MEDICAL, MILITARY & INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS
In aerospace, defence and space platforms, systems often face environmental extremes that can weaken insulation and distort signals. Here, Rush Holladay, director of global product management, wire,
Wired to endure
cable and HMP at wiring specialist WireMasters, explains how distributors can support reliability through compliant materials, dependable logistics and end-to-end quality control.
E
xtreme temperatures shift how materials behave. Electrical resistance increases and dielectric strength changes. At high frequencies, signal attenuation and impedance mismatch can threaten the integrity of mission-critical data. To manage these effects, engineers typically rely on materials like PTFE, polyimide and ETFE, chosen for their ability to retain electrical and mechanical properties under sustained thermal exposure.
temperature ranges from around –65°C to 260°C, depending on the insulation type and construction. While PTFE can withstand the upper range of 135°C to 260°C, in line element must work as expected across the full operating envelope, even as that envelope continues to expand.
Material compliance, not compromise
Standards like AS22759 and MIL-DTL-27500 set precise construction and performance criteria for high-temp cables, governing everything from stranding and shielding to insulation types and test methods. Testing, often performed in accordance with AS4373, the standard test methods for aerospace wires and cables, includes thermal shock, tensile strength, dielectric withstand and elongation under load.
guarantee reliability. Much depends on the assurance that a material is compliant, and that compliance can be proven. Engineers and procurement teams often prioritise
documentation and retention as much as they do thermal ratings. In practice, this means sourcing only from authorised manufacturers, tracking lot-level history and maintaining clear visibility on shelf life and handling.
It’s not just the wire
in many high-temperature systems, the materials surrounding the wire are just as critical. Heat shrink tubing, sleeving, tapes, boots and splices all operate under the same environmental pressures and must be matched carefully to the cable and application.
These components are also covered by maintain their performance characteristics. eliminate the risk of failure. When mismatched, poorly stored or improperly applied, even compliant components can become weak points in the system. To reduce the risk of mismatch or omission,
22 NOVEMBER 2025 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
some teams now approach the full harness bill of materials as a single entity, planning for it early and building from vetted sources. In production environments, pre-kitted harness materials can reduce handling errors while accelerating builds and ensuring consistency from prototype to rollout.
Navigating the PFAS shift
have formed the backbone of high- temperature wiring. PTFE in particular has offered excellent thermal and dielectric stability, making it a go-to choice for aerospace and defence programmes. But regulatory pressure is rising. In May 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency delayed its PFAS reporting deadline by nine months, yet high-reliability sectors remain under scrutiny. The market is beginning to shift as suppliers reassess their product lines and engineers monitor how regulatory changes could affect long-term material availability.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46
