Change now: motion plastics® from igus® – simply last longer!

Corrosion-free, robust and reliable

igus® e-chains® are already in use today in tens of thousands of applications – They guide and protect cables and hoses on oil platforms, in steel mills and in other heavy machinery. They have a modular design and are therefore easy to install. They are media-friendly and suitable for large, heavy and stiff cables and hoses. Our e-chains® withstand hot chips with temperatures up to +1,562° F.

Many arguments speak for the use of energy chains of high-performance plastics for moving applications, particularly in the heavy-duty area.

Strong and flexible
Hot chips up to 1,562 °F
Fill weights up to 403.2 lb/ft
90.000 types from stock
100% corrosion-free
Calculated online
Tested in our industry's largest test laboratory

Heavy plastics for longer life®

igus® e-chains® and cables:

Strong and resistant to outside influences

A stable e-chain® that can be opened on both sides with a 350 mm inner height, for fill weights of up to 403.2 lb/ft. Maintenance-free – no greases and oils necessary on the joints in operation.

e-chain® E4-350

For long distances

Roll instead of glide: substantial reduction of drive power to less than 25% for movement of the e-chain®. Travel distances up to 2,625 ft and speeds up to 19.7 ft/s possible

rol e-chains®

Angles of rotation of 900° and more

Ideal for rotational movements with high fill weights and in restricted spaces Thanks to add-on modules the angles of rotation can be extended "virtually" indefinitely.

Rotary motion with Multi Rotation Module (MRM) system

More safety

Safe interior separation of the e-chain® with extremely heavy or stiff cables, e.g. hydraulic hoses. As a result, pull-out strength increases to 177%.

Clamp locking separators

Harnessed and ready to connect

From the simple cable to the complex e-chain system®. Quantities from 1 to high-volume deliveries. Worldwide service

readychains®

Certified to 403 x DNV GL

A total of 403 chainflex® cables have been awarded the DNV-GL certificate and can therefore be used on ships and in offshore applications without any time-consuming and cost-intensive special approval procedures.

40% lighter

Single-core light-weight motor cable for use on very long travel distances With a guaranteed service life of 36 months or 10 million double strokes. *

chainflex® CF430-D cable

Fast and safe

CAT7 Ethernet cable for very high levels of stress and extremely fast data transmission with a guaranteed service life of 36 months or 10 million double strokes. *

chainflex® CFBUS-052 cable

Tested... tested ... tested

igus® operates the largest test laboratory in its industry, with test setups for energy chains, highly flexible cables, plastic bearings as well as plain bearings, ball bearings and linear bearings, lead screw drives, bar stock, etc.

Everything from a single source

Reduce your costs for the realization of energy supply systems. We offer tailored solutions for challenging applications worldwide.

Lower process costs online

Use one of our many online tools to configure your product as you need it. Reduce your process costs with online tools and many other useful online services.

Energy chain in open-air storage facility for alumina production

Design and installation of a roller energy chain for outdoor use on a bauxite stockpile - an environment with extremely harsh ambient conditions.

Energy chain in open-air storage facility for alumina production

Assembly robot

This robot lifts heavy work pieces weighing up to 1.7 tons.

Assembly robot

Coal transport system

The motors in this system need a large number of cables.

Coal transport system

Working platform

This new design permits a variety of multiple tunnel construction processing steps to be performed by one machine.

Working platform

Zinc electrolysis, bathing halls

The sulfur fumes generated by the electrolysis are highly corrosive and corrode the customer's system. igus® products withstand these extreme conditions.

Zinc electrolysis, bathing halls

Rocket launch site

The igus® products used are designed for mobile applications in such a way that it features a long life and functions absolutely reliably.

Rocket launch site

Heavy load transporter

Rugged energy chains are technically and economically the first choice in the construction of an extendable heavy load transporter.

Heavy load transporter

The longest travel with plastic energy chain

The complete length of the e-chain®'s travel at 2,018 ft. clearly exceeds the previous record holder at the Singapore harbor.

The longest travel with plastic energy chain

Taconite mine

The next long distance with a plastic chain: 1,804 feet

Taconite mine

Cable Carrier for Brickworks

Application of cable carriers and continuous-flex cables in tile factory

Cable Carrier for Brickworks

Cable carriers for road construction

Asphalt is supplied to the front of this road construction vehicle via an energy chain cable carrier.

