cabinet.
Example
The panel builder routes the 24 V control wiring in a separate cable duct from the motor cables to reduce interference.
How it applies
- Engineering: Size cable ducts with spare capacity for later changes; overfilled ducts cause heat buildup and make changes difficult. Separate power and signal wiring where EMC requires it.
- Maintenance: Neat duct routing makes troubleshooting and modifications faster and safer.
- Documentation: Cabinet layout drawings show duct positions and sizes. Assembly instructions or panel-building standards within a company define fill levels and separation rules; reference them rather than restating them in each project.
- Safety: Ducts must not be overfilled to the point that covers press on conductors or insulation is damaged at sharp edges; damaged insulation is an electrical hazard.
Cable duct vs. cable tray
A cable duct organizes wires inside a cabinet. A cable tray or cable ladder carries field cables outside cabinets across the plant.