chainflex® Frequently Asked Questions

PVC
PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is a very versatile thermoplastic material. Because of its chemical structure and low flammability, it is often used on production and assembly lines. But it is also used frequently in packaging and stage lighting.

PUR
PUR, or polyurethane, is a halogen-free, self-extinguishing thermoplastic elastomer. This jacket material has become increasingly important for cables in recent years. PUR's advantages are notch strength and cold flexibility. PUR also has better chemical compatibility than other materials.

TPE
TPE stands for thermoplastic elastomers and is the generic term for numerous subcategories. TPE materials are predominantly used for high-quality, flexible cables. The reason for this is that they withstand mechanical loads very well and are highly resistant to external influences such as chemicals or temperatures.

We recommend Depending on the type of cable, different sizes of space reserves must be used. In the following table you can read the recommended % values.

Space reserves in % for various cables

cable: clearance space "all round" 

Electrical round cable: 10 % 
Electrical flat cable: 10 %
Pneumatics: 5-10 % 
Hydraulics: 20 %
Media hoses: 15-20 %

Overfilled e-chains often begin as a result of defective cables not being replaced, but simply being supplemented by another cable.

Hanging applications are generally possible, with the energy chain moving vertically up and down in a U-shape. We can realise installation heights of up to approx. 100 m. The correct distribution of the cable in the e-chain® and the feed-through of a perfect strain relief are decisive for the cable installation.

The tensile strength is defined by the conductor nominal cross section of the main cores. According to the standard, a cable in a suspended application may be loaded with 15 N/mm² copper of the main conductors or the cable requires a special supporting element.

EMC stands for electromagnetic compatibility and describes the fact that different devices do not influence each other. To ensure this protection, a cable must be electrically shielded. This protective effect is expressed strongly by the indication of the so-called optical coverage of the shield. This is the area of the cable that is optically covered by the shield.

HAR mainly describes cables for fixed or "flexible" installations. It's not just about the material. The HAR code describes: Cable type, nominal voltage, insulation material, outer sheath material, special specification of the cable, conductor type, number of conductors, conductor cross-section, etc.

Every cable manufacturer can orientate themselves on these standards and build cables according to these standards. With the materials of the harmonised standard it is not possibleto build a cable that meets our requirements in terms of quality and service life.

Not every cable is suitable for any transmission length. With an electrical conductor, we are always limited in the transmission length, as the cable has losses over the long distance. In this case, the alternative to transmitting the Profinet signal on a long travel is a chainflex® fibre optic cable. With an optical fibre, you can also transmit a signal over long distances. This is due to the significantly lower attenuation values compared to a copper cable.

In the production of a cable en the production process there are gaps, so-called gussets. They are the "valleys" between the cores and bundles when they lie side by side. This is because the cores are round and therefore cannot lie next to or on top of each other in a form-fitting manner. Therefore, when it says that the cable is gusset-filling extruded, this means that the gaps described are filled and not hollow.

The voltage class is directly related to the intended use of the cable or pipe. with the voltages transferred via these cables. For example, these are lower for control cable than for motor cable, as a small amount of power has to be transmitted.