UL-listed coiled cords with self-retracting helical geometry — from miniature signal cords for instrumentation to shielded multi-conductor cables for industrial control. Engineered and manufactured in North Branford, CT since 1947.
Autac coiled cords deliver signal integrity and compact flexibility where it matters most. From EMI-protected shielded lines to ultra-compact miniature cords, every product is built to perform.
Spiral-wrap and foil shielding options provide 90%+ coverage for electromagnetic interference protection. Available in PVC and Auta-Prene jacketing with individually served shielded conductors for maximum noise rejection in sensitive signal and data applications.
Ultra-compact coiled cords with small OD profiles for instruments, medical devices, and electronics where space is at a premium. Available with optional foil shield and drain wire for applications requiring both compact size and EMI protection.
A coiled cord is an electrical cable wound into a helical spring shape that extends under tension and retracts to its compact resting length when released. The helical geometry is permanently heat-set into the jacket material during manufacturing, giving the cord elastic spring memory without any moving parts. A typical coiled cord extends to roughly five times its retracted length and returns automatically when the load is removed.
The product spans an enormous range of applications. The same coiled-cord geometry that carries milliamps on 26 AWG signal lines is also used for 600-volt, 30-amp portable power on 10 AWG conductors. What unifies them is the self-retracting behavior the helical construction produces — the cord stays out of the way when it isn't needed and reaches when it is.
A regular cable has to be coiled and uncoiled by hand and stays where you leave it. A coiled cord retracts on its own, eliminating tangles and trip hazards at the workbench, on a vehicle dash, or alongside a piece of moving equipment. Beyond convenience, coiled cords also handle repeated flex cycles better than straight cable. The helical geometry distributes mechanical stress along the entire coil rather than concentrating it at fixed bend points, which is why coiled cords are specified for portable equipment, robotic arms, retracting tool stations, and medical devices that move thousands of times over their service life.
Every Autac coiled cord is built up from four engineered layers:
The cord is then heat-cured around a mandrel to set the helix geometry permanently. The result is a cable that retracts to a defined length and returns to that length cycle after cycle, for the life of the cord.
Autac coiled cords appear in environments where standard cable would tangle, snag, or fail prematurely under repeated flex. The categories below cover the bulk of OEM and industrial demand we see.
Portable test instruments, hand-held controllers, retractable tool stations, and pendant cables on manufacturing equipment.
Hospital cart cabling, patient monitor leads, and shielded signal lines for diagnostic imaging and instrumentation.
Dispatch radio handset cords, headset cables, and shielded data lines in EMI-heavy operations centers.
Vehicle-mounted communications, shielded sensor lines, and retractile power cables for mobile platforms.
Probe cables, instrument interconnects, and signal-grade shielded lines where induced noise corrupts readings.
Built-to-spec cords with custom terminations, jacket colors, conductor counts, and lengths — no minimum order quantity.
We build custom coiled cords to order — any gauge, conductor count, length, shielding, and color.
Tell us about your application and we'll recommend the right cord — or build one from scratch.