Flexible cables for the e-chain®: an overview of chainflex® cables

If they are to have a long service life, flexible cables used in energy chains or robots must have special properties. Our cables have been optimised for a wide variety of applications. The igus chainflex product range includes everything from control cables, servo cables, motor cables, and robot cables to bus cables, data cables, encoder cables and fibre optic cables.

Cable for linear energy chains

Using a cable in an energy chain subjects it to movement and torsion, resulting in high loads. Our expertise in this area is based on our experience from countless tests performed over the course of 30 years. Cable loading is greatly dependent on travel and bend radius. We have developed seven rules to withstand this loading. They enable us to achieve especially high cable quality and offer the right cable for various requirements such as gusset-filling extrusion or special core stranding.

Control cables

Cores wound in bundles for a long service life
Six different outer jacket materials
Large selection of core cross section combinations

Bus cables

All commonly used bus systems with mechanical features
Six different outer jacket materials
Simple selection matrix for a good overview
Reliable data transmission

Motor cables

Free selection between multi-core cables and single cores
Six different outer jacket materials
shielded and unshielded solutions

Data cables

Three different structures: cores wound in layers, twisted pairs and pair shields
Four different outer jacket materials
Best EMC properties thanks to high shield coverage

Measuring system cables

Electric design according to manufacturer standards
Bending radii up to 10xd
Jacket materials: PVC, iguPUR, PUR or TPE

Servo cables

Various structures with one or two pair, suitable for motor requirements
With the innovative shield pair structure and high-end overall shield for movement
Special core insulation for greater current flow

Special cables

Cables for special applications
Extensive cable knowledge
Experience from two billion test cycles

Fibre optic cables

Available with various fibres and outer jacket materials
For long distances and the transmission of large amounts of data
Four advantages over copper bus systems

Hybrid cables

Design according to familiar manufacturer standards
A combination of energy transmission and data transmission
Solutions with PVC and PUR jackets

Robot cable

Robot cables are often also called torsion cables. This clearly indicates the completely different type of movement that these cables have to withstand. In this field of application, too, we have already been able to gain a great deal of knowledge in our in-house test laboratory over the past few years. Two of the most import are a different shielding concept and a soft design that absorbs movement within the cable. Over the course of countless tests, we have developed a clear definition of durability in terms of movement, since there is no normative reference. Our definition clearly states that a cable is considered a robot cable only if it has a guaranteed service life of five million cycles at +/-180 degrees/m.

Cables for torsion and robot applications

Torsion cables

Special design to withstand torsional motion
Cables for robots and free motion
Unique torsion information in the cable industry

Robot cables for the seventh axis

Cables for ABB, KUKA and Fanuc
Can be ordered harnessed
PUR outer jacket

Drive cable

Offering around 4,600 harnessed motor, servo, signal and encoder cables suitable for 24 manufacturer standards, igus is the world's number one when it comes to harnessed cables for use in energy chains. Providing seven different cable qualities, the range always offers the most cost-effective drive cable that is guaranteed to work. Thanks to the online service life calculator for ready-to-connect cables, the expected service life for the chosen application can be calculated quickly. igus is also the only manufacturer to offer a guarantee for cables of up to 36 months or 10 million strokes.