Industrial
igus GmbH has introduced a new self-supporting twisterchain energy chain designed to deliver reliable cable management through rotation angles of more than 600° on compact industrial robots. The rotary module sits in a sag around the robot base, lifting step by step as the robot rotates to enable full 360° rotation without colliding with the connector plate.
Cologne, Germany-based igus develops and produces motion plastics—lubrication-free, high-performance polymers that improve technology and reduce costs wherever things move. The company says it is the worldwide market leader in energy supplies, highly flexible cables, and plain and linear bearings, as well as lead-screw technology made of tribo-polymers. igus is represented in 31 countries and employs 4,600 people globally, generating a turnover of €1.15 billion ($1.32 billion U.S.) in 2022.
The rotary module sits in a sag around the robot base, lifting step by step as the robot rotates to enable full 360° rotation without colliding with the connector plate.
igus says its new twisterchain product solves two challenges for robotics. The first involves compact robots, which handle screwing, gluing, assembly, and pick-and-place tasks but have long lacked reliable energy supply along the fast-rotating first axis. The second arises on the fifth axis of palletizing robots, where uncontrolled corrugated hoses often collide with the tool. In both cases, the chain’s defined movement on two levels lets power and data cables safely follow full rotations, even with highly dynamic motion profiles.
Because the energy chain system is self-supporting, installation requires only two connection points, with no need for costly guide troughs or complicated alignment. The chains open at the inner radius for easy cable insertion and offer flexible interior separation with removable shelves, as well as adjustable pretension.
Source: The Robot Report