chainflex® are the special cables for energy chain systems – tested, tested, tested and tested.

Experimental laboratory Partial view of igus® experimental laboratory – testing, testing, testing of chainflex® cables

Purpose of every chainflex® cable

More sensitive applications with high clock cycle numbers, velocities and accelerations as well as sophisticated environmental conditions call for, especially in the field of energy management, tried-and-tested systems that are functionally efficient for a long period of time. EMC safety and the fulfillment of standards and directives such as UL, CSA, VDE, Interbus and Profibus are a necessary requirement today. After all, your automation system is supposed to function correctly non-stop and worldwide even on a low-cost basis. That’s the igus® mission.

No contradiction: Good cables cost less.

Quick availability throughout the world is a significant purchase criterion. Advantages of our cables: successful tests, presence in more than 40 countries around the world and deliverability ex warehouse. This saves time, money, storage capacity and applies to each one of our 1030 cable types which you can order without any minimum quantity purchases or surcharges. Which further advantages can be included is something that depends on your specific conditions of use.

igus® tested

As a manufacturer of energy chains and special Energy Chain® cables, igus® uses the possibility of testing many different types of chains and cables on a practice-oriented basis. At the company-own technical training center in Cologne, numerous series of tests are carried out on a parallel basis under the most difficult conditions. At the present time, there are more than 35 test setups with their test results being summarized in databases. This extensive, current data pool provides precise, reliable information on the actual service life and is also the basis of new product developments at the company. The test data for energy chains and cables, but also for readymade systems, are, however, described in such detailed form that igus® confirms a functional guarantee for its energy chain systems.

Test results

chainflex® test lab

800 tests are being run in parallel at the test laboratory covering 3,800m²,2the largest of its kind for testing flexible cables.

Example 1: Servo cable structure

Servo cable structure. Comparison between the igus® solution with the gusset-filled internal jacket and the fleece version with fillers

Example 2: Technical Data Properties CAT5

Alteration of the electrical transmission properties of a CAT5 cable when subjected to an application of stress with the minimum bending radius

Example 3: `Millions of double strokes´ in an energy chain

Profibus cables in permanently moving industrial use

Example 4: CF98 with < 4xd

Bend radius of 4xd put to the test: cables that can definitely withstand several million bends in e-chains®.

Example 7: EMC tests

The "electromagnetic compatibility" of chainflex® cables

Example 9: Fast images

Example 9: Tested - Fast images in industrial applications USB, FireWire

Example 10: Light in the cold

Example 10: Tested, light in the cold – igus® gradient fiber glass cable in the deep freeze test

Example 11: Completely turned (Torsional movements)

Example 11: Tested! Completely turned

Example 12: Life-span comparison

Tested - CF21.UL and CF27.D: Life-span comparison

Example 13: Container crane with 50 m travel

Tested - CF9 in container crane: Tested live

More information