42 AWG Micro Coaxial Cable | 0.48mm OD Industry Standard Coax

42 AWG Micro Coaxial Cable

42 AWG micro coaxial cable — 0.48 mm OD, 50 Ω ±2 Ω, ePTFE dielectric (≤95 pF/m). Industry standard for ultrasound probes (128–256 ch) and NDT PAUT. Solid or 7-strand in stock, ships within 1 week. 19-strand, phase-matched bundles available.
Ultra-Fine Gauge × Ultra-High Core Density
ePTFE Low-Loss Dielectric Technology
Dual-Layer Shielding — Channel Isolation >40 dB
High-Flex — 1M Flex / 5M Torsion Cycles
ISO 9001 Certified · Fast Turnaround · Full Customization
Phase Matching ±1% — 100% TDR Verified
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42 AWG Micro Coaxial Cable is the workhorse of the micro coaxial industry. At 0.48 mm OD with ePTFE dielectric, it delivers the optimal balance of signal performance, bundle density, mechanical durability, and cost that has made it the default choice for 128–256 channel ultrasound probe cables, NDT phased-array bundles, and medical endoscope signal cables.

We stock 42 AWG micro coaxial cable in both solid and 7-strand configurations, with ePTFE dielectric, ready for immediate shipment. 19-strand high-flex and phase-matched bundles are produced on 3–5 week lead time.

Technical Specifications

Parameter Value
AWG 42
Conductor diameter 0.064 mm ± 0.002 mm
Conductor material Silver-plated copper alloy (CuAg)
Construction options Solid / 7-strand / 19-strand rope-lay
Dielectric ePTFE (Dk ≈ 1.45)
Dielectric OD 0.22 mm ± 0.005 mm
Cable OD 0.48 mm ± 0.02 mm
Impedance 50 Ω ± 2 Ω
Capacitance ≤ 95 pF/m
DC resistance (conductor) ≤ 2,195 Ω/km
VoP ≥ 78%
Shield Foil 100% + Ag-plated Cu braid ≥ 85%
Crosstalk isolation > 40 dB at 10 MHz (in bundle)
Insertion loss at 5 MHz ≤ 0.5 dB/m
Insertion loss at 10 MHz ≤ 0.8 dB/m
Insertion loss at 20 MHz ≤ 1.2 dB/m
Flex life — solid > 50,000 cycles at 20 mm radius
Flex life — 7-strand > 500,000 cycles at 30 mm radius
Flex life — 19-strand > 1,000,000 cycles at 25 mm radius
Temperature −40°C to +200°C (PFA jacket)
Biocompatibility ISO 10993-5/10 (PFA option)

Why 42 AWG Is the Industry Standard

42 AWG occupies the sweet spot in the micro coaxial design space:

Bundle density: 128 channels at 7.2 mm OD, 256 channels at 9.6 mm — compact enough for ergonomic probe handles.

Signal performance: ≤ 95 pF/m capacitance and ≤ 0.8 dB/m loss at 10 MHz — adequate for all clinical ultrasound frequencies (1–20 MHz) at cable lengths up to 3 m.

Mechanical durability: 7-strand construction achieves 500,000+ flex cycles — 5–7 years of clinical probe use. Robust enough for field-terminated NDT connectors.

Cost: Baseline pricing in the micro coaxial range. 44 AWG costs 40–60% more; 46 AWG costs 120–180% more.

Availability: We stock 42 AWG in both solid and 7-strand, ePTFE dielectric. Bulk reel ships within 1 week. No other AWG offers the same combination of stock availability and performance.

These factors explain why approximately 70% of all micro coaxial cable consumed globally for ultrasound and NDT Applications is 42 AWG.

Available Configurations

Configuration Conductor Status MOQ Lead Time
42 AWG solid, ePTFE, 50 Ω Solid In stock 500 m < 1 week
42 AWG 7-strand, ePTFE, 50 Ω 7-strand In stock 500 m < 1 week
42 AWG 19-strand, ePTFE, 50 Ω 19-strand MTO 1,000 m 3–4 weeks
Phase-matched bundle 128 ch 7-strand MTO 5 pcs 3–5 weeks
Phase-matched bundle 256 ch 7-strand MTO 5 pcs 3–5 weeks
PAUT NDT bundle 32/64 ch 7-strand MTO 5 pcs 2–4 weeks
Color-coded (12 colors) 7-strand MTO 500 m 2–3 weeks

Application

Medical Ultrasound Probe Cables: 128–256 channel phased-array assemblies. Phase-matched ±1%. The single largest application for 42 AWG globally.

