Friday 25 September 2015

igus introduces 40 percent lighter cables for e-chains

The new chainflex motor cables CF430.D and CF440 (unshielded and shielded) from igus save significant system weight for long travel applications using energy chains. In this way, the use of smaller e-chains can reduce cost and enhance both the energy efficiency and the service life of energy chain systems. As for all chainflex cables, igus offers a unique 36-month warranty for its durability.

Whether in plant construction, mechanical engineering, cranes, ships or conveyor technology, the travel distances in dynamic applications are becoming increasingly longer whilst speeds and number of movements are rising. This leads to ever increasing stress on cables that are constantly in motion. The motion plastics specialist igus has developed extremely lightweight single core motor cables for energy chains for long travels, the chainflex types CF430.D and CF440. By the use of a special stranded conductor, the cables are up to 40 percent lighter than standard copper cables. Depending on the cable length and cross-section, the savings potential of the new motor cables can be up to several tonnes, offering a considerable saving on required drive force.

Material combination gives numerous advantages
"This weight reduction is possible by the use of a stranded conductor made of the special material CCA," explains Rainer Rössel, head of the chainflex cables division at igus. "Here, the cable core is made of lightweight aluminium coated with copper, known as copper-clad aluminium or CCA." The combination of these two metals has a number of advantages. Compared to solid copper cables, the CCA cable benefits from the lower density and thus the lower weight of aluminium. When compared to a pure aluminium conductor this one offers the big advantage that the cross-contacting is ensured by the copper coating. Furthermore, the copper layer also contributes enormously to the durability of the entire conductor with a stranding structure optimised for the constant bending in the energy chain.

igus introduces 40 percent lighter cables for e-chains


Developed for use in e-chains
igus has created a special stranding method for its CCA lightweights, and the insulation jacket material has been further enhanced for use in energy chains. igus has already demonstrated the long service life in operation in their own test lab. The chainflex CF430.D and CF440 types have already completed more than 17 million strokes without failure in continuous movement. And the marathon test continues to run. The outer jacket is made of a high-quality mix of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) makes them extremely resistant to abrasion and bending, making them ideal for extremely high loads even at low temperatures and for outdoor use. These cables, designed for very long travel lengths outdoors, can be ordered as shielded or unshielded options. The cables are also resistant to UV and ozone.

About igus India
igus® operations in India started in the year 1998 with head quarters in Bangalore. igus offers widest range of products that includes polymer bearings, igubal® spherical bearings, flexible cable, cable track etc. which enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

Wednesday 23 September 2015

New igus plastic guide trough which keeps energy chains safely and easily on track

New igus plastic guide trough which keeps energy chains safely and easily on track

The motion plastics specialist igus has launched a new modular guide trough system, which is entirely made of tribo-optimised plastic: guidelite plus. The system is very light, easy to install, cost effective and is also suitable for use in harsh environments.

Guide troughs, usually made from aluminium or steel, ensure correct operation and a long service life for energy chains in gliding applications with long travels. The new guidelite plus from igus is a guide trough that is made entirely of plastic and is easy to assemble. Individual elements made of abrasion-resistant high-performance plastic can be connected together very quickly and without tools by hand due to a locking mechanism specially designed for this system. The low weight of the plastic parts helps with installation, but is also advantageous where lightweight solutions are needed. A special expansion joint, which is provided in every second link of the trough elements, guarantees flexibility and adaptability especially in case of large temperature variations. Thus, the product can also be used without restrictions in outdoor applications.

Plastic for harsh application areas
The plastic guidelite plus guide trough is also suitable for applications where metallic alternatives are very expensive or cannot be used due to aggressive chemicals or risk of corrosion. For these applications, the guidelite plus can be manufactured from a special plastic that is more resistant to chemicals. Thereby new applications are possible in the galvanising sector or fertilizer production, where expensive stainless steel solutions were previously required. But even in other dynamic uses, in which long travels have to operate reliably without failure or maintenance at a low speed of up to 1 m/s, the guidelite plus is an alternative that saves time and cost. In purchasing alone, double digit percentage savings are possible compared to aluminium or stainless steel troughs.

The plastic guide trough is available for energy chains with outer heights of 35, 50 and 64 millimetres. The use of guidelite plus is economical in both new installations and retrofitting of existing plants. Much cheaper than a comparable stainless steel or aluminium trough, the user saves twice, in the purchase as well as the fast assembly.

This video illustrates the structure and nature of the guidelite plus from igus: https://youtu.be/P_JCObtDTxc

About igus India
igus® operations in India started in the year 1998 with head quarters in Bangalore. igus offers widest range of products that includes polymer bearings, igubal® spherical bearings, flexible cable, cable track etc. which enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.