The simplicity of the cables, their low profile (compared to contemporary alternatives), and low cost due to standardization, meant ribbon cables were long used in computers, printers, and many electronic devices. Methods and materials were developed to simplify and reduce the cost of ribbon cables, by standardizing the design and spacing of the wires, and the thickness of the insulation, so that they could be easily terminated through the use of insulation displacement connectors (IDC). Subsequently, ribbon cables were manufactured by a number of different companies, including 3M. The early ribbon cables were used in the mainframe computer industry, on card readers, card punching machines, and tape machines. The ribbon cable allowed companies like IBM and Sperry/Univac to replace bulky, stiff round cables with sleek, flexible ribbon cables. Since the cable looked like a flat ribbon or duct tape, it was named a ribbon cable.

The company's engineers figured out how to use a new material, silicone rubber, to 'mold' a flat cable containing multiple conductors of the same size.

The ribbon cable was invented in 1956 by Cicoil Corporation, a company based in Chatsworth, California.

Autodesk inventor tutorial ribbon cable