NDT Phased Array (PAUT): 32–128 element bundles for weld inspection, corrosion mapping. LEMO EPL connectors. ASME/ASTM documentation.

Medical Endoscopy: 6–32 core bundles for HD/4K chip-on-tip video within endoscope insertion tubes.

NDT Contact Probes: Single-element probes using 42 AWG where finer pitch than 36 AWG is needed.

MRI / CT Imaging: Non-magnetic assemblies (MRI) and high-flex gantry cables (CT).

Research and Instrumentation: Custom sensor cables, prototype builds, university lab Applications .

42 AWG vs. Adjacent Gauges

Parameter 40 AWG (0.57mm) 42 AWG (0.48mm) 44 AWG (0.38mm)
Bundle OD (128 ch) 8.5 mm 7.2 mm 5.8 mm
Bundle OD (256 ch) 11.4 mm 9.6 mm 7.8 mm
Capacitance ≤ 90 pF/m ≤ 95 pF/m ≤ 110 pF/m
DC resistance 1,390 Ω/km 2,195 Ω/km 3,490 Ω/km
Loss at 10 MHz 0.6 dB/m 0.8 dB/m 1.0 dB/m
Cost −10% vs 42 Baseline +40–60%
Availability Stock Stock Stock
Sweet spot NDT (durability) Ultrasound/NDT High-density 3D

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 42 AWG available from stock?

Yes. Solid and 7-strand configurations with ePTFE dielectric are stocked in 500 m and 1,000 m reels. Ships within 1 week of order confirmation.

What is the maximum frequency for 42 AWG?

As individual elements: usable to 6+ GHz. In bundled configuration at 2 m length: > 3 GHz with acceptable eye diagram. For medical ultrasound (1–20 MHz) and NDT (0.5–15 MHz), frequency is never the limiting factor.

7-strand or 19-strand — which should I choose?

7-strand for standard clinical probes (500K cycles, 5–7 year life). 19-strand for premium probes, high-use facilities, or robotic instruments requiring > 1M flex cycles. Cost difference: 19-strand is 30–40% more per meter.

Can 42 AWG be field-terminated?

Marginal. At 0.064 mm conductor diameter, field termination requires 20× magnification and micro-soldering skill. We recommend factory termination for reliability. For field-serviceable NDT cables, consider 36 AWG.

Need 42 AWG micro coaxial cable — bulk reel or terminated assemblies? Stock available for immediate shipment.

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Applications

Ultrasound Probe & Transducer

Modern 3D ultrasound probes contain 128–512 piezoelectric elements requiring precisely matched electrical path lengths for accurate beamforming. Multi-core micro coaxial cable provides per-channel shielding with phase-matched construction, serving as the core interconnect for GE, Philips, Siemens, and Mindray platforms.

Medical Endoscope Camera

Endoscope insertion tubes of 2–4 mm diameter must transmit HD/4K video while enduring 1M+ flex cycles. Using 42–46 AWG stranded conductors, OD achieves as small as 1.2 mm, supporting HD-SDI and 4K LVDS signals while meeting ISO 10993 biocompatibility requirements.

Robotic Surgery Cable

Robotic surgery arms must carry imaging signals, electrosurgical RF power, motor drive currents, and fiber optic illumination through ±270° articulating joints — all within a single hybrid assembly. Micro coaxial elements serve as the signal core, qualified to 5 million torsional flex cycles.

NDT Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT / TOFD)

Weld inspection and corrosion mapping in petrochemical, nuclear, and aerospace industries use PAUT and TOFD — requiring 16–256 core, phase-matched ±1%, 50 Ω micro coaxial bundles with industrial PUR/FEP/PTFE jackets, compliant with ASME V and EN 583-2 standards.

MRI-Compatible Device Cables

The MRI bore presents three electromagnetic environments requiring all metals to pass ASTM F2503 ferromagnetic assessment. Non-magnetic silver-plated copper alloy conductors meet 1.5T/3T MRI safety requirements for MRI-guided interventions, coil connections, and CT detector array interconnects.

Semiconductor / Industrial Robotics / Aerospace

Semiconductor wafer AOI inspection, industrial robot joint routing, and aerospace sensor arrays all demand high-density, fine-gauge cables with tight impedance control and signal integrity — areas where micro coaxial cable delivers unmatched performance in high-frequency transmission, channel isolation, and compact construction.

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