igus Inc.
Elevating Moving Applications With Custom Polymer Solutions

igus® is a leader in motion plastics and moving cable management systems. It has distinct product divisions, including cables and cable carriers, linear motion technology, bearings, gears, and custom parts, and automation and robotics.

igus’ niche product line, chainflex®, encompasses its electric cables specifically engineered for demanding applications. Chainflex cables are unharnessed cables within energy chains or for use in robotic applications, providing fail-safe performance-backed by a 36-month guarantee. They meet the stringent requirements for EMC safety and comply with various industry standards and guidelines, including UL, CSA, EAC, Interbus, and Profibus.
“We are a global company originating in Cologne, Germany, with subsidiaries worldwide. Our products enjoy global recognition, certifications, and approvals. This allows customers to purchase our wiring cables worldwide without worrying about variations in part numbers or approval standards,” says Timothy Marran, chainflex product manager, igus. “We also provide localized and customizable solutions for wiring cables, a feature that many other companies in this industry might not offer.”

The chainflex product lineup encompasses a wide array of cable types, including control cables, servo cables, motor cables, robot cables, bus cables, data cables, encoder cables, and fiber optic cables. Most of these cables are optimized for linear flexing. This typically defined as movement occurring in one plane with extension and retraction. This movement can be in any direction—up and down, left and right, or forward and back.

igus also provides a distinct category of cables known as robotic cables, specifically designed for torsional and twisting movements. For example, the motion in a robotic arm, especially in a six-axis robot, involves more twisting and torsional movement compared to the standard linear movements often seen in machines like XY gantry systems or XY movements in CNC cutting machines or storage and retrieval units. igus’ cable designs accommodate a wide range of movements, covering the requirements of different applications.

When igus started its journey, its primary focus was on plastics and cable carrier solutions. The company then gradually recognized that the cables available in the market were not solely optimized for dynamic applications. This realization prompted it to develop its own cables, offering customers a comprehensive solution.

The company today has the bandwidth to provide customers with the cable carrier as well as the cable. It even incorporates connectors into these cables. Instead of just offering bulk spools of cable, the company can create cable assemblies and cut them to the exact length as per customer requirements, providing a highly customized, ready-to-use solution. This customization is achievable from a selection of over 1,300 cable parts available in igus’ catalog.

In one instance, a customer approached the company last year, as they were experiencing a recurring issue with their cable, requiring replacement every two to three months. While engaging with the client, igus discovered that their application involved a significant amount of twisting and torsional movement, a challenge that most cables, even those marketed as flexible, were not adequately equipped to handle. The company recommended one of its specialized robotic cables featuring a distinct structural design. This played a vital role in exceeding the original cable’s lifetime. What was initially a cable replacement every two to three months has now transformed into an every-other-year maintenance cycle.

igus’ years of industry expertise and momentous contribution to the wire and cable space have turned the wheel in this industry. The company’s commitment to research and development is underscored by the fact that it conducts two billion test cycles every year, all in the pursuit of delivering top-quality products to customers.