High Speed Copper Cables Become the Preferred Choice for Data Center Connectivity
Massive volumes of data generated by AI compute clusters must be exchanged at high frequency and in parallel over short distances—typically within three meters—among servers, switches, and GPUs inside equipment racks. Thanks to their advantages of low cost, low latency, and low power consumption, high speed copper cables have rapidly emerged as the preferred solution for internal data center interconnects. According to Huaxin Securities, the high-speed interconnect market is expected to maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 25% from 2023 to 2027, with short-reach high-speed connectivity becoming one of the fastest-growing segments.
From Demand Surge to Structural Supply Constraints in High Speed Copper Cables
At present, mainstream data center cable specifications are concentrated around two generations: 112G and 224G. As a relatively mature node, 112G serves as a foundational building block for current 400G and 800G network architectures. In contrast, 224G has long remained in a window of validation, initial deployment, and capacity ramp-up. In 2024, NVIDIA officially launched the GB200 large-scale computing platform operating at 224G, eliminating much of the uncertainty surrounding the transition from 112G to 224G. At the same time, leading global high-speed connector manufacturers such as Amphenol, Molex, and TE Connectivity successively introduced cables and connectors supporting 224G, signaling that 224G is set to become the standard node for next-generation intra–data center interconnects.
Following the official announcement of 224G projects such as GB200, the sudden influx of demand placed traditional copper cable manufacturers under dual pressure in terms of process capability and delivery lead times. Verification cycles, process stability, delivery certainty, and overall supply-chain resilience have become decisive factors in determining whether shipments can be executed smoothly. Industry analysis indicates that as 224G copper cables enter large-scale production in 2025–2026, the market is likely to face a severe delivery shortfall. However, at this stage, only a very limited number of suppliers—such as LTK CABLE and ALAWK—are capable of stably supplying 224G-class high-speed copper cables. Overcoming the technical challenges of high-speed bare conductor manufacturing has thus become a fundamental prerequisite for the continued advancement of AI models.
High Process Barriers in the Manufacturing of High Speed Copper Cables
Although copper remains the conductor material, the manufacturing difficulty of high speed copper cables increases dramatically at the 224G data rate. As signal frequencies double from 112G to 224G, manufacturers must overcome a systematic challenge spanning conductor material systems, dielectric material selection, foaming consistency control, and end-to-end insertion-loss management. In addition to high-purity silver-plated copper conductors and polyethylene (PE) or fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) insulation materials, the most demanding process is insulation foaming. Foaming refers to the introduction of microscopic air cells into the insulation material, creating a sponge-like structure. Since signals essentially propagate as electromagnetic waves along the surface of the copper conductor, the presence of air within the foamed insulation reduces signal attenuation and increases propagation speed during transmission.
Beyond the complexity of the foaming process itself, access to high-precision equipment represents another major manufacturing barrier. The most suitable equipment for 224G high speed copper cable production consists of imported Rosendahl extrusion and foaming systems, which enable precise control of material flow, temperature, and foaming dynamics, thereby producing uniform, consistent, and low-dielectric-constant foamed insulation layers. When combined with imported SIKORA online monitoring systems, manufacturers can monitor foaming uniformity in real time and ensure overall process stability. As industry demand has surged, Rosendahl equipment has become extremely scarce, resulting in only a handful of suppliers worldwide being able to pass engineering validation and release effective production capacity.
SUNKEAN's Advanced Path in High Speed Copper Cables
During the development of 224G copper cables, SUNKEAN CABLE, as a contributing member to the group standards Technical Requirements for 224Gbps Parallel Symmetric Cables for High Speed Transmission and Technical Requirements for 224Gbps Parallel Symmetric Cable Assemblies for High-Speed Transmission, has played an active role in promoting industry standardization. The company's manufacturing base is equipped with dedicated high speed cable production workshops and laboratories, including one imported Rosendahl FEP foaming extrusion line, two domestic extrusion lines, ten zero-tension precision taping machines, and a 67G network analyzer. The facility is further supported by original German SIKORA online monitoring systems and dual-axis laser diameter measurement instruments for flat cables, ensuring rigorous process control.
By combining world-class production equipment with advanced monitoring systems and a complete process flow—including wire drawing, extrusion, foaming, monitoring, taping, and electrical performance testing (network analysis)—SUNKEAN is able to support a full range of high-speed copper cable requirements spanning both 112G and 224G applications.
Conductor: 30AWG, 28AWG, 26AWG
Insulation: PE; Foam FEP/; Foam PE/PE
Conductor: 30AWG, 28AWG, 26AWG
Insulation: PE/Foam FEP/ Foam PE/PE
At critical 224G process nodes, SUNKEAN can release production capacity within four weeks, effectively mitigating future supply-demand imbalances and capacity risks in the high-speed interconnect market. Looking ahead, the company will continue to strengthen its engineering and delivery capabilities in the data center high-speed interconnect domain, in conjunction with its overseas business expansion. By doing so, SUNKEAN aims to provide global customers with more stable and sustainable high-speed transmission solutions, supporting the robust scaling of data centers under next-generation compute architectures.
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