System for fabricating stranded cable and control therefor

A method of producing stranded cables, comprising:

• rotating a main shaft of a first strander with a plurality of cradles disposed thereabout;
• dispensing first cable from respective reels disposed on each of the plurality of cradles;
• and
• operating the first strander in one of a planetary mode and a rigid mode,
• wherein in the planetary mode, planetary gears engage the plurality of cradles such that the cradles are rotated coincident with the main shaft, and
• wherein in the rigid mode, the planetary gears are disengaged and the plurality of cradles is maintained in a same orientation relative the rotating main shaft.

A stranding system, comprising:

• a main shaft;
• at least one cradle disposed along the main shaft, each cradle includes:
• at least one reel;
• at least one dancer assembly;
• and
• at least one wireless module,
• wherein the at least one wireless module is associated with at least one of the cradle, reel, and dancer assembly;
• and
• at least one controller;
• wherein the controller communicates with the at least one cradle, the at least one reel, or the at least one dancer assembly with the associated at least one wireless module.

A stranding system, comprising:

• a first strander having a first plurality of cradles operatively coupled to a first main shaft;
• a second strander having a second plurality of cradles operatively coupled to a second main shaft,
• wherein each cradle of the first and second pluralities of cradles has disposed thereon a reel for dispensing cables;
• and
• wherein the first and second stranders are disposed in-line with one another such that the first strander produces a stranded cable that is used as a core about which the second strander dispenses the cables.

A strander, comprising:

• one or more cradles, each cradle comprising:
• a reel;
• a reel motor;
• a dancer;
• a dancer motor;
• a loadcell;
• and
• a cradle controller,
• wherein the reel motor and the dancer motor are controlled by the cradle controller;
• a main shaft;
• a cradle motor;
• and
• a main controller,
• wherein the cradle motor rotates the main shaft and the one or more cradles which are disposed thereabout, and
• wherein the respective cradle controllers and the cradle motor are wirelessly controlled by the main controller.

A control system for a strander, comprising:

• at least one controller;
• a plurality of cradles disposed about respective cradle shafts;
• a plurality of loadcells associated with the plurality of cradles and disposed proximal the cradle shafts,
• wherein each loadcell of the plurality of loadcells includes at least one sensor in wireless communication with the at least one controller;
• and
• a plurality of reels disposed on respective cradles of the plurality of cradles;
• wherein the plurality of reels are wirelessly controlled by the at least one controller in response to the at least one sensor of the loadcells.

A method of controlling a stranding system, comprising:

• rotating a strander;
• dispensing cables from a plurality of reels;
• and
• synchronizing the cable dispensing and the strander rotation with a controller,
• wherein the rotating is implemented by a first motor,
• wherein the cable dispensing is implemented by a plurality of motors, and
• wherein the first motor and the plurality of motors communicate with the controller over a wireless network.

A method of controlling tension on a cable within a strander system, comprising:

• configuring a dancer assembly and a loadcell along a cradle for dispensing cable;
• operatively coupling the dispensed cable to a dancer motor;
• passing the cable over one or more pulleys of the dancer assembly;
• passing the cable over one or more pulleys of the loadcell;
• sensing cable tension with the loadcell;
• and
• adjusting the dancer motor according to the sensed cable tension.