What are common failures in robot cable management?

Common issues include: Corkscrewing : Twisting of cables due to improper routing or excessive binding. Insulation Damage : Wear from abrasion or bending beyond the cable's specifications. Kinking : Sharp bends leading to permanent deformation. Regular inspection and adherence to proper cable management practices can mitigate these failures. Loss of Continuity : Intermittent electrical connections caused by repeated stress. Tangles: improper housing can cause the cables to tangle with one another or with the machinery itself during motion. Using a proper dresspack — such as triflex® R — can reduce or eliminate the risk of these cable issues.

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triflex® R robot dresspacks

Robot Cable Management - triflex® R Dresspacks

Q: What is a robot dresspack, and why is it important?

A robot dresspack is a system designed to organise and protect cables , hoses , and other components that supply power, data, and media to a robot's end effector. Installing the correct dress pack design is crucial to prevent cable damage, reduce downtime, and ensure the robot's full range of motion without interference. Some solutions include corrugated tubing or triflex® R from igus®

Q: How does robot cable management enhance robotic performance?

Robot cable management systems are engineered to guide and protect cables through complex, multi-directional movements in applications including six-axis robots . Cable stress is minimised by accommodating torsion and bending and providing strain relief. This extends the cable life and helps to maintain consistent robot performance.

Q: What are the benefits of triflex® R compared to traditional dresspacks?

triflex® R has a modular design that allows the easy addition, removal and replacement of links, allowing operators to adjust individual segments instead of the full system. Most triflex® R series also allow for easy addition and removal of cables through the side instead of through the ends. Interior segmentation, a defined bend-radius, and strain-relief allow these systems to extend the life of the contained cables and hoses .

Q: How do you install robot cable management systems?

We have various videos to help guide you with installation. Alternatively, we have a Product Manager on hand, alongside sales engineers all over the country that can come and visit you on site. We can also install the systems at an agreed service price.

Q: What sizes are available for triflex® robot cable management systems?

triflex® R is available in 9 different diameters: 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 65mm, 70mm, 85mm, 100mm, 125mm. Availability of these sizes may vary depending on series.

Q: What cables are compatible with robot dresspacks?

igus has developed a line of cables specifically designed for multi-axis robots that can handle torsional stresses of over 180 degrees per meter with a 4-year service life guarantee. Learn more

Q: What are the common applications for triflex® R?

triflex® R is ideal for cable protection on six-axis robots and cobots doing spot welding, pick and place applications, and other automated processes. It has also been used as a cable carrier for solar panels, machine tools, conveyor systems, and packaging machines.Lighter series such as triflex® R TRL are not suitable beyond axes 1–3 of a robot but are suitable for 3D printers, office applications, and operator controls requiring three dimensions of motion.

triflex® R is a multi-axis cable carrier designed for a variety of robotic applications

The robot cable management system triflex® R features a built-in torsion stop to reduce the amount of mechanical stress imposed on your robot cables; a defined bend radius to ensure the bend radius of your cables won’t be violated; and a split cavity that acts as a separator to reduce excessive cable wear. Unlike corrugated tubing, triflex® R comes in nine sizes and is designed with ball and socket links that enable individual pieces of the system to be replaced if one of them is damaged. You can add or remove links if your system is too short, too long or if your robot needs to be repurposed.

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Robot dresspack applications

Industry: Automotive industry

Multidimensional triflex® energy chain allows complex movements of assembly robots

What was needed?
triflex® R energy supply systems.

Requirements:
Reliable energy supply system that also flexibly supports complex movements in all axes; movements mean strong twisting, yet the energy supply must not tear or kink; in addition, simple installation and the price-performance ratio were important to the customer.

Success for the customer:
The triflex® R offers high flexibility and cable protection for complex movements in all eleven robots, which also increases the service life; it is also impact-resistant, dirt-repellent, robust, abrasion-resistant and swarf-resistant; the modular design enables cost-saving assembly and disassembly.

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Industry: Photovoltaic plants

Multiaxial movements in photovoltaic plant

Strong UV radiation, heat, wind, dust: solar plants have to operate under extreme environmental conditions. igus offers different and customised solutions that meet these exact requirements. Our motion plastics are absolutely ideal with their long service life, freedom from maintenance, lubrication and low costs. Application scenarios for dirt-resistant and lubrication-free plain and spherical bearings are:

Tracking systems,
Floating photovoltaic plants (floating PV)
Cleaning systems.

Learn More

ESD retraction systems for dry cleanroom

Industry: Cleanroom

ESD retraction systems ideal for dry cleanroom

ESD components made of conductive and dissipative high-performance polymers are used to protect people and machines from the consequences of electrostatic discharge. Whether during work with sensitive electronics components, in machines with delicate parts or in potentially explosive environments with a lot of dust or gases - wherever friction can contribute to sparking, a special protection against electrostatic discharge is essential. igus® offers a wide range of wear-resistant components made of anti-static materials which, thanks to the incorporated solid lubricants and their special composition, have an especially long service life and considerably reduce the amount of maintenance work needed.

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Corrugated hose vs. triflex® R robot cable management

There is a competition between the corrugated hose and the 3D energy chains to protect the cable.

In eight short videos, we pitted the two products against one other in various disciplines or rounds. However, apart from the colour and external shape, they have little in common.

See for yourself.

Learn More

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

A robot dresspack is a system designed to organise and protect cables, hoses, and other components that supply power, data, and media to a robot's end effector. Installing the correct dress pack design is crucial to prevent cable damage, reduce downtime, and ensure the robot's full range of motion without interference. Some solutions include corrugated tubing or triflex® R from igus®

Robot cable management systems are engineered to guide and protect cables through complex, multi-directional movements in applications including six-axis robots. Cable stress is minimised by accommodating torsion and bending and providing strain relief. This extends the cable life and helps to maintain consistent robot performance.

Common issues include:

Corkscrewing: Twisting of cables due to improper routing or excessive binding.
Insulation Damage: Wear from abrasion or bending beyond the cable's specifications.
Kinking: Sharp bends leading to permanent deformation.
Regular inspection and adherence to proper cable management practices can mitigate these failures.
Loss of Continuity: Intermittent electrical connections caused by repeated stress.
Tangles: improper housing can cause the cables to tangle with one another or with the machinery itself during motion.

Using a proper dresspack — such as triflex® R — can reduce or eliminate the risk of these cable issues.

triflex® R has a modular design that allows the easy addition, removal and replacement of links, allowing operators to adjust individual segments instead of the full system. Most triflex® R series also allow for easy addition and removal of cables through the side instead of through the ends. Interior segmentation, a defined bend-radius, and strain-relief allow these systems to extend the life of the contained cables and hoses.

We have various videos to help guide you with installation. Alternatively, we have a Product Manager on hand, alongside sales engineers all over the country that can come and visit you on site. We can also install the systems at an agreed service price.

triflex® R is available in 9 different diameters: 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 65mm, 70mm, 85mm, 100mm, 125mm. Availability of these sizes may vary depending on series.

igus has developed a line of cables specifically designed for multi-axis robots that can handle torsional stresses of over 180 degrees per meter with a 4-year service life guarantee. Learn more

triflex® R is ideal for cable protection on six-axis robots and cobots doing spot welding, pick and place applications, and other automated processes. It has also been used as a cable carrier for solar panels, machine tools, conveyor systems, and packaging machines.

Lighter series such as triflex® R TRL are not suitable beyond axes 1–3 of a robot but are suitable for 3D printers, office applications, and operator controls requiring three dimensions of motion.