A cable includes a cable sheath in which are embedded a plurality of
insulated conductors at least two of which are helically twisted, the
cable being provided with visible markings that indicate where one can
electrically engage a selected one of the conductors by an
insulation-piercing contact. The cable is formed by arranging a plurality
of insulated conductors in a light-transmitting synthetic plastic sheath
layer, two or more of the insulated conductors being helically twisted
about a longitudinal axis, which cable is optically scanned to determine
locations at which contiguous portions of the twisted insulated
conductors are superposed orthogonally relative to a reference plane,
whereupon markings are formed on the cable sheath layer at locations
laterally spaced from the contiguous conductor portions, whereby a
selected one of the twisted conductors may be engaged by an
insulation-piercing contact.