Energy chain in indoor crane in metal processing in scorching hot environment
This e-chain ensures safe cable guidance even with hot metal swarf and dust.
With this indoor crane application, igus® e-chains® can really show off their strengths: There has not been a single failure in more than three years now, even under the heavy load caused by dust and hot metal chips. The cables previously used, which hung down from the crane, led to many breakdowns in the past and were not able to cope with metalworking conditions. They also took up much more room.
JSW Steel Ltd, Chandrashekar Chikkappaji,
Bellary, India
Profile
- What was needed: Plastic energy chains of the E4/4 series
- Requirements: A cable guidance system was needed that would permanently protect the internal cables under high temperatures and highly abrasive environmental conditions such as dust and hot metal swarf . In addition, a space-saving alternative to the festooning system had to be found.
- Industry: Indoor cranes, metal processing
- Success for the customer: At the last inspection at the customer's site 35 months after installation, no incidents had occurred and the system is operating without any failures. The customer is so satisfied that installation in other cranes is planned over the next few years.
Problem
This application is in an Indian metal fabrication plant that uses a large EOT (electric overhead travelling) crane.The environment is characterised by aggressive conditions, which are manifested by high temperatures at the blast furnaces, as well as sharp-edged metal chips and highly abrasive dust.
The adverse conditions led to problems with the festooning systems previously used to guide energy and data cables. Here, there was an increased number of cable failures, which were damaged by the prevailing conditions. Also, the festooning system's cable trolley was jamming more frequently, resulting in increased equipment downtime and costly productivity losses. The cables in this arrangement also took up a lot of space. This reduced the space for replacing individual cables and made maintenance work more difficult.
Solution
The plant operator was looking for a reliable solution for cable guidance and to avoid further expensive downtime in production. He found what he was looking for in our range of plastic energy chains. We offer a broad portfolio of e-chains for a wide range of applications; ambient conditions, loads and space conditions. Especially in the field of cranes. The chains of the type E4/4 are suitable, which allow long travels due to their extreme robustness and stiffness. The materials of the chains can also provide reliable protection for all cables; from hot metal chips in foundries to extremely abrasive conditions.In the end, the customer's decision to switch paid off; even during the last inspection at the customer's premises, 35 months after installation, no incidents have occurred and the system is operating without any failures. The customer is so satisfied that installation in other cranes is also planned over the next few years.
