Energy chains for special solutions and environments

igus energy chains score highly even when used under the most demanding environmental conditions - whether cleanroom, very high dust exposure, hot swarf or aggressive chemicals - there is a solution for every challenge in the e-chains range. Together with customers, products and plastics have been developed, tested and successfully utilised for innovative applications. From completely sealed RX tubes, small-scale low-noise and low-vibration energy supply systems to elastic e-skins for cleanrooms or energy supply systems made of highly developed materials for different flammability classes - here you will find detailed information on solutions for special requirements.

e-chain® cable carriers are advantageous when it comes to their use in demanding environmental conditions. If there is a need for cable protection in cleanrooms, dusty environments, hot chips or aggressive chemicals - for every challenge, there is a solution in the e-chain® range of products.

Working with customers, we have developed and tested products and polymers that have been used successfully in many innovative applications including completely sealed RX tubes, small-component low-noise, low-vibration energy supply systems to elastic e-skins for cleanrooms or energy supply systems made of highly developed materials for different flammability classes. You can find detailed information on e-chain® solutions for special requirements below

Cleanroom solutions

Energy chains with ISO Class 1 to 5 certification for cleanroom applications

Energy chains for cleanrooms

Conductive ESD solutions

Made of special conductive material to prevent static charges

ESD energy chains

Protection against dirt and swarf

Energy chain system for protection against dirt and chips

Energy chains for dirt and chip protection, also against hot swarf up to 850°C

Swarf-resistant energy chains

Noise-optimised energy supply solutions

Smooth-running energy chains enable a quiet and trouble-free production process

Noise-optimised energy chains

Solutions for use in chemicals

Tested for resistance to numerous chemicals.

Chemically-resistant energy chains

Solutions against hot chips and heat

Energy chains for extreme temperatures: up to 850°C possible with HT energy chains

Heat-resistant energy chains

Flammability classes of energy chains

Tested and certified flammability classes: Flammability / UL 94 HB / UL 94 V-2 / UL 94 V-0

Flammability of energy chains

Energy chain for the food industry

The FDA-compliant energy chain is easy to clean. Red Dot Award Winner 2017

FDA-compliant energy chain

Energy chains for robots and movement along all axes

Energy chains for axis 1-7, especially for demanding multi-axis robots

Energy chains for robots

Long Travel Solutions

Guide Systems

Flizz system - enclosed chains for long distances
Guidefast - reduce install time on indoor cranes
Guidelok horizontal - for long unsupported travels

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FTA

Floating moving end for parallel compensation
Small, light, low-cost, smart plastics compatible
Force-free guide trough run extends service life

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Autoglide

Very fast installation times for long travels
Self-guiding without guide troughs
Narrow installation width, quiet operation

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Low-vibration, low-noise and abrasion-free

System E6

E6 - Low-noise, 37 dB(A) depending on speed
E6.1 - Extremely quiet 32 dB(A)
R6 - Enclosed system for low wear

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T3

Inner height: 29mm
Quiet 33 dB(A), Cleanroom ISO class 2
Extremely low noise & low vibration

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E3

Inner height: 10 to 22mm, Quiet 38 dB(A)
Crossbars on strip, zip-open along outer radius
Highly dynamic & cleanroom compatible

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Vertical Solutions

e-spool

Space-saving alternative to cable reels & spools
No tensile load on cables or "chain junction"
Cost-effective, ideal for stages and theaters

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Guidelok slimeline vertical

Low-cost, lightweight, clip-on guide rails
Fast, safe and easy assembly, low-noise
Easy service access, low transport cost

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Zig-Zag e-chains®

e-chain® folds into "basket" when lowered
Light, silent, modular, small installation space
For stage & theater, and lifting solutions

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Circular Movements

Twisterchain

25% less weight, dynamic, quiet, cable-friendly
Rotary/Spiral movements up to 540°
For robots, packaging, glass, material handling

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Twisterband

Cable guiding for rotary motion in small spaces
Stable pin/hook connection for very high loads
For extreme temperatures & environments

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Magsnap

For vertical, horizontal or circular applications
Fast and easy assembly, easy to retrofit
Equipped with damping elements to reduce noise

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Sector-specific energy chain

Theatre and stage technology

Spring-loaded cable drum e-spool without slip ring for telescopic applications, platforms and cranes

Spring cable drum e-spool

Oil and gas

Reliable cable guidance for top drives. Weather resistance, easy maintenance

Cable routing e-loop

Construction machinery and access platforms

of lightweight plastic and strong steel

Hybrid energy chain YE

Indoor cranes/Jib cranes

Compact solution for cable guidance on indoor cranes/jib cranes

guidelok swing GLO.S

Cleanroom Solutions

e-skin

Virtually no wear or abrasion
Defined minimum bend radius
Easily opened for filling

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e-skin flat

Extremely quiet, low vibration
For very high speeds and accelerations
Minimal abrasion

