The winners of the 9th vector award 2024

Unique energy chain projects were wanted!

Companies around the world are raising the bar for innovative cable guidance systems. This is impressively demonstrated by the response to the 9th vector award: With 328 submissions from 37 countries, the diversity and scope of this art of engineering is overwhelming. Applications included theatre auditoriums whose rows of seats change shape like a transformer, automatic massage tables with artificial intelligence, numerous industrial robots that make work easier for people doing welding and assembly jobs, and sustainable technologies for agriculture.

Our independent jury of experts has now selected the winners of the vector award 2024. In the coming weeks, the prizes and honours will be presented to the respective winners in person. These ceremonies are held on site to honour the success and achievements of the winners.

The winners

vector award 2024 gold winner

Thegold vector

The golden vector award goes to the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences at the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Lisbon for the use of a complex triflex system in an optical spectrograph. Energy chains from the igus triflex® series were used for the rotating cable jacket. They ensure that the sensitive optical fibres that transport the light from the front end to the spectrograph are not exposed to any load that could jeopardise the scientific observations.

Silver vector

The silver vector

The silver vector award goes to TDK RF Solutions for the use of energy chains and e-spools in a test rig for vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) tests to measure the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of vehicles with driver assistance systems. Control cables and compressed air hoses follow the movements in series 1400 energy chains. Slip ring-free spring cable drums of the e-spool® series are also used to wind the e-chains®. Thanks to the elimination of slip rings, maintenance times have also been reduced.

Bronze vector

Thebronze vector

The bronze vector goes to Mecaoctet for the use of e-spool flex systems in an animated mirrored ceiling in the ACCOR Arena in Paris. For the power supply, the experts used slip-ring-free spring cable reels from igus' e-spool series, fitted with hybrid cables and connected to the triangles' centres of gravity. According to MECAoctet, thanks to the igus® solution, complex coils with rotating collectors, which would have been very expensive and unreliable, could be avoided. Compared to a slider system with cable loops, the igus® solution is also more aesthetic.

Green vector

The green vector

The green vector goes to Bear-Machines GmbH for the use of e-chains and cables in a machine for retreading truck tyres. The engineers needed bendable and flexible cables for the machine's motors and decided in favour of the cables from the igus chainflex range. The cables move in e-chains® of the E2 series. According to the engineers, this solution perfectly fulfils the requirements for oscillating movements and compliance with bend radii.

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vector awards judges

Hans-Jürgen

Hans-Jürgen Alt

CEO VDMA NRW

Madeleine Mickeleit

Ing. Madeleine Mickeleit

Founder and CEO of IIoT Use Case GmbH

Olaf Katzer

Olaf Katzer

Autostadt GmbH Head of Education

Arno Reich

Arno Reich

Department Head/Senior Vice President for "Industries, Energy & Logistics" Deutsche Messe AG

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher

Head of Machine Tools(WZL) and Production Engineering RWTH Aachen

Michael Blaß

Michael Blaß

e-chain systems® CEO igus® GmbH

Patron

Ken Fouhy

Ken Fouhy

Editor-in-Chief VDI nachrichten

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Energy chain news

All applications of the 9th vector award 2024

This brochure offers you an entertaining overview of all the entries, concisely presented in words and pictures. Immerse yourself in the world of cable guidance. And be inspired by the creativity and ingenuity that characterises the global engineering industry.