Chainflex® continuous-flex cables for cable carriers are designed for linear applications and have been tested over millions of cycles.
However, modern-day automation involves increasingly-complex movements, for example torsional motion on a robot. Whether a cable can cope with torsional demands is very much dependent on the application and type of installation.
Unshielded cables, particularly bundle-stranded Chainflex® types, can be successfully used for torsion applications. On the other hand, shielded cables struggle with these applications, as their shields are generally braided in opposite directions. Torsional movement means some of the shield wires are drawn in one direction, while others are turned in the opposite direction. The woven arrangement and resultant constricted movement in each direction leads to rapid shield breakage.
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Example 11: Tested! Completely turned
The new cable CF ROBOT was tested in the igus® laboratory on a specially-developed rig for torsion tests. The torsion angle was ± 270° for a total cable length of about 8.2 ft (tested in different versions of our Triflex® R cable carrier for robots). Used in the test were:
igus® test lab: The cables were tested in movements of ± 270°.
The initial test sample of the CF310 with braided shield and the CF ROBOT were taken after 250,000 movements with a torsion angle of ± 270°.
The cables were taken apart and analyzed in three respective parts. In the sample illustrated in Picture 1, distinct damages to the overall shield are noticeable in the upper third of the cable taken apart.
The analyzed samples (Picture 2) of CF ROBOT (so far, samples have been taken after 250,000, 1.5 million and 3 million movements). Series 037 shows no damage to the cable or to the overall shield - even after over 3 million torsional movements of ± 270°.
Detailed analyses (Picture 3) of the shield wires, buffer fibers, PTFE film and the cable show no apparent wear. The test is continuing to determine the maximum service life of the cable.
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