Two-thirds fewer failures: 3D energy chains for robots in car factory

Profile

• What was needed:triflex R energy chain; triflex RS universal module
• Requirements: A safe, flexible cable solution with a retraction system that prevents the cables from falling into the robot's working area; the solution should also be quick and easy to maintain
• Industry: Automotive industry
• Success for the customer: There are now an average of only 7.5 incidents per week (down from 22); maintenance time fell from 55 hours per week to 7-11; the customer also benefits from a chain solution that can be quickly maintained, saving additional time and cost

Problem

Jaguar Cars Limited needed a new cable guidance system for the automated industrial robots in a car factory.
The hoses with the various power and signal cables were causing significant problems during operation, regularly falling into the robot's work area and blocking it. The hose was also damaging individual components when contacting sensitive panels. The cable guidance caused lots of downtime (527 failures within 25 weeks). An average of 22 faults and 55 minutes of maintenance work per week meant high costs in ongoing operations. If an incident also involved cable damage, all the plug connections had to be painstakingly removed and replaced. This further increased the maintenance cost. Attempts to reprogram the robot's movements to prevent the cables from falling also failed. As the hose wore, it fell into various positions over time, leaving a completely new solution as the only option.

Solution

As an alternative to the cable hose, the project managers examined various solutions, finally leading to the triflex R energy chain. The 3D chain was developed specifically for robotic applications. Adding the triflex RS universal module produced the perfect solution to the application's problems. The particularly compact universal module is mounted on the robot at existing fastening points and can also be used in tight installation spaces in combination with the triflex R chain. It ensures that power supply to the robot head is delivered reliably and without cable stress. The retraction module allows the universal module to retract the cables with every movement, keeping the working area free. Downtime was reduced by two thirds (from an average of 55 malfunctions per week to 7.5). And instead of 55 minutes of maintenance per week, an average of only 7-11 minutes were required. Even if there is a major problem, maintenance is greatly simplified due to the modular triflex design. The chain can be opened so that cables no longer have to be painstakingly removed at the ends for replacement.
The results were so satisfactory that the system is to be examined for use at other BIW plants.

Cable guidance with the old solution

Cable solution with new triflex RS universal module