Cable management systems have come a long way since Marshall-Tufflex first began manufacturing them in the 1970s. The early years of the business – and the sector as a whole – was founded on function over form, with cable containment products doing their job without offering much in the way of flexibility or aesthetics.
These early systems were well-placed to service the growing computer industry and, as computers and the information technology that supported them became more sophisticated, so did the cable management.

Cable management – the basics
Cable management systems take power and data cables, and perhaps bedhead services such as gas and air, from source to final outlet inside a protective channel. Traditionally such systems have been rectangular and supplied in different sizes and materials. As the market has matured and become more sophisticated, so have the containment systems. And rectangular is no longer the only option – Marshall-Tufflex has developed a unique all-curved profile (Odyssey) that not only looks great but is easier to clean and guaranteed clutter-free. Odyssey has won much acclaim from architects and is being installed in a range of buildings, from hospital operating theatres to clean rooms, new-build and refitted office blocks.

Historically cable containment ran horizontally around a room, either at skirting or dado level. Both are still popular methods of delivering services, but vertical placement is now a growing trend, feeding power and data down from ceilings. A good example of this is hospital wards. Some estates managers are favouring trunking running vertically between beds simply because it allows them to push beds right up against walls, removing the risk of containment systems taking knocks.

For some installations there is also the requirement to ensure the trunking system is Category 6 compliant. It’s an issue that will be faced increasingly by design engineers as commercial premises become more hi-tech and are fitted with larger numbers of networked devices that carry out more complex tasks.

We estimate that Cat 6 now accounts for more than 50% of the market in the UK and have no doubt that demand will continue to grow as end users demand its faster transmission speeds, reduced network interference and fewer errors. The essential difference between Cat 5, 5e, 6, 6a, 7 and 8 cable standards is the ability of the data cable to carry information through an increase in bandwidth and, at the same time, reduce network interference (it has more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise).

However, with each step up the Cat ladder the wiring gets thicker, which presents problems for network designers and installers. To give an example, Cat 6 cabling is approximately 5-6mm in diameter, with data bends of up to 50mm being required to channel it around corners. Cat 7 cabling is about 10mm in diameter and poses real issues when it comes to cable containment.

Sounds innocuous enough, but if more space is not allowed for these ‘data’ bends, and the cable is fed through a standard radius bend in a trunking system, problems may arise – subjecting Cat 6 to standard bends can ‘pinch’ or compress the copper wires, resulting in a drop in performance and data may be lost in transmission or streaming quality affected. If Cat 6 cabling is specified, it must be accompanied by a Cat 6 compliant cable management system, for example Marshall-Tufflex’s Odyssey or Sterling solutions. Failure to do so can affect the performance of the higher grade cabling.
We therefore believe that there is an appropriate trunking system for each and every project – it’s just a question of selecting the right material, profile, size and additional features such as EMI screening and antimicrobial protection.

Material choice
Trunking systems are supplied in three main variants – steel, aluminium and PVC-U – all of which have been supplied by Marshall-Tufflex for some 25 years. Healthcare environments are heavy users of aluminium and steel, both for bedhead services and cable containment solutions. This preference is usually driven by tradition and product specified and installed in the past. However, PVC-U is a proven alternative and more than adequate replacement for a number of reasons:
•  It is easier and quicker to install than metal trunking (for example systems can be clipped together rather than screw fixed). Not only does this reduce time on site for contractors and maintenance staff, it also reduces facility down time – a critical consideration when installing in operating theatres or hospital wards.
•  PVC-U systems can be supplied with EMC screening – a copper spray is applied to the inside of the trunking, creating a Faraday Cage to exclude electrostatic interference. Marshall-Tufflex favours the use of a spray because it delivers the required screening without compromising trunking capacity.
•  PVC-U trunking is also a tough, hard wearing product, so is a good choice for areas where hard knocks are part and parcel of everyday life, for example behind beds or in public areas. When specifying PVC-U trunking check that it complies with British Standards BS4678 & BS EN 50086 which govern impact strength.
•  PVC-U solutions offer greater flexibility. For example, Marshall-Tufflex’s Sterling cable containment can be extended if more than three compartments are required. This is particularly relevant for bedhead services in acute care areas such as intensive care, where larger numbers of services are required. Again, this system can be supplied with highly effective EMC screening.

Fire performance
Fire performance is another critical issue and one that PVC-U passes with flying colours. A report by BEAMA (the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers' Association) discussed the fire performance of PVC-U cable management systems, noting that not only was the material ‘inherently flame retardant’, it required an external heat source to continue combustion and provided an effective barrier to flame spread, making minimal contribution to fire development. These points are critical when you consider the most important aspect of dealing with a fire – the time taken to evacuate people from a building.

