Why chainflex®: The most cost-effective cable that works is the best for the customer

Because our cables bring Cost down & Tech up

Electrically equivalent Energy chain cables with a core cross section of 4x1.5mm²:

control cable CF880, bend radius 12.5 x d and PVC outer jacket: low-cost option
control cable CF5, smaller bend radius 6.8 x d with PVC outer jacket and oil resistance: greater technical advantage leads to slightly higher price per metre
Oil/bio-oil-resistant control cable CF98 cable with TPE jacket and a bend radius of only 4 x d: high price due to major technical advantage

Benefit from our wide range of cables. From low-cost solutions with PVC jacket to high-end TPE cables. All under the motto: Cost down, life up!

Request price check now!

Because, the right cable selection significantly reduces life cycle costs

Checklist helps with complex purchasing decisions
Functional units for energy transmission in machines require a large number of electrical cables, often thin and cost-effective control cables such as this new generation of the CF8xx cable series. Usually sold by the metre, many cables are similar in design and have identical electrical specifications. However, in very rare cases, cables that are cost-effective to purchase meet the requirements of complex machines and applications. This often leads to downtime and high repair costs later on – with a corresponding negative impact on life cycle costing (LCC) and total cost of ownership (TCO).

To avoid this and even reduce costs significantly, the checklist presented in this free white paper can provide valuable assistance to decision makers. The list presents the most important factors for cable selection and uses an example to illustrate the relevance of the necessary parameters to all decision makers.

Free white paper

Free white paper

Because you are assured of a 4-year guarantee on our cables

Since the mid-1980s, machine and plant manufacturers have been placing ever greater technical demands on energy chain systems. Travels are longer, movements faster and bend radii smaller. Core and jacket damage, jacket abrasion and corkscrew effects were the consequences for machine builders and end customers. igus rose to the challenge and, in cooperation with the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, developed cables that could withstand the high mechanical stress.

After extensive testing in its own test laboratory, it quickly became clear that the cables with cores wound in bundles, short stroke lengths, tensile core element and gusset-filling extruded outer jacket exceeded expectations. The range now includes over 1,350 cables for a wide variety of applications. igus guarantees a service life of four years with up to 10 million double strokes, whichever comes first.

4-year chainflex guarantee

Because igus customers use our cables successfully

Limited space? We have the solution!

A system that has to function under high pressure around the clock requires the highest standards - that also apply to the suppliers of individual machine components. An example of this is the "Speedmounter" system from IPTE GmbH. By using our energy chains and chainflex data cables, less maintenance is required and the company can save considerable costs. In addition, our cables have a special design with a gusset-filling extruded inner jacket and therefore retain their transmission characteristics after millions of double strokes.

Cables and energy chains for circuit board assemblers

Measuring system cable for long transmission lengths

WALDRICH COBURG GmbH specialises in the complete machining of large components such as diesel engines, generators and ship propellers. The consequences are ever larger machining centres and increasing demands on technology. We have developed a special overall solution for the company with a measuring system cable that transmits signals reliably over very long distances and ensures high machine availability.

Large machining centres

Application example of measuring system cable

chainflex servo cable for off-road use

The team at Bochum University of Applied Sciences has been working on the development of a solar-powered vehicle for 18 years. It has to be designed so that it can handle the toughest conditions without problems. For this reason, all components must be lightweight and still able to withstand the heavy loads. Our servo cables have a special design that ensures a high current carrying capacity and can cope with the mechanical loads during movement and vibration so that the power supply is not interrupted. They are very robust and ideal for thermal loads.

Solar buggy with chainflex cables

Because, chainflex cables deliver what they promise

UL verified: chainflex® receives highest recognition from globally renowned testing organisation
We are confident in offering a 4-year guarantee on our cables, as we can make reliable predictions about their service life thanks to over 30 years of experience in our 3,800m² test laboratory and 700 parallel tests.

igus is now the first German company to have this promise validated for chainflex cables. In a complex certification process, the US institute "Underwriters Laboratories" confirmed the accuracy of the statement "igus 4-year chainflex cable guarantee and service life calculator based on 2 billion test cycles per year". This makes the Cologne-based company the first in Europe to have the accuracy of an advertising claim confirmed by a testing institution. In future, no chainflex cable will leave the factory anywhere in the world without being marked with the UL marketing label with its unique number B129699, which refers to igus.

A total of 1,044 of the more than 1,350 cables in the portfolio and available from stock already have classic UL approval. This is a prerequisite for the successful commissioning of a system in the USA. The export of systems to America will therefore run smoothly. The combination of UL approval and the UL marketing label now provides double assurance for trouble-free export.

These statements create reliability and planning security for your entire investment process, now even more so as they have been confirmed by an external body! Try it out for yourself with the certified online service life calculation for chainflex cables:

chainflex® service life calculator