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This section provides an overview for cable locator as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 34 cable locator manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked cable locator companies as of December, 2024: 1.OMEGA Engineering inc., 2.SONEL S.A., 3.Schonstedt Instrument Company.
Table of Contents
A cable locator is a device used to detect the position and depth of buried electric and communication cables, both underground and within walls.
Cable locators are designed to accommodate various depths. Some models are capable of detecting cables in challenging areas such as roads or locations with obstacles. In addition to identifying the position and depth of cables, they can also detect damaged areas. By applying the means of cable position detection, cable locators can also detect other objects such as rebar, water pipes, and bracing.
Cable locators are primarily used for the following purposes:
Cable locators are used to examine the position, depth, and breakage points of high and low-voltage power cables. The detection of power cables is crucial for the maintenance, development, and troubleshooting of power transmission networks.
They are also used to investigate the position, depth, and connection status of communication cables such as telephone lines, coaxial cables, and LAN cables. Detecting communication cables is essential for the maintenance, development, and troubleshooting of communication networks.
Cable locators are employed not only for cable detection but also for detecting other objects. For example, they are useful for examining the position, depth, and leakage points of metal gas pipes and water pipes. Detecting gas pipes and water pipes is crucial for the maintenance, development, and response to leaks in piping networks.
Cable locators primarily comprise a transmitter, a receiver, and a display unit. The transmitter sends an electrical signal to the target cable, while the receiver picks up this signal to obtain information about the cable. If the target cable is exposed, the transmitter can be directly connected to it for signal transmission. If the cable is buried underground or within a wall, the transmitter is placed on the ground or the wall surface to transmit the electrical signal indirectly.
The electrical signal sent from the transmitter flows through the cable. During this process, weak electromagnetic waves are generated around the cable. By detecting these waves as probing signals, the receiver can determine the position and depth of the cable. It's important to note that the transmitter emits an alternating current signal with specific frequency and intensity.
The receiver is equipped with an antenna and detects the weak electromagnetic waves around the cable. By moving the receiver, it is possible to detect the position and depth of the target cable. The results are displayed on the display unit.
Cable locators can detect metal gas pipes and water pipes. Since metals are conductive, applying an electric current to each pipe generates weak electromagnetic waves around them, similar to cables.
By detecting these electromagnetic waves as probing signals, it is possible to determine the position and depth of each pipe. Furthermore, if there is a leak, the probing signal in that area changes, allowing the identification of the leak location.
Cable locators are equipped with various functions, including two fundamental ones as follows:
Continuous Depth Measurement Function
This function continuously measures depth in real time. The depth is displayed on the screen in real-time, providing insight into the depth variation. Sudden changes in depth can be easily identified.
Peak Hold Function
When using a cable locator to search for pipes, for example, the probing signal is maximum (peak value) directly above the targeted pipe. Therefore, cable locators have a peak hold function that memorizes this peak value.
By storing the peak value, the cable locator can notify the operator if they pass the target pipe, making it user-friendly even for inexperienced users.
Cable locators are specialized measuring instruments and expensive devices. Additionally, the required type and performance vary depending on usage frequency and purpose. Therefore, cable locator rental services are available, offering various types and performance levels at a lower cost. Users can rent cable locators and receive instructions on usage and precautions, making these rental services widely utilized.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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OMEGA Engineering was originally begun in 1962 as a manufacturer of thermocouples and has grown to over 100,000 products for measurement and control of temperature, humidity, pressure, strain force, flow, level pH, and conductivity as well as customer service including data acquisition, electric heating, and custom-engineered products. Additionally, OMEGA offers tools to serve as reference for engineers around the world. OMEGA Engineering serves the aerospace, automotive, wireless, sanitary, test & measurement, process control, power monitoring, environmental, and laboratory markets.
Fluke Corporation, established in 1948 and based in Everett, Washington, is a manufacturer of precision calibration solutions. The company provides instrumentation and software tailored for electrical, temperature, pressure, flow, and RF measurements. These instruments are commonly utilized in calibration laboratories and process measurement instrument shops globally, including National Metrology Institutes. The companu also offers services and software solutions for assisting organizations in effectively managing assets and operations, with support ranging from individual to enterprise-level integration.
