Case history of the development of the design concepts for a novel cable

Most of the heavy electrical equipment in service today is based on designs that have been developed and refined over many years. Generally the source of materials is reasonably stable, the design bases are known and the general factory machinery and layout are established. Consequently when a component needs to be designed for a particular job, a series of standardised processes is initiated involving different groups of people and calling in supplies from outside as required. Each successful organisation will have developed a way of completing this process effectively and some of the processes adopted have been described, for example, by Hawley1. But what about the development of design principles for something that differs perhaps in only a few, but crucial, ways from the standard component? Is it possible that there is a general philosophy that can be applied?