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Torque-resistant cables for vertical order pickers of up to twelve meters
chainflex energy and signal cables prevent corkscrew effects in the supply to the mast
Profile
- What was required: Resilient energy and signal cable via a movable mast with several guide rollers to the cabin of an order picking device
- Requirements: Space-saving guidance of electrical and hydraulic cables, application using the deflection principle for long cable lengths
- Product used: chainflex cables
- Industry: Material handling
- Success for the customer: Durable cable solution for the challenging geometry of the mast and guide roller
About vertical order pickers: Still is one of the world's largest manufacturers of forklift trucks. The task of the EK-X series of vertical order pickers is to move to the pallets in the narrow aisles of a high-bay warehouse from which the driver removes individual cartons. The vertical order pickers can reach heights of up to 12 metres and, thanks to their modular design, can be perfectly adapted to individual applications. For example, buyers can choose from a range of cabins, lifting masts, control panels and battery systems, and customised options are also available.
Problem
Still has been using the deflection principle for cable guidance in smaller order picking devices for some time now, and it has proven itself. For the EK-X series, the side guide for the roller was improved slightly due to the longer cable lengths – but initial tests quickly showed that this solution unfortunately did not work here. Volker Haspel, responsible for electrical development at Kion Systems: "The cables we normally use twisted and looked like corkscrews. Shortly afterwards, they failed in testing. Testing such cables is a complex task in itself. They perform relative movements in the lift mast and high dynamics occur when the order pickers are moving. In addition, the tensile force that occurs here, unlike with energy chain cables, must be taken into account."
Solution
Tests in the laboratories of both companies showed that the special chainflex cable design with cores wound in bundles holds up very well, even on the rollers. The cores are first wound in bundles, which are then stranded around a core element with a small pitch length. This core element not only serves as a filler, but is also designed as a strain relief element. The result is very similar in appearance to a steel cable. To further support this strong stranding structure, a jacket is extruded under pressure to guide the cores in the longitudinal direction. All these measures minimise the forces acting on the cable and maintain its structure.
The special materials used for the jacket and their processing also contribute significantly to service life. It has been shown that the shape of the roller has no influence on service life. This made the decision easy for the Still designers, and the cable was defined as standard for the mast of the EK-X. A chainflex cable with cores wound in bundles and TPE jacket is used in the vertical order pickers, with lengths ranging from 4.50 to 16 metres. There is no question that these cables are subject to high stress. In many applications, the devices are in continuous operation, meaning that the mast is always in motion. The chainflex cables perform just as well under these conditions as they do in the many thousands of energy chain applications. Still has thus found a solution to a problem that arose from the changed geometry of the mast and guide roller. The cable specialists at igus have also gained a valuable insight: They now know that their cables are not only suitable for energy chains, but also prove their worth in roller guides.
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