Continuous-flex cables for aerial work platforms

In everyday use, the terms are largely interchangeable. OSHA’s construction standard uses “aerial lifts.” The ANSI A92 standards use “mobile elevating work platforms,” or MEWPs, and divide them into two groups. Group A covers machines that lift vertically, such as scissor lifts. Group B covers machines whose platform can move beyond the base, such as boom lifts. “Cherry picker” is an informal name, usually for boom-type or truck-mounted lifts. Whatever you call the machine, the cabling requirements are the same: continuous flexing, outdoor exposure, and reliable data transmission.

Conventional point-to-point wiring needs a separate conductor for each signal. A CAN bus network carries many signals over a single twisted pair, so far fewer conductors have to travel through the boom or scissor stack. CAN bus also supports onboard diagnostics. It makes it easier to integrate safety functions like load sensing, which the current ANSI A92 standards require on new MEWPs. Fewer conductors mean smaller, lighter cable packages and less material to flex with every cycle.

It’s not recommended. CAN bus needs a cable with a specific characteristic impedance (typically 120 Ω), proper conductor twisting, and effective shielding. A standard control cable can cause signal reflections and transmission errors. Those problems often show up as intermittent faults that are hard to diagnose in the field. A dedicated bus cable like the CF898 keeps its electrical properties stable even after millions of bending cycles.

In a scissor lift, cables travel with the scissor stack as it extends and retracts, so they see repeated bending along a mostly vertical path. In a boom lift, cables have to follow telescoping boom sections, articulating knuckles, and turntable rotation. They’re usually guided by a cable carrier inside the boom. Both setups need cables rated for continuous flexing. Boom lifts typically add longer travel distances and more complex motion, which makes cable carrier design and cable selection even more important.

In moving applications between -10°C and +60°C (14°F to 140°F), the CF890 needs a minimum bend radius of 12.5 times its outer diameter. The CF898 needs 15 times its outer diameter. Both values rise slightly at higher cycle counts and at colder temperatures. When designing a new aerial lift or retrofitting an existing one, check the bend radius at the tightest point in the cable path. That point is often the cable carrier or a boom joint.

Both cables are rated for moving use down to -20°C (-4°F). Below -10°C (14°F), the minimum bend radius increases slightly. If your aerial work platforms operate in colder climates, igus offers other chainflex series rated for lower temperatures. Our industry experts can help you pick the right one.

Service life depends on bend radius, travel distance, temperature, and the number of cycles your machine runs. Use the igus online service life calculator to estimate it from your application data. The calculator draws on results from the igus test lab, where chainflex cables are tested under real-world motion conditions.

Yes. Many customers use chainflex cables to repair or retrofit aerial work platforms after standard cables have failed. Cables are available cut to length. They’re also available as harnessed readycable® assemblies with connectors already installed, so they’re ready to plug in and reduce downtime during repairs.