E4Q is successful - so why the L version?
Many applications do not need the E4Q's thickness at all. Energy chains with a smaller wall thickness are sufficient to guide the cable packages. This is especially true of unsupported energy supply systems with low or medium loads, such as those in machine tools, woodworking equipment, and car washes. igus has developed the L version to offer users the advantages of the E4Q in these applications as well, and at an attractive price. Depending on the width, the E4Q.L costs about 15-20% less than the E4Q.58, but is about 40% stronger than the predecessor models (the "E4 Light" and "E4.1 LEAN"). "Thanks to the outstanding strength of the E4QL, we can serve completely new applications more cost-effectively than ever before while offering the proven E4Q advantages," says Christian Ziegler, Head of e-chain® Product Management.
New stop-dog system
"We completely rethought the stop-dog system. Development goals were more strength and service life than the two-stop-dog predecessors while retaining the option of a Reverse Bend Radius (RBR)," says development engineer Stefan Strack. Reverse Bend Radius means that the energy chain can bend in two directions. The result of this development process is the first igus energy chain with three stop-dogs. To the proven inner/outer link principle has been added a clever, innovative Reverse Bend Radius option: the inner link continues to determine the chain's bend radius via the size of the stop-dog pocket. For the first time, the outer link is used to implement the Reverse Bend Radius. Reducing the size of the stop-dog allows the chain to be bent backwards at predefined angles.