Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Bensenville, Illinois, Lake Cable is a leading US-based manufacturer of high-performance wire and cable. With a workforce of 650-plus employees, Lake Cable serves a wide range of markets including industrial automation, data centers, electric vehicles, smart infrastructure, and marine, oil, and gas industries – to name a few. At Lake Cable, delivering consistent product quality is non-negotiable. “We manufacture highly engineered, high-tolerance products,” explains Cooper Runzel, Chief Operating Officer at Lake Cable. “This demands real-time data collection and traceability for every foot of cable, which simply is not possible without quality inline measuring equipment.”
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Lake Cable using SIKORA’s CENTERVIEW 8000 |
To achieve such high standards, Lake Cable integrates SIKORA’s advanced measurement equipment, such as the LUMP 2000, LASER Series, SPARK 2000, and CENTERVIEW 8000, directly into their extrusion lines. These devices are built to last and have become a staple in Lake Cable's production. SIKORA systems have also helped Lake Cable raise their automated quality process through improved data collection and communication protocols. “I have been in this industry for over a decade. I have used most of SIKORA’s competitors, but no one has been a partner to us the way SIKORA has,” says Cooper Runzel.
Such a close partnership is a key to Lake Cable’s success, especially given its reputation as an industry leader and high expectations. Lake Cable uses a cell manufacturing model to provide the shortest lead times in the industry and a wide range of customization services – from jacket colors and striping to composite configurations and private labeling. Lake Cable's unmatched versatility is complemented by 100% quality inspections, small minimum runs, and traceability of all raw materials, machines, and operators.
All of Lake Cable's prime lines have one exceptional SIKORA measuring device installed: the CENTERVIEW 8000. Designed for smaller products such as data and automotive cables, Lake Cable uses the CENTERVIEW 8000 to show wall thickness and concentricity on a heads-up display. This system replaced the outdated method of cutting live samples for manual measurement and adjustment, reducing Lake Cable's start-up time and scrap. “By performing production checks on the fly, we save material and reduce the workload on our quality team,” Cooper Runzel states, and adds: “Our customers, in turn, benefit from more consistent, high-quality cables with better centering, more uniform walls, and ultimately, greater satisfaction.”
Lake Cable’s vision for the future is clear to Cooper Runzel: “Our goal is to have a world-class, interconnected quality program – one that does not just respond to issues but anticipates them before they happen. SIKORA systems are a key part of making that vision a reality.”