“Escape time is a critical factor,” stated the BEAMA report. “Therefore any materials with the following characteristics maximise the chance of survival since they allow people to escape – difficult to ignite, low burning rate, low heat release, low smoke production and low toxicity. Unplasticised (rigid) PVC-U that is used in cable management systems has all these characteristics during the important early stages of a fire.”

In addition, BEAMA’s Causes and Process of Fire report said:
·      Burning PVC-U chars and is self-extinguishing. It does not produce flaming droplets or burning debris. The presence of PVC-U therefore ensures that the ignition of adjacent products is less likely.
·      Charred PVC-U consists of an expanded carbonaceous structure that protects the underlying material, ie power cables.
Marshall-Tufflex products comply with the fire resistance requirements of BS476 Part 6 & 7, BS4678 Part 4, BS6099 section 2:2, and BS EN50085 & 86.

Smokescreen
The BEAMA report also discussed LSOH (low smoke, zero halogen), making the highly pertinent point that LSOH, as well as LSF (low smoke and fume) and low acid-gas ‘does not equate with low fire hazard’. In plain English, a product or system may be LSOH or LSF but also be highly flammable. Good examples, as cited by BEAMA, are petrol and TNT, both of which are halogen free but highly explosive. Marshall-Tufflex has produced a briefing document explaining key terms (halogens, LSF, LSOH) and outlining the fire performance of its cable management systems to ensure that specifiers and estates managers have full information in order to make properly informed decisions.

Environmental performance
PVC-U is 100% recyclable. However, because the material has such a long lifespan – some 40 years for windows and doors – the feedstock for recycling has been limited. The UK now has some 30 certified recyclers and Marshall-Tufflex strongly supports the use of recycled material in its production process, re-using hundreds of tonnes of used PVC-U each year.

Here again though we are keen for specifiers and end users to fully appreciate what can be achieved with recycling. 100% recyclable does not mean that trunking systems are 100% recycled material. Used PVC-U collected for recycling cannot offer the pure white finish demanded by the end user or the level of finished quality required by Marshall-Tufflex. Therefore recycled material is most likely to be used in trunking components that are not visible once installed.

In short, PVC-U is an excellent building material that is long-lasting and safe in production, use and disposal. These benefits add up to make it a beneficial, cost-effective and intelligent choice for specifiers wishing to use an environmentally responsible product with a long life span, low maintenance and documented recyclability.

Bio-logical
As demonstrated, PVC-U trunking has a number of advantages over steel and aluminium systems. And there is yet another benefit that is becoming increasingly important, particularly in healthcare environments. Cable containment systems manufactured from PVC-U can be impregnated with an antimicrobial agent that can help prevent the spread of infections such as MRSA, E-Coli and Salmonella.

Reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections is a top priority for the NHS – not only do such infections pose a real and high risk to health, National Audit Office figures calculate they cost the NHS up to £1 billion per year and affect some nine percent of hospital patients at any one time. It is against this backdrop that building product manufacturers identified the possibility for products specified for use within healthcare environments to play their part in preventing the spread of infection.

The science behind these systems revolves around the use of silver, which has established anti-bacterial properties and is now used successfully in wound management and sterile equipment. Adapting it for use in products such as light switches and plug sockets – even chair and door handles – was a natural progression.

The technology has now moved on a step, with one of the newest antimicrobial systems being PVC-U cable containment ­– a logical next stage given the high number of times this product may be touched. These new systems, such as Bio Trunking Solutions from Marshall-Tufflex, can render harmless many of the most virulent bacteria, for example MRSA, E-Coli, Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Salmonella. If someone carrying one of these bugs on their hands touches the treated PVC-U, bacteria transferred to the cable containment begins to die, minimising the risk of cross contamination. On untreated products, the harmful bacteria will grow.

Antimicrobial cable management systems come in two variants:
•  The silver-based formulation is added to the PVC-U during manufacture, ensuring that it is evenly distributed throughout the product. Should the trunking get scratched, the active agent continues to do its job for the life of the product.
•  The silver-based formulation is applied to the surface of the cable containment – typically sprayed or painted on to metal trunking systems. However, once this coating is scratched, germs can penetrate the surface layer of these products and breed unchecked.

For this reason specifiers working on healthcare projects should give priority consideration to trunking with the antimicrobial agent integral to the product, rather than applied as a surface coating. This specification ensures maximum performance throughout the lifetime of the trunking – the active agent will not rub off. And, while there is no substitute for meticulous cleaning regimes and scrupulous personal hygiene, antimicrobial cable containment is a straight-forward, cost-effective and proven method of neutralising some of the most common and dangerous bacteria found in hospitals, care homes and other locations where infection control is an issue. It works silently, invisibly and round the clock, killing bacteria and preventing cross-infection.

