What is the difference between the power cables & control cables?

The power cables is manufactured to hold the continuation of passing current through the material and it 's has a large wide of products from handling a few volts till400 kv  and also according to design by single or multi phases or single or multi core cables and conductors and some points must be considered at manufacturing the power cables

holding temperature 

high insulation efficiency 

and sure good conductivity 

and for the cables of control it's designed in first place to send or receive signals from the control unit to machine electrical parts which we want to control or vice versa 

so the most important factor which must be considered in manufacturing these cables is the high   and very high conductivity for electrical signals and current

and it is also have a large wide of product according to use and the type of signals that carry and also the frequency and here is some types of control cables

 Circular Connector Cables

Coaxial (RF) Cables

Custom Build To Spec Cables

Discreet Cables

Electro-Mechanical Assemblies

Fiber Optic Solutions

Network Cables

PC Cables

Ribbon Cables

Wire Harnesses

Value Added Services

and there is also a communication cables

Cables are of various types and varieties, with each designed to perform a specific function. The performance and the durability of the cables depend on the quality of its raw materials. Every cable has a distinguished construction, which differentiates it from others. Power cables and Control cables, which are often confused for one another, but do bear certain homogeneity.

Control cables as their name suggests, send signals to control the functioning of an equipment. Belonging to the family of instrumentation cables, these cables allow distribution of data or signals that have low voltage. Designed specifically for automation controls, these cables have a copper conductor, which is enveloped in galvanized steel braid. Usually used for regions that require less than one ampere, these cables can carry signals up to40 volts. These cables usually bear a PVC insulation that protects them from impacts and harsh climatic conditions.

Power cables are cables, which transfer both high energy and low energy from the source to the equipments. Specifically designed to best suit active and neutral environment, these cables bear a thick outer sheath compared to ordinary Control cables. The external sheath of the Power cables with its immense strength and protection enables the cables to transfer high volume of energy without any tension or strain. Unlike Control cables, Power cables often have a unique colour code system that distinguishes the high voltage carriers from their low voltage counterparts. Control cables offer superior resistance to interference, which makes them ideal for sending low voltage signals and power cables are equipped to transfer energy to those equipments which require a maximum of4160 V for its functioning.

As far as I know, cable is electrical conductor which carries moving electrons. Somehow it connected to it's application. If it is carrying control current called control cable.

Generally speaking cables in control circuit are control cable, which usually carries <30volts.

However, we do have120V control, in380V power circuit.

In short it is a relative term. In120V control circuit (380V power),120V is control cable and24V control circuit (120 V power),120 V is power not control.

Control Cables are used for wiring control circuits. They are normally work at low power rather than power cables. Control cables are used for carrying signals from remote areas to the central processing panel or to the CPU of PLC. Where as Power cables are used for providing the motive power to the apparatus or equipment. 

 Normally  , Control cables are smaller in size than power cables.

In industrial automation, there are two sets of circuits. Control circuits and power circuits. control circuits equipment are of low voltage and current nature. For example relays. These circuits are used for sending control signals. These equipment use control cables which are thinner than power cables and carry lower currents. Power circuits equipment use higher voltage and currents, like contactors and drives. These circuits are used for running actuators like motors and valves.So these circuits need to carry higher currents. These circuits use power cables which are thicker than control cables.

Power cable must be able to endure the load current.

Control cable must be able to endure the contactor current only, even if the load current was more than it.