Your application in the spotlight at the 10th vector award

Wanted: creative and unique applications with e-chain systems

Your energy chain has to perform better than ever before: higher loads, increasing speeds and complex motion sequences in addition to trends such as Industry 4.0. This is no place for standard solutions. Developing an energy supply that sets standards often requires creativity, perseverance and courage.

igus offers the perfect stage for this with the vector award 2026. This year, the competition is celebrating its 10th anniversary! Every two years, it honours the most extraordinary applications of energy chains made of high-performance plastic. Apply now! Present your project to the global public and grow your network. You can also win prize money of up to €5,000! The closing date for entries is 30th January 2026.

What you can win:

All medallists can look forward to prize money, a vector trophy and a marketing package worth €10,000. The in-house igus agency will publish a user report in an industry medium (DACH and international) and make a professional video of their application.

The golden vector

Prize money of €5,000

example

The silver vector

Prize money of €2,500

example

The bronze vector

Prize money of €1,000

example

The green vector

Prize money of €1,000

example

The expert jury

A jury consisting of experts from science, industrial trade shows, specialist media and associations will select and notify the winners.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher

Head of the Laboratory for Machine Tools RWTH Aachen University

Madeleine Mickeleit

Ing. Madeleine Mickeleit

Founder & CEO of IIoT Use Case GmbH

Olaf Katzer

Olaf Katzer

Head of Education at Autostadt GmbH

Arno Reich

Head of Business Unit/Senior Vice President Trade Show & Product Management

Michael Blaß

Michael Blaß

CEO of e-chain systems® igus® GmbH

Patron

Ken Fouhy

Ken Fouhy

Editor-in-Chief, VDI nachrichten

The 2024 winners

Winner of the golden vector award 2024

The golden vector

The golden vector award goes to the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences at the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Lisbon for the use of a complex triflex system in an optical spectrograph. Energy chains from the igus triflex series were used for the rotating cable jacket. They ensure that the sensitive optical fibres that transport the light from the front end to the spectrograph are not exposed to any loads that could jeopardise the scientific observations.

Find out more about the winner of the golden vector

Winner of the silver vector award 2024

The silver vector

The silver vector award goes to TDK RF Solutions for the use of energy chains and e-spools in a test rig for vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) tests to measure the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of vehicles with driver assistance systems. Control cables and compressed air hoses follow the movements in the series 1400 energy chains. Slip ring-free spring cable drums of the e-spool® series are also used to wind the e-chains. Thanks to the elimination of slip rings, maintenance times have also been reduced.

Find out more about the winner of the silver vector

Winner of the bronze vector award 2024

The bronze vector

The bronze vector goes to Mecaoctet for the use of e-spool flex systems in an animated mirrored ceiling in the ACCOR Arena in Paris. For the power supply, the experts used slip-ring-free spring cable reels from the igus e-spool series, fitted with hybrid cables and connected to the triangles' centres of gravity. According to Mecaoctet, thanks to the igus solution, complex coils with rotating collectors, which would have been very expensive and unreliable, were able to be avoided. Compared to a slider system with cable loops, the igus® solution is also more aesthetic.

Find out more about the winner of the bronze vector

Winner of the green vector award 2024

The green vector

The green vector goes to Bear-Machines GmbH for the use of e-chains and cables in a machine for retreading truck tyres. The engineers needed bendable and flexible cables for the machine's motors and decided in favour of the cables from the igus chainflex range. The cables move in e-chains of the E2 series. According to the engineers, this solution perfectly fulfils the requirements for oscillating movements and compliance with bend radii.

Find out more about the winner of the green vector

Highlights of the vector award 2024

Energy chain news

All applications of the 9th vector award 2024

This brochure offers you a fascinating overview of all entries, concisely presented in words and pictures. Immerse yourself in the world of cable guidance. Let the creativity and ingenuity that characterises the global engineering industry inspire you.

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