Continuous process for manufacturing electrical cables

A process for manufacturing an electric cable, comprising the steps of:

• feeding a conductor at a predetermined feeding speed;
• extruding a thermoplastic insulating layer in a position radially external to the conductor;
• cooling the extruded insulating layer;
• forming a circumferentially closed metal shield around said extruded insulating layer;
• the time occurring between the end of the cooling step and the beginning of the shield forming step being inversely proportional to the feeding speed of the conductor.

An electrical cable comprising:

• a conductor;
• a thermoplastic insulating layer radially external to the conductor;
• at least one expanded polymeric layer around said insulating layer;
• a circumferentially closed metal shield around said insulating layer;
• and
• an impact protecting element in a position radially external to the metal shield, said impact protecting element comprising at least one non-expanded polymeric layer around said metal shield and at least one expanded polymeric layer radially external to said non-expanded polymeric layer.