triflex® R vs Corrugated hose pros and cons

The first documented fist fights took place as early as 3,000 BC and they were primarily for entertainment.
At igus® we have a very different battle. A battle between corrugated hose and our triflex® R energy chain! This is very recent in comparison to the first fist fight and the focus admittedly is not entertainment as it was back then. Now, it is firmly on industrial applications and offering the best for customers.
Focusing on the advantages and disadvantages, this dual goes for eight rounds in a series of videos below. Much quicker than the longest boxing match in history which went 110 rounds! Let the battle commence.

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The contenders

The corrugated hose

There are various descriptions of this product, ranging from corrugated hose, protective hose to corrugated tube. No matter what it is called, the job remains the same, which consists of guiding and bundling cables and protecting them against external influences.
This battle shows the inferiority of its protection and operability to that of the triflex® R energy chain.

The triflex R energy chain

For the batthe between corrugated hose and triflex® R, we chose the triflex® R TRE with its "easy to fill" option. In almost every area, this triflex® R robotic energy chain type offers the optimum accesibility and ease for handling, protection and versatility of use.

Round 1: Elongation

How do the two products behave under tensile strain?
Corrugated hose

Stretches greatly under tensile load
The cables in the corrugated hose cannot elongate in the same ratio and are therefore damaged

triflex® R

triflex® R chain stretches only minimally under tensile load
No additional load for the cables

Round 2: Defined minimum bend radius

Is there a limit to the amount of bending possible?
Corrugated hose:

It offers no minimum bend radius

triflex® R:

Offers a bend radius of between 50 to 182mm depending on the triflex® size of chain

Round 3: Too much bending

What happens if the product is bent too much?
Corrugated hose

Damage to the corrugated hose due to stresses and torsional movement can cause damage to the cables

triflex® R

The stop-dogs prevent the e-chain® from bending too tightly.

Round 4: Torsion

What happens when torsional forces occur?
Corrugated hose

None or limited torsion occurs

triflex® R

7-12.5° torsion angle per chain link
Up to 900° torsion angle for one metre (example: TRC/TRE.40)

Round 5: Adding services/cables within the hose or triflex® without connectors

What options are there for installing services/cables?
Corrugated hose

Can be installed via the hose ends only

triflex® R

Can be installed via the e-chain® ends or due to the design of the TRE, TRL and TRCF, the installing of cables/services can be implemented externally.

Round 6: Installing harnessed cables/services

How can cables with plugs be installed?
Corrugated hose

If the plug is not too large, the cable can be pushed through from the ends

triflex® R

With TRE, TRL, TRLF and TRCF, cables with plugs can be pressed in externally

Round 7: Shortening and lengthening

What options are there for adjusting length?
Corrugated hose

Can be shortened only with tools (knives). This can pose health and safety risks and can damage cables.

triflex® R

Length is adjustable with and without tools being required. This is dependant on which triflex® range.
Due to the moduar design, the triflex® can be lengthened and shortened by fitting/ removing chain links to suit. This cannot be done with a corrugated hose

Round 8: Replacement after damage

How can damaged areas be repaired?
Corrugated hose

Damaged areas cannot be replaced or repaired

triflex® R

In the unlikely event that a chain link is damaged, the damaged chain link can be replaced, even when the chain is filled with cables or services.

Here you will find the triflex® R TRE.60.087.0.B e-chain® being tested.

Go to the shop

Here you can download a whitepaper about the advantages and disadvantages of triflex® verses the corrugated hose on robots.

Go to the download