Energy chains
High-purity manufacturing environments ensure that electronics also function safely in everyday life. In order for manufacturers to produce in cleanrooms, particle-free machine elements are required. Every year, the Fraunhofer Institute honours the most innovative developments with the REINER! Award. The motion plastics specialist igus is very pleased with the 2nd place award for its e-skin flat energy supply chain. The alternative to the flat belt guide is compact, modular and has cleanroom class 1. The cables can be easily inserted into the chain using the zipper principle and can be quickly replaced in the event of maintenance.
For safe cable guidance in unsupported and long travels, igus has developed the E4Q energy chain. The bionically inspired design of the series saves weight, while a crossbar with locking tabs reduces the assembly time of the energy supply system by 40 per cent. To further facilitate cable filling, igus is now launching a new interior separation for the E4Q. Universal separators can simply be placed on the crossbars, shelves can be inserted from the left or right, either along the inner or outer radius. A mechanism in the separators automatically locks the chain when closing.
A control panel forms the robot’s control centre. If it is to be used flexibly, its cable must be not only several metres long, but also movable and safely stowed. To this end, igus has developed the e-spool flex. The new igus cable reel has no slip ring, so it can even supply bus signals with no interruptions. The cable can also be easily retrofitted into the system. These advantages won ARAGON over. It offers a complete cable set, consisting of e-spool flex with a standard cable and a pre-assembled panel mount, as a service for its industrial robots.
High-end equipment and technically trained personnel enable optimum soldering results even with manual work The new soldering stations at igus ensure reproducible and high-quality soldering results. At the same time, they simplify the work of trained personnel and increase throughput times in production. (Source: igus GmbH) Ready-to-connect harnessed and quality-checked cables within three to five […]
For users who want to order their energy chain quickly and easily and assemble it themselves, igus now has the solution: complete kits. The kits consist of an E4.1 series energy chain, an aluminium trough, matching separators, strain relief elements and a screwdriver. This means that the customer does not need to worry about a time-consuming configuration of the energy supply system. All adjustments to the chain are made directly on the equipment or machine. The complete kits are available in three inner heights for travels from 8 to 24 metres in the igus online shop and are available from stock.
A forgotten screwdriver in an energy chain, a bent trough as well as ice, snow and bulk material can quickly lead to a total failure of cranes with high costs. This prompted igus to develop a new push/pull force monitoring system. The EC.PR precisely records the force values of the floating moving end and adjusts the force limits. This prevents high repair costs and damage to the system.
Connecting cables individually not only takes time, but is also prone to errors. This is why igus has developed the Module Connect interface concept, with which energy chains can be easily plugged together. To connect the connector to the energy chain, the user can now use an individual adapter. The energy chain thus becomes an interface that saves 80 per cent of the installation time. The design and functionality of the adapter also convinced the jury of the German Design Award 2021.
The E4Q energy chain series was developed by igus to achieve the best possible solution for unsupported and long travels. In the process, shapes inspired by nature ensure very low weight, while a unique tool-free opening concept reduces installation time by 40 per cent. The E4Q has now received the renowned German Design Award for this pioneering design.
The aim of the precision irrigation carriage from Rathmakers Gartenbautechnik is to use water resources sensibly whilst protecting the groundwater at the same time. With the new automatic irrigation system, the water reaches exactly where it should: directly to the plants. For the safe and compact guidance of hoses and cables, the developers rely on an igus energy chain system consisting of roller chain and guide trough.
Move cables safely and stow them away quickly – that is the aim of e-spool flex. The new igus cable reel can guide all cables and hoses for the transmission of energy, media and data without interruption. This increases safety at manual workstations and operating panels. For quick installation of the cable reel, the developers opted for a worm guide. The cable is inserted in a few simple steps and the e-spool flex is ready for use.