Robot dresspacks: flexible cable carriers & accessories for industrial robots

A robot dresspack is a system designed to organize and protect cables, hoses, and other components that supply power, data, and media to a robot's end effector. Installing the correct dresspack design is crucial to prevent cable damage, reduce downtime, and ensure the robot's full range of motion without interference. Some solutions include corrugated tubing or triflex® R from igus®

Multi-axis cable carriers are engineered to guide and protect cables through complex, multi-directional movements in applications including six-axis robots. Cable stress is minimized by accommodating torsion and bending and providing strain relief. This extends the cable life and helps to maintain consistent robot performance.

Common issues include:

• Corkscrewing: Twisting of cables due to improper routing or excessive binding.
• Insulation Damage: Wear from abrasion or bending beyond the cable's specifications.
• Kinking: Sharp bends leading to permanent deformation.
  Regular inspection and adherence to proper cable management practices can mitigate these failures.
• Loss of Continuity: Intermittent electrical connections caused by repeated stress.
• Tangles: improper housing can cause the cables to tangle with one another or with the machinery itself during motion.

Using a proper dresspack — such as triflex R — can reduce or eliminate the risk of these cable issues.

triflex R has a modular design that allows the easy addition, removal and replacement of links, allowing operators to adjust individual segments instead of the full system.  Most triflex R series also allow for easy addition and removal of cables through the side instead of through the ends.  Interior segmentation, a defined bend-radius, and strain-relief allow these systems to extend the life of the contained cables and hoses.

Depending on the size, triflex R offers a band radius between 50 to 182mm. triflex is capable of 360 degrees of torsion (10 degrees per link)

triflex R is available in 9 different diameters: 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 65mm, 70mm, 85mm, 100mm, 125mm. Availability of these sizes may vary depending on series.

igus has developed a line of cables specifically designed for multi-axis robots that can handle torsional stresses of over 180 degrees per 3ft with a 4-year service life guarantee. Learn more

triflex R is ideal for cable protection on six-axis robots and cobots doing spot welding, pick and place applications, and other automated processes. It has also been used as a cable carrier for solar panels, machine tools, conveyor systems, and packaging machines.

Lighter series such as triflex R TRL are not suitable beyond axes 1–3 of a robot but are suitable for 3D printers, office applications, and operator controls requiring three dimensions of motion.