Technical standards
Those thinking of using an antimicrobial system should confirm that it is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and compliant with the European Biocidal Products Directive (BPD). All Marshall-Tufflex Bio systems have been tested to the standard  ISO22196:2007,  a  quantitative standard, and the results show that the survival rate of the bacteria tested is less than 0.1%.

Again, to enable specifiers to make a properly informed decision, Marshall-Tufflex commissioned a report from an eminent and leading UK microbiologist, entitled ‘Specifying Cable Containment Systems with Antimicrobial Properties: what you need to know’.

Cable management – the future
Prefabrication has been a buzzword within the construction industry for a number of years. But while great strides were made in fast-tracking many construction tasks, simplifying the installation of electricity proved a harder nut to crack, and the need to address the swift provision of power became increasingly critical; buildings could go up in double quick time but fitting out power requirements took just as long as before.

Manufacturers, Marshall-Tufflex included, began researching ways of solving this problem and modular wiring systems were developed. The MT32 Power Connection System is a plug and play wiring system that works in conjunction with trunking to deliver a quick and easy way of taking power from source and delivering it to final outlets via plug-in connectors. There are a number of major benefits to using MT32, not least time saving on site and improved safety.

The MT32 system is pre-wired and factory tested and can be used in a number of applications, from main distribution board Home Runs to lighting, perimeter, underfloor distribution, dry lining and surface mounted installations.

In short, consulting engineers and contractors now have access to modular wiring systems that deliver tool-free, fast-track installation of complete cabling runs. There is no on-site wiring required, allowing installers to simply click it together, circuit test and sign-off. Depending upon the system used, installation times can be reduced by up to 80%, with overall cost savings of up to 50% possible. When we discuss the possibilities with specifiers we find there is a ‘Eureka’ moment when they realise the huge potential such systems offer in reducing on-site installation times. For example, our research has shown that an accessory box wiring installation that previously took 20 minutes can be reduced to five minutes or less. And because the best systems are plug and play the keyed connectors cannot be installed incorrectly. What’s more they can be reconfigured (for example during office moves), stripped out (during refurbishments) and re-used.

Roy Sherrock, purchase manager for contractor Hobbs Electrical in Milton Keynes, is clear on the benefit modular systems deliver for his business: “It is immense and futuristic. Speed of installation is one of the main benefits. We can e-mail our AutoCAD drawings over to our supplying manufacturer and it will design the modular system and supply it all ready to be plugged in.

Hobbs Electrical is an expert when it comes to fitting out technically complex healthcare facilities within modular buildings – it recently worked on a contract to supply a new operating theatre to a North East hospital in just 10 weeks from start to finish. This project included the use of a pre-wired MT32 Home Run, which has nine circuits running through it and removes the need to run volumes of cables back to the distribution board. It takes light and power from the distribution board out to a localised position, where it connects to the 32Amp modular wiring system, in this case MT32.

“By using modular buildings, new facilities – such as the theatre – can be on-site and working within 10 weeks with no disruption to the workings of the hospital. However, such a tight schedule does rely upon all the trades, including electrical, being able to complete on time. We used Marshall-Tufflex’s MT32 plug and play power connection system to achieve this – it would have been practically impossible to meet the deadline if we had been hard-wiring circuits,” said Mr Sherrock.

Form, function and flexibility?
Marshall-Tufflex recognised that a growing number of clients wanted more than the ‘one size fits all’ approach and began producing ‘specials’ to satisfy customers who needed, for example, a 33° angle rather than a 45° bend. Its Specialised Applications department is a customer-driven service dedicated to problem solving – clients have found it is more cost effective to have Marshall-Tufflex provide a factory finished, pre-wired product ready for installation than paying a qualified electrician or technician to cut and install on-site. A good example of a specialised application was an installation into a university, where a room was to be used both as a laboratory and as a lecture hall. The laboratory installation required access to power points throughout, while the lecture hall needed to be more open plan. The Specials team designed hinged PowerPoles to deliver power when the lab is in use then simply fold up and out of the way when the room switches to a lecture hall, a simple but highly effective solution.

Conclusion
Correctly specified cable management systems have the ability to neatly and efficiently deliver power and data with the minimum fuss and little to no maintenance. New systems such as Marshall-Tufflex’s all-curved Odyssey bring design appeal to the sector, and antimicrobial treatments deliver an all singing, all dancing solution.

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