An expanded range of flexible cables and energy chains that protect moving cables is now available to South African industry.

The local division of German company igus has extended its product range that includes control cables, servo cables, motor cables and robot cables, bus cables, data cables, encoder cables and fibre optic cables – available with a selection of various jacket materials.

igus is known for its development of special polymers for its range of energy chains, as well as long-lasting polymer bearings and bushes that it says can extend the lifespan of machines and equipment up to 10 times.

The local company has also increased its stockholding of all its fast-moving products in order to shorten the lead time for customers with regular requirements for its cables and accessories. Its energy chains are used in a wide variety of applications in the country, especially where cables are required to flex and follow a linear path such as in cranes, heavy equipment, robotics and other applications.

According to igus South Africa MD Ian Hewat, the introduction of its specially designed cables has proved to be ground-breaking, with Chainflex cables dramatically outlasting alternatives in the laboratory and proven in the field. As a result, many of the country’s ports and other equipment intensive industries have specified igus’ cable and energy chain solutions.

Chainflex cables are unharnessed cables for moving applications in energy chains or for robot applications and come with a fail-safe 36-month guarantee. The cables meet the requirements for EMC safety as well as the standards and guidelines such as UL, CSA, EAC, Interbus and Profibus.

“The reason for its growing popularity in South Africa is as a result of well documented successes. Our customers are confident that our cables for energy chains work flawlessly over long periods, even with many cycles, high speeds and accelerations as well as very extreme ambient conditions.

“In addition, our specially developed polymers also enable us to develop strong and durable solutions to provide flexible control for robotics and automation through the development of our specially produced chain flex energy chains (e-chains). These can be developed for cables from 3 mm to massive 300 mm hoses in applications that replace festoons, busbars and cable reel drums and enhance machine operations,” concludes Hewat.