chainflex® flexible cables for moving applications
What is a flexible cable?
A flexible dynamic cable, also known as a continuous-flex cable is specifically designed to endure the constant bending and physical stress associated with moving applications. These cables are essential in environments that are subjected to repetitve motion, such as robotics, automation systems and e-chains.
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.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 counteract this loading . chainflex cables are constructed with unique materials and elevated designs that allow them to withstand millions of bending cycles without compromising the performance.
- UL-verified 4 year guarantee - This guarantee covers up to 10 million double strokes for standard cables and up to 100 million double strokes with our CF98.PLUS/CF99.PLUS. Learn more.
- Cable price check - Our cable price check & comparison policy can reduce costs & improve service life. Learn more
Would you like more information about chainflex® flexible cables or an individual consultation? Our experts will be happy to get in touch with you.
Contact an expert
Are you familiar with our online tools?
Simply find and choose a suitable type, calculate its service life and order it online
chainflex® product finder
Find the right cable for your application quickly and easilyTo the product finder
Service life calculator tool
Calculate the service life of any chainflex® cableTo the service life calculator
chainflex® wiki
Find everything you need for chainflex® cablesFind out more
Special cables configurator
Configure your individual cable in just three minutesTo the configurator
chainflex® flexible cable types
Control cables
- Cores wound in bundles for a long service life
- Six different outer jacket materials
- Large range of core cross section combinations
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Bus cables
- Six different outer jacket materials
- Simple selection matrix for a good overview
- Reliable data transmission
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Motor cables
- Multi-core cables and single cores
- Six different outer jacket materials
- shielded and unshielded solutions
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Data cables
- Three different structures suitable for any application
- Six different outer jacket materials
- Best EMC properties due to high shield coverage
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Encoder cables
- Electrical design according to manufacturer standards
- Bending radii up to 10xd
- Jacket materials: PVC, iguPUR, PUR or TPE
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Servo cables
- Various structures with one or two pair, for motor requirements.
- Innovative shield pair structure
- Special core insulation for greater current flow
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Fibre optic cables
- Available with various fibres and outer jacket materials
- For long distances and transmission of large data
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Robot cables
- Special design to counteract torsional motion
- Cables for robots and multi-axis motion
- Torsion information unique to the cable industry
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Special cables
- Cables for special applications
- Extensive cable knowledge
- Experience from two billion test cycles
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Do you need connectors with your cable?
Visit our readycable page
chainflex® CASE – ship’n store solution by igus®
Reduce costs in delivery, storage space & reordering
The chainflex® CASE is not just a solution for delivering cables. It is a way of storing and re-ordering cables too.
A QR code makes it easy for you to re-order the cables, 60% faster and can allow you to be in control of scheduling the goods.
In regards to delivery, it is 84% more cost-effective shipping with UPS standard as opposed to on a pallet. With UPS, delivery is made within 1-2 business days.
With the design, the CASE allows you to stack up to three boxes safely so no extra storage system or drum unreeler necessary
Find out more
chainflex cables in use - exciting practical examples from our customers
Use the right cable for every industry
Sustainability in the cable industry
We want to make a difference!Sustainability, especially in industry, is an important but complex topic. Our products have already set numerous systems in motion, but how do we make it as sustainable as possible? We would like to clarify open questions and show you what measures chainflex has already taken to reduce its ecological footprint and how you as a customer can benefit from this and even save money.
More information on the topic of sustainability
What advantages do our cables offer?
- 25 years of experience - up to 4 years guarantee
- Tested in our own laboratory spread over an area of 3,800 m², 125 test systems, over 800 running tests
- The largest range with 1,354+ cable types for data, bus and hybrid systems, control and drive
- Configurable and predictable service life
- Available from stock, from 1m length within 24 hours
- Cables for any type of motion: horizontal, vertical, torsion, high speed
- Free samples available
- 50% time reduction when stripping due to unique CFRIP technology
Predictable safety thanks to laboratory and field experience
We test our cables thoroughly in the industry's largest test laboratory. For this, we rely on 64 systems and 800 parallel tests.After each test, we create a separate test report, which you can fall back on should you require documentation or an overview. Use it to find out test purpose and results.
Go to test reports
chainflex approvals and standards
We at igus make absolutely sure that our chainflex cables fulfil all guidelines and approval regulations and the most important standards worldwide. Here you can find the standards and approvals concerned, and in which regions of the world they play a special role.Discover all standards and approvals.
For standards and approvals, click here!
Flexible cable application examples
Pick and place machine
Ready-to-connect energy chain systems and heavy-duty special cables ensure a smooth operation of the pick and place machines.
400 million strokes are required.
Large machining centres
Flexible measuring system cables from igus also transmit signals safely over very large distances and ensures high machine availability.
Measuring system cable for long transmission distances
Mechanical engineering
For quick handling applications, such as in these automated drug stores, metal-free fibre optic flex cables from igus ensure high transmission rates.
Transfer data quickly without interference
Ship unloader
Our long distance cables travel 441.3 metres in igus energy chains in thee stainless steel housing. Here the tensile forces can be reduced by about 75%.
Cargo ships operated by ship unloaders
More applications
Find further application examples of our highly flexible chainflex cables already successful with our customers.
Overview of application examples
Frequently asked questions about chainflex® flexible cables.
What advantages do our cables offer?
At igus® we have the largest range of cable types, over 1,354+ for data, bus, control, drive and hybrid systems. These are availabe from stock, from 1m lengths and can be shipped within 24 hours.
Our chainflex® flexible cables are suited for any type of motion: such as horizontal, vertical, torsion, high speed.
Why are igus® so confident in their chainflex® flexible cables?
At igus® we have over 25 years of experience in the field and due to continuous testing in our 3800m² laboratory we are confident in our cables. So confident that we offer up to 4 years guarantee.
What are the advantages of chainflex® flexible cables?
We have a range of specialised cables that are solely designed and manufactured for special environments and applications such as, cleanroom, oil-resistance, tempertature resistant and halogen-free cables.
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