Two students from Sam Houston State University (SH), located in Huntsville, Texas, joined the many other students participating in igus ® Inc.’s recently launched Y.E.S. (Young Engineers Support) Program. During the spring 2005 semester, as part of a direct studies class, Robert Allen and Robert Davis used donated Energy Tube and Chainflex ® continuous-flex cables to improve the functionality of a semester project.

The specially designed course allows SH students to develop knowledge and proficiency in areas that are beyond the scope of traditional sit-down classes. Allen and Davis used the igus products on a CNC retrofit of a 1970s vintage optical tracer torch-cutting table. The table’s intended use is to cut a wide-array of large materials with ease.

The project demanded that all the cabling and hoses employed on the machine be protected from sparks, flames and metal shavings that often develop during the cutting process. Allen and Davis discovered Energy Tubes from igus were the perfect solution. The System E 4/4 Energy Tube is a high-strength cable carrier system, with a closed design to shield the donated Chainflex CF10 power and CF21 servo cables from any debris, such as hot chips, flying through the air.

The students reported the igus Energy Tube and Chainflex cables complied perfectly with their project’s design criteria.

“The cable and hoses needed to travel with ease in the axis movements of the cutting torch and the igus Energy Tube made that possible,” said Allen and Davis.

Both students were thankful to have found the Y.E.S. Program and have encouraged other students to take advantage of the free product donations. The duo received an “A” on their project and said the Y.E.S. Program is, “a great way to get students excited about engineering.”

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