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C6

For vertical, horizontal or circular applications
Fast and easy assembly, easy to retrofit
Equipped with damping elements to reduce noise

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Special Materials

ESD

ESD tested for up to 10 million cycles
Snap-open, mounting brackets, interior separation
Available from stock, order & delivery within 24hrs

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TH3

Food-compliant materials, blue color, food-safe
Chemical-resistant, easy to clean, open design
For cleanrooms, packaging, food & beverage

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Guidelite plus

Chemical/corrosion-resistant guide trough
Lightweight, cost-effective to stainless-steel
Fast assembly, easy maintenance, less downtime

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Industry Solutions

AX cable carriers

Exterior stop dogs prevent wood/dust buildup
Optimized interior space, easy setup
Woodworking, Coal power, mining industries

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e-loop

Modular, open/close for easy maintenance
Cable-friendly two-chamber interior separation design
Cable guidance for oil & gas rigs, prevents service loops

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Offshore

For harsh conditions/environments, turnkey solutions
Modular system, easy to open, dirt resistant
Connection elements for quick/easy assembly

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YE Hybrid

50% less weight than a comparable steel chain
50% more unsupported span than plastic chain
Corrosion, UV, chemical resistant, no screws/bolts

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Energy supply types

Vertical energy supply systems

Vertically hanging and space-saving energy chains, modular and quiet

Vertical energy supply systems

Horizontal energy supply systems

Guide cables safely horizontally, protection against weather and dirt

Horizontal energy supply systems

Circular and spiral movements

Modularity, versatility, stability and

Circular and spiral movements

Service life monitoring for all e-chains

New sensor technology enables measurement of percentage wear levels of the pin/bore connection
Cost reduction through clear measurement of product service life - Avoidance of premature replacement of the e-chain system®
Output of service life information and warning messages via HMI or local network systems
Transmission of sensor and dynamic data via newly developed LoRa module

Integrated service life monitoring with smart plastics

Easy to find, configure, calculate service life and order

Configurator: configure energy chain with filling
You configure an energy chain based on the cables you want to use. The result is a complete energy supply with cables, interior separation, mounting brackets and more.

Further information

To the energy chain configurator

Calculate guaranteed energy chain service life
Calculate the expected service life in double strokes and kilometres. The service life is used to generate a customised guarantee certificate for your selected energy chain.

Further information

Go to service life calculator

Energy chains in use in special environments

Whether dirt, swarf, ESD, cleanroom, chemicals or extreme temperatures: igus offers a wide variety of solutions for special applications under special conditions.

Energy chains in use when exposed to extreme temperatures and hot chips.

Reliable cable guidance despite 850°C hot swarfs

Extreme conditions inside a CNC machining centre
Niles-Simmons Industrieanlagen GmbH from Chemnitz uses the closed plastic energy tubes made of the material igumid HT for the construction of its "N 30 MC" CNC machining centres. The temperature-resistant energy chains defy the omnipresent flying swarfs and help to avoid machine downtimes. The CNC machining centre is used for turning, milling and drilling lorry/large crankshafts, among other things, whereby the energy chain has to withstand high temperatures, glowing hot chips and cooling lubricant vapours in the work area. Thanks to the lightweight and flexible plastic construction of the energy chain from igus, space and weight can be saved compared to metal energy chains.

Chip-resistant and temperature-resistant energy chains in the CNC machining centre

Extremely quiet energy supply system for camera robots

Extremely quiet and vibration-free energy supply for camera robots

Absolute silence thanks to noise-optimised energy chains
The operation of camera robots in the ARD Tagesschau studio requires an absolutely quiet and vibration-free energy supply. Thanks to the special design of the chain links, the energy chains from the E6 system are ideal for this purpose. Their chain links are connected by abrasion-resistant elements and are also particularly small in size, which enables extremely quiet and low vibration operation. Thanks to this specification, the dreaded polygon effect does not occur when unrolling. In addition, there is the lightweight energy supply system hanging at a height of seven metres, which is part of the overall structure weighing up to 500 kilograms.

More about igus energy chains in the ARD camera robot

Abrasion-resistant energy chain for use in the cleanroom

Tested and proven suitability for the cleanroom
The Brooks company subjected the igus energy chain to an independent test, as its applications require exceptionally clean air during production. Even in continuous use at 50 - 60 cycles per hour in three-shift operation, no wear was detected. Tests carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation also show the special suitability of igus energy chains for applications in cleanrooms.

Energy chains in use at extremely low temperatures

Fully harnessed energy chain at -40°C

Fast and quiet in the high-speed door of a cold chamber
The Coolit Isoliersysteme GmbH decided on using the micro flizz energy chain developed by igus in the construction of high-speed doors in the cold chamber. The compact energy supply system enables the safe guidance of energy, data and compressed air even at extreme temperatures down to -40°C. In addition to the appropriate energy supply, igus also supplied the fully harnessed energy and control cables including connectors.