Cable carriers for road construction

Heavy fillings

e-chains® for heavy-duty uses: Guiding of the supply cables of a quenching chamber, which moves toward the linked vacuum ovens.

Heavy fillings

Waste incineration plant

An energy chain cable carrier operates in this waste incineration plant despite extreme dirt accumulation.

Waste incineration plant

Tunnel boring machine

An energy chain cable carrier is used here to supply a tunnel boring machine.

Tunnel boring machine

Steel mills

energy chains withstand extraordinary temperatures in this steel mill.

Steel mills

Thermal application

igus® roller chain in power plant application

Thermal application

Coal-fired power plant

Roller chains guide cables in a coal unloader.

Coal-fired power plant

Cable Carrier System for ship-unloading crane

Heavy duty Series 5050HD plastic cable carriers supply the crane drive on this ship unloader.

Cable Carrier System for ship-unloading crane

Surface mining

An energy chain cable carrier is used in this bucket-wheel excavator.

Surface mining

Lignite power plant

energy chain cable carriers are used in this lignite power plant.

Lignite power plant

Roller cable carriers for a composting plant

These roller cable carriers and chainflex® cables operate despite extreme conditions in this compost plant

Roller cable carriers for a composting plant

flizz® sewage treatment plant

flizz® cable carrier system including and chainflex® cables instead of a cable drum. Smooth operation at this sewage treatment plant since 2000.

flizz® sewage treatment plant

Concrete pipe cutter

drylin® R linear bearings have run oil-free for over three years in this heavy duty concrete pipe cutter

Concrete pipe cutter

Container Crane: Malaysia

Close to 1,500 ft (441 m) travel and loads up to 2.5 tons on a container crane in Malaysia.

Container Crane: Malaysia

Sewage treatment plant

The used igus® products prove themselves till today and drastically reduce the maintenance input.

Sewage treatment plant

Vertical drilling machine

The cable carrier on this drilling machine must withstand extreme vibrations and dirt.

Vertical drilling machine

Dismantling tool for nuclear power plant decommissioning

Maintenance-free operation for 8 years

The energy chain employed in 2000 runs smoothly.

Maintenance-free operation for 8 years

Indoor and outdoor cranes

Indoor cranes work in very high temperatures, while the outdoor cranes withstand severe coastal weather.

Indoor and outdoor cranes

Deep drilling system TBA

igus energy chains in automated deep drilling rig

Deep drilling system TBA

More application examples (click to enlarge photos)

Cable Carrier on vertical boom for semi-submersible platform.

The dismantling of a nuclear power plant with a zigzag chain.

Steel construction for a spreader in a lime plant utilizes cable carrier systems

Coal bulk handling with a covered energy chain system.

Power supply for the transportation of coal to a dump, using cable carriers.

Ventilation system in underground storage at a power plant with heavy duty cable carriers

Three energy chains cable carriers that have been in operation 24 hours a day for more than 4 years in a brick plant.

High temperature, high speed, heavy weight load, and dusty environment is no challenge for igus® cable carriers.

High dirt accumulation during oxide removal of rails to be milled.

energy chains Cable Carriers in an aluminum plant - operating for 9 years problem-free, with a travel length of 203 ft, and speed of .98 ft/s.

Cable Carriers on a ventilation machine in a lime plant.

An energy chain at a fertilizer plant that has been in operation since 1998

Heating plant utilizes the heavy duty cable carriers by igus®

A 72 ft travel cable carrier system

Plaster dust

A large crane with travels up to 2,625 ft with the use of igus® cable carrier systems.

energy chain with chainflex® cables in a truck-washing facility with fine road dust and gravel/mud debris.

Cable carrier performs in high temperature, high speed and dusty environment.

Power plant supply for dredger excavator in a coal dump.

Long travel bulk material handling application.

Crane with a travel of 63.9 ft and speeds reaching 196 ft/min.

Shipyard refueling point for cargo ships utilizes cable carriers.

Compost mud

Crane, heavy dust, high speed.

Request for information and samples

Further interesting applications from extremely diverse areas can be found here.

Search for applications according to industry and case of operation

Cable carrier applications

chainflex® flexible cable applications

iglide® plastic bushing applications