Energy chains for a 70m travel in Cloos welding systems

Hanging, standing, or in linear travels: Energy chains guide cables weighing up to 10kg/m

In a time when there is a shortage of specialists and great competitive pressure, fast production increasingly depends on automated systems. To this end, Carl Cloos Schweißtechnik GmbH, based in Haiger, Germany, tests and manufactures automated robot cells for welding technology that are tailored to its customers. The components Cloos systems weld together range from bicycles to excavator buckets to control cabinet frames. For reliable cable guidance in its systems, the company relies on our energy chains.

Profile

  • What was needed: E4.1 energy chains in the open (E4.56) and closed (R4.56) variants
  • Requirements: energy supply systems with standing, lying, hanging or linearly gliding movement that can handle a large number of cables and hoses for power, data, pneumatics and hydraulics; high cable weight (up to 10kg per m); long travels (up to 70m); and protection from sparks, dirt and dust
  • Industry: machine tools, welding systems
  • Success for the customer: the  energy supply system's vertical stop-dogs allow maximum force absorption and ensure great stability, even for great lengths; the closed E4.56 offers ideal protection from swarf; the switch from steel chains to plastic energy supply systems also greatly reduced the system noise level
Other products for machine tools
Energy chains in welding systems The connected Carl Cloos Schweißtechnik GmbH robot systems use R4.56 energy supply systems on long travels. They ensure quiet operation.

Problem

Carl Cloos Schweißtechnik GmbH's fully automated systems meet the highest safety standards, which also apply to the energy supply systems used. The application requires these systems to move cables and hoses for power, data, pneumatics and hydraulics, smoothly in hanging, standing, lying, linearly gliding configurations. The tandem weld process in particular requires an energy chain that can manage additional loads from cables and hoses without any trouble. Cloos developed this process in 1996. It involves two arcs burning in a common molten pool. The result is a faster welding process that produces longer seams and increases the deposition rate. Overall, the additional cables and hoses produce a weight of up to ten kilogrammes.
The machine builder also needed an energy chain solution for another system for manufacturing control cabinet frames whose length, width and height can vary greatly. The fully automated manufacturing system for welding frames consists of 15 connected robots, many manipulators, and extensive control technology for co-ordinating manufacturing processes. A Cloos system and extensive conversion greatly improved cycle times and consistently reduced downtime.

Solution

The E4.56 energy chain from the E4.1 series proved to be the optimum solution, including for the new welding process. The energy supply system's vertical stop-dogs allow maximum force absorption and ensure great stability, even for great unsupported lengths.
The e-chain has a undercut design, giving it great torsional stability, and its width is variable. The closed-tube variant, the R4.56, is used for guidance wherever sparks, dirt or dust must be taken into account. It provides ideal protection for cables and hoses. Slow approaches, abrupt stops, and a speed of 1.7 metres per second are special requirements that the E4.56 has no problem fulfilling. In the area of construction machinery, a welding robot travel can reach 70 metres. Other application scenarios are in the rail and automotive industries, utility vehicle production and agricultural machinery. 
In the control cabinet manufacturing system, several R4.56 and E4.56 energy chains from the E4.1 series serve in gliding, hanging and vertically standing configurations. The machine builder had used steel energy chains, but they were very loud. The R4.56 and E4.56 energy chains, on the other hand, are made of maintenance-free tribo-polymers. They are therefore not only especially lightweight and wear-resistant, but also quiet. An integrated brake on the radius stop-dogs additionally dampens the stop and the rolling noise. That is a quality characteristic that Cloos customers appreciate.
"Before working with igus, we used energy chains made of steel. But they were very loud."
 
Volker Scheidt, Carl Cloos Schweißtechnik GmbH
Energy chains in welding systems A new installation features six stations, each with two welding robots. To ensure reliable cable guidance, the design engineers used the E4.56 energy chain.
Energy chains in welding systems The E4.56 energy chain series performs well even given unsupported lengths and heavy loads.
Energy chains in welding systems The R4.56's cover protects the cables from dirt and swarf.
Energy chains in welding systems Three-dimensional triflex R energy chains are used to guide cables in laser robots.