Schonstedt Instrument Company, established in 1953 and a subsidiary of SPX Corporation since 2018, is a manufacturer of magnetic locator products based in Kearneysville, West Virginia, USA. The company offers pipe and cable locators for decommissioning utilities in demolition or deconstruction operations, as well as magnetic locators for locating ferrous objects and utilities underground. It also offers various branded products, such as its u-Locate 811 mark verification location and its GA series portable magnetic locators with plug-and-play attachments. The company’s products are commonly used in construction, excavation, and land surveying operations.
Value Testers, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, is a distributor and supplier of HVAC and other testing equipment. The company's main product portfolio includes a wide range of HVAC test equipment, such as inspector tools, thermal imager cameras, and dew point thermometers. It also produces a wide range of electrical testing equipment, cable testing equipment, and specific AC and heater inspection equipment, such as underground cable detectors and infrared laser thermometers. The company's notable clients include AEMC Chauvin Arnoux and UEi Instruments.
Huazheng Electric Manufacturing (Baoding) Co.,Ltd (HEMB) is a Chinese manufacturer of electrical equipment and testing instruments established in 2008. Based in Baoding, Hebei, the company produces a wide range of power equipment including high voltage and transformer oil testers, cable locators, pulse capacitors, and energy meter calibrators. It also offers control equipment for grid management and various animal repellent devices. HEMB primarily supplies the Chinese State Grid, power engineering companies, and transformer manufacturers.
SONEL S.A. is a Polish manufacturer of high-quality measuring instruments for power, industry, and telecommunications. The company manufactures test equipment such as meters for measuring current, voltage, short-circuit loop impedance, insulation resistance, residual current protection, and ground resistance. It also offers power quality analyzers, equipment safety testers, thermal imaging cameras, wire and cable locators, as well as multimeters, clamp meters, low resistance meters, lux meters, and more.
SubSurface Instruments Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of subsurface detection and location products established in 1996 and based in De Pere, Wisconsin, USA. The company specializes in producing standard as well as application-specific high-frequency or magnetic locators. These include magnetic underwater locators for finding metal objects under more than 1000 feet of water, handheld leak detectors, and all material locators (AML) for locating subsurface PVC and PE pipes. The company's products are primarily used by clients in the gas utilities, power generation, and water treatment sectors.
Chauvin Arnoux began in 1893 in France and took off in 1905 with the invention of the magneto ohmmeter. Chauvin Arnoux is an integrated manufacturer of portable test and measurement instruments used in the electrical sector, education, laboratories, and maintenance. A sample of Chauvin Arnoux’s products include calibrators, electrochemical measurements, relays, analystical software, and accessories. Chauvin Arnoux also offers industrial subcontracting, leveraging its large network of independently operating yet functionally integrated subcontractors’ abilities to manufacture and install PCBs, specialty items, sheet metal, tooling, and more.
HellermannTyton is based in Tornesch, Germany, and is a manufacturer of cable management and identification products that was founded in 1935 before being acquired by Delphi Automotive in 2015, the company currently known as Aptiv PLC. The company specializes in producing cable ties, cable protection conduits, and heat shrink tubing. It also offers electrical installation and identification products such as cable lugs, RFID tags, and security labels. The company chiefly serves clients in the electrical, construction, and automotive industries.
Teledyne FLIR LLC, originally known as FLIR Systems and founded in 1978, is an American manufacturer headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, specializing in thermal imaging cameras and sensors, now operating as a subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) offers handheld and fixed mount thermal cameras, thermal security cameras, thermography cameras, machine vision cameras, and gas detection cameras. They provide airborne systems, unmanned aerial and ground systems, land and maritime systems, and traffic management software. These products find applications in various fields and industries, such as airborne law enforcement, border and maritime patrol, critical infrastructure and force protection, search and rescue operations.
Fuji Tecom Inc. is a manufacturer of leak detection and location technology products established in 1972 and located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. The company specializes in utility inspection equipment for infrastructure maintenance applications. These products include pipeline and cable locators, water leak detectors, and metal detectors. It also offers ultrasonic water pressure recorders and flow meters for data logging and analysis. The company mainly serves clients in Japan’s municipal water utilities, infrastructure, and construction operations.
Utility Tool Company Inc. is a manufacturer of locating equipment founded in 1968 and based in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Under the brand Pipehorn, the company offers equipment for locating underground utility cables or pipes, detecting subsurface water leaks, and uncovering buried metal objects such as valve boxes or manholes. The company also offers additional services including on-site and factory personnel training. Its products are mainly used by clients in the power generation, construction, and engineering sectors.
