ReleaseWire Connect

Closed energy tubes were first used in tooling machines. Accordingly, they have had a decisive influence on the development of various igus energy tube families over the past 25 years. With the new R4.1-L product family, igus has developed a solution which scores on the basis of its special air-tightness despite outstanding stability/weight ratio. In combination with the low weight and favourable price, the R4.1-L family is moving in a direction that is also described by the Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken, VDW (Association of German Toolmaking Factories): Users of toolmaking machines all over the world face the challenge of having to organise their production under enormous cost pressure and high efficiency requirements.

The energy chain system “P4” which has been around for about one and a half years now, is available in two new sizes: “P4.32” and “P4.42”. “P4.42” (42 mm inner height) in a “heavy-duty design” is made for demanding crane applications: high speeds up to 10 m/s, long travels up to 800 m, high filling weights up to 10 kg/m. In contrast the “P4.32” (32 mm inner height) has been developed in a new design – lighter and slimmer – for high dynamic also when the installation space is limited. Upper run and lower run are rolling offset on each other. Though the plastic profile rolls are not over rolled, they roll on a generally wide surface which increases the lifetime of the chain even more. Apart from that the division of the chain link is equal with and without roll, so that the energy chain runs especially silent and vibration-free in the radius. The rolls themselves are fixed in the chains side parts. Cable-protecting “auto-glide” links made of tribologically optimized plastic and a special through systems finally make the energy chain run safe.

New reports by the IPA Fraunhofer Institute awarded a number of energy chains and cables from igus GmbH, Cologne, with the best possible certification, namely ISO Class 1.

igus GmbH, the world's leading manufacturer of energy chains and polymer plain bearings, is continuing its growth trend. Despite difficult market conditions in 2012, igus managed to increase turnover by five per cent and finished the year on a record high. igus is counting on "organic growth" this year, too. Within the context of a long-term investment programme, significant capital will be directed at new product divisions, the expansion of existing product lines as well as global logistics and production.

igus, specialist in the field of moving energy chains and clever plastic solutions, has expanded its range of pre-assembled cables by a special variant: in cooperation with the connector experts at Intercontec Produkt GmbH, Niederwinkling, an extrusion-coated variant of the quick-closure system "SpeedTec" has been developed suitable for ESD applications. This plug&go solution fits in perfectly with the range of custom-made "Readycables" and is available from stock now.

The new hybrid bearing "DryLin WJRM" was developed with the aim of reducing driving force, in particular that required for the manual adjustment of doors, guards, partitions and adjustable locks, as well as for light handling tasks. For this purpose, igus has utilized the specific advantages of the sliding and rolling movements and combined these.

igus recently introduced new connecting stability and security mechanisms which includes, among others, a new link system for four times as much bend radius loading.

At the igus location in Cologne alone, between 400 and 500 orders are currently pre-harnessed every week by 127 employees working in three shifts. A further 13 project engineers are involved. In Quality Assurance, the functional safety of every single readychain system is tested using special testing equipment before it is dispatched. Five test fields, around 1,800 test adapters and approx. 18,000 test programs are available for this purpose.

India will emerge to be a key growth market for German based igus GmbH, the world’s leading manufacturer of energy supply systems including cables and all accessory components. The company also pioneered research in the field of Tribopolymers and today leads the world market in the field of high performance polymer bearings. In its first ever Press Conference held to mark completion of 10 years of its successful operations in India, the company today announced a slew of significant initiatives and growth plans for the India market, a decade which also marks igus efforts of having introduced, educated and grown the Indian market for innovative use of plastic technology in dry-tech bearings, high flexible cables and energy supply chains. Today igus supplies to diverse and fast growing sectors such as automotive, machine tools, robotics, medical, packaging, steel, food, textile, material handling, ports, cement, mining, energy, etc.