When choosing a cable construction type, take into consideration the length that is going to be run and the environment that it will be going through. Typically, to achieve 100 meters the customer will need to use solid construction for the major portion of the run, but as one gets closer to the edge and needs increased flexibility in how the cable is running on or to the machine, one will switch to stranded. Remember that when switching to stranded the customer will need to derate the cable. Once the environment is understood, there are three core types of jackets – PVC, TPE and PUR with the order relating to increased environmental requirements and costs. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a general purpose jacket type. Both TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) and PUR (polyurethane) are similar in their ratings for oil and flexibility with PUR being the best choice for abrasion resistance.