Amprobe Instrument Corporation, began life in Long Island, NY in 1948 under the name Pyramid Instrument Company, later renamed in1960, is a manufacturer and builds rugged test and measurement tools. The company was acquired by the Danaher Corporation and moved its worldwide headquarters to Everett, Washington in 2006. It designs, manufactures and distributes products from an extensive line of clamp meters and digital multimeters to industry-specific tools for residential/commercial electricians, HVAC/R technicians, utilities and industrial maintenance professionals. Its tools undergo rigorous and intensive testing to ensure compliance with the latest regulations in Fluke's CSA-recognized lab for safety and accuracy.
Leica Geosystems AG, founded in 1921 and based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, is a manufacturer of systems and products in surveying and geographical measurement. The company is part of Hexagon. Its products include laser scanners, machine control systems, lasers, levels, and mobile mapping systems used in several fields, including mining, monitoring, agriculture, natural resources, and transportation. It is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, and in 1985, it launched the first GPS receiver, WILD WM101, for surveying applications. It acquired civilian businesses from Magnavox and introduced the first in-house GPS product in 1994.
Di-Log, established in 1998 and headquartered in Trafford Park, England, is a manufacturer and supplier of test and measurement equipment. The company's products include 18th-edition testers, thermal imaging devices, and PAT testers. Its test instrumentation includes digital multimeters, clamp meters, and renewable energy testers. Its 18th-edition testers ensure compliance with electrical wiring regulations, while its thermal imaging range aids in identifying heat-related issues in electrical systems. The company's associated company, Re-Cal Calibration Services, offers complete traceable calibration services. It also partners with Seaward Electronic for PAT testers, FLIR Systems for thermal imaging, and Chauvin Arnoux for power quality.
Instrument Choice, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, is a manufacturer and supplier of temperature and humidity data loggers. The company provides environment & scientific test instruments and meters & data loggers. These products are used for measuring air speed, air flow, humidity, and other environmental factors. It also provides many case studies to help customers find a suitable product for the required application. The company has won the Telstra Australian Business Awards and Customer Service Award.
TECHNO-AC, a company founded in 1992 and based in Moscow, Russia, is a manufacturer and supplier of water leak detection equipment. The company's range of products includes cable fault location equipment, digital thermometers, and cable and pipe locating equipment. These products are used in various applications, including water supply, the electric power industry, and environmental monitoring. The company provides services including technical support, product catalogs, and online training sessions for clients on how to utilize its products. The company's products are used by various companies in various countries including the United States, Kenya, and Australia.
ATP Instrumentation Ltd., founded in 1989 and headquartered in Ashby De La Zouch, Leicestershire, United Kingdom, is a distributor and supplier of testing, measurement, and analysis instruments. The company stocks a massive range of handheld digital measuring devices and testers, including anemometers, light meters, and moisture meters. It also offers an extensive range of visual inspection equipment and thermal imaging devices. These products have applications that include quality control, scientific research, as well as being used in everyday industrial tasks. The company offers free technical advice and product support, as well as a suite of calibration services.
Radiodetection, founded in 1997 and based in Bristol, UK, is a supplier of infrastructure tools, class equipment, and utilities. The company’s products include cable tools, pipeline integrity controls, ground penetrating radar, plastic water pipe locators, and Time domain reflectors. The products are used in the construction, water, power, telecommunication, and oil industries. The company supplies products from brands like Sensors & Software, Schonstedt, Pearpoint, and Dielectric. It offers an online information system for all inquiries about locators and applications.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OMEGA Engineering inc. |
12.0%
|
| 2 | SONEL S.A. |
10.0%
|
| 3 | Schonstedt Instrument Company |
6.0%
|
| 4 | Value Testers |
5.3%
|
| 5 | FUJI TECOM INC |
4.7%
|
| 6 | SubSurface Instruments Inc. |
4.0%
|
| 7 | Radiodetection |
4.0%
|
| 8 | HellermannTyton |
4.0%
|
| 9 | Fluke Calibration |
4.0%
|
| 10 | WCT Products, Inc. |
3.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the cable locator page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
4 | 50.0% |
|
United Kingdom
|
2 | 25.0% |
|
China
|
1 | 12.5% |
|
Poland
|
1 | 12.5% |
