What type of interference does cable shielding aim to protect against?

Cable shielding is primarily designed to protect against electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI consists of unwanted electrical energy that can disrupt the signals traveling through cables, particularly in data communication and electrical systems. This interference can come from various sources, including motors, fluorescent lights, and radio frequencies. By incorporating shielding into cables, the conductive material helps to block or absorb these electromagnetic signals, ensuring that the data transmission remains clear and unaffected by external interferences.

Mechanical, thermal, and acoustic interferences, while they can affect systems, are not directly mitigated by cable shielding. Mechanical interference pertains to physical damage or disruptions due to forces acting on the cables, thermal interference involves temperature fluctuations that affect conductivity, and acoustic interference relates to sound waves impacting the performance of the system, none of which are addressed by the shielding mechanisms designed specifically for EMI. Therefore, the focus of cable shielding is on minimizing EMI to maintain the integrity and reliability of data signals.