Product category:
Electrical systems
News Release from: Igus UK | Subject: Multidimensional Triflex R cable carriers
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 April 2006
Multi-axis energy supply ups robot
performance
Multidimensional cable carriers protect and guide cables as they move around a robot and can negotiate the most complex movements and have a small bending radius for small installation spaces.
Today, many industrial operations require robots for production, installation and handling These robots must typically carry out complex, rapid, multidimensional movements and hence require a trouble-free energy supply
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Triflex R series from igus was developed to provide a reliable system able to cope with such complicated, multi-axis movements within a set space.
Multidimensional Triflex R cable carriers are designed to protect and guide cables as they move around a robot.
They can negotiate the most complex movements and have a small bending radius suitable for the smallest installation spaces.
Further reading
Energy chains investigated for vibration
RWTH Aachen recently carried out a study, 'Vibration investigations on energy chains', which showed that igus' E6' energy chain exhibited minimum vibration and maximum smooth running.
Why oil or grease bearings - go plastics
Igus reported that a recent study found half of machinery lubricants seep into soil and water or evaporates, whereas tribo-optimised plastics bearings need no oil or grease.
Plain bearings do not need oil or grease
The iglidur plain bearings from igus are tribologically optimised so that they run without any oil or grease, therefore no contaminants escape into the environment.
These multi-axis polymer chains are already being used in the automotive production, mechanical engineering, plant construction, glass production and pharmaceutical industries, where they have increased service life and thereby decreased costs long term.
The Triflex R system is ideal wherever multi-axis movement is involved, such as applications on 6-axis robots used in welding, varnishing, adhesives, grinding technology, or transmissions assembly.
It is also used on robots moving at extremely high speeds.
Carbon fibre rods can be integrated into Triflex R to spring load the energy supply so that it is prevented from interfering with the working area.
In conventional systems this would require a complicated system of springs, cable winches and linear guide bearings.
In parenteralia production, each critical work environment is assigned a cleanliness grade of 1 to 3 and must meet the specified criteria of this environment.
A high technical standard for automation is also required for production in this sector.
Hence a cable carrier used in this application must meet very high quality standards, especially where microbial and particulate cleanliness is concerned.
Bayer AG meets every requirement for modern pharmaceutical product production.
The company uses fully automated systems in its filling process: after bottles have been cleaned, sterilized, filled and sealed during various production phases, a high-precision pick and place robot is used.
This places the filled ampoules or medicine vials in pallets inside a skeleton container, before they reach the inspection, packaging and shipping departments.
The robot Bayer AG had been using for this purpose regularly suffered cable breakages, due to the robot's movements greatly straining supply cables.
When the robot exceeded its lifetime, the challenge was to provide a reliable system, which kept the freely suspended electric and pneumatic cables bundled together.
The clean room conditions and air-conditioned environment meant Bayer was keen not to use any kind of 'particle catapult' in this area.
The Triflex R Energy Chain was selected due to its round-shape, enabling it to glide around the outside contour of the robot, without catching on any edges.
This is extremely important, because the skeleton container to be filled is relatively small.
Triflex R guides the cables with a defined minimum bending radius, equal in all directions.
The enclosed design means the benefit is twofold: it doesn't let dirt escape, but also it prevents dirt from entering.
Therefore, applications both in clean and dirty environments are possible with this product.
The Ernst Pennekamp unveiled its innovative 'FAST/Z/25' in 2005.
FAST/Z/25 is compact, fast and sensitive.
It pushes glass products emerging from moulding, at temperatures around 500 deg C, into a leer.
Glass products are examined and cooled down.
FAST/Z/25 is able to carry out fluent, superimposed movements, just like a robot.
This presents more than one advantage.
The system is able to work continuously, with the bottles arranged in the most efficient way on the conveyor belt.
The installation space required is smaller: it can be controlled by a mobile operation terminal and requires far less maintenance.
Previously, traditional three-axis linear systems were used, pushing the bottles onto a conveyor belt up to 5.50m wide.
These systems are limited to 18 cycles/min for large glass production lines, so a four-axis inserter was designed.
The extra fourth axis allows an upward vertical movement to enable a return to the initial product.
This means higher speeds.
It is ideal for tall bottles or glasses.
FAST/Z/25 now achieves up to 25 cycles/min, whilst handling the fragile goods gently.
This is made possible by the novel kinematics of the inserter and the combination of servo transmissions and transmissions with zero backlash.
Pennekamp needed an Energy Chain for the energy supply to the machine's individual axes.
The igus Triflex R system, with its round-shaped profile, was chosen, because its ball-socket connection absorbs high tensile forces and simultaneously allows smooth movement in all axes.
It also has clearly defined stop positions for the radius and torsion.
Its smooth inner contour also increases cable service life.
Triflex R can be separated and reconnected at any point, without having to cut or reconnect any components, such as steel cables.
This is ideal when adjusting the chain to suit an application and for maintenance purposes later on.
Its design means the chain will not get caught on corners or edges and cables are protected from potential damage by broken glass as much as possible.
The snap-lock mechanisms of the mounting brackets allow the whole system to be quickly changed if required.
The cables can also be easily strain-relieved, using cable-ties on the integrated teeth.
The Energy Chain offers the right diameter for any filling process, with four different sizes ranging from 40mm to 100mm.
Pennekamp opted for the EasyChain Triflex R design, which allows rapid cable insertion and extraction through a split crossbar.
This is ideal if quick access to individual cables is required.
Pennekamp uses mounting brackets from igus as part of its complete robot cable package.
A wide range of accessories is available for Triflex R, including pivoting mounting brackets with self-aligning bearings, carbon-fibre rods and universal mounting kits to mount from any robot fixture type.
The new system is around the same price as conventional linear systems.
Maintenance requirements are also reduced and system lifetime increased.
It has proved a profitable investment for Pennekamp: the glassworks can produce seven cycles per minute more and thereby increase annual production by several million bottles.
High-flex igus special cables, designed for Energy Chains, were also included as part of a pre-harnessed 'ReadyChain' plug and play system.
Pennekamp hence not only saves storage and purchasing capacity by purchasing the complete system from one supplier, but ultimately also achieves competitive advantages from its reduced production times.
The 'light' version of Triflex R is now also available.
This one-piece chain is extremely lightweight and fits all standard Triflex R mounting brackets.
The 'light' Energy Chain was developed for applications where several small cables are used. Request a free brochure from Igus UK ...
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