chainflex cables supply KESSLER spindles with energy and signals

• What was needed: pre-assembled readychain® system consisting of energy chain and chainflex® cable (twistable CFROBOT4 cable, motor cable from the CF310 programme, CFPE cable as protective conductor)
• Requirements: compact and wear-resistant energy and signal supply, resistance to cooling lubricants
• Industry: Machine tool manufacturing
• Success for the customer: using the e-chain® and chainflex®-cable from igus® since 2003 without any reported failure

The spindle manufacturer FRANZ KESSLER in Bad Buchau has turned its company name into a brand that stands for top performance and quality. The core competence of electric motor construction: development and production of electric motor (direct) drives for a wide range of applications within the machine tool, but also for applications in forming technology.
In addition to spindle and drive technology, the systems technology division also offers compact and rigid spindle swivel heads and two-axis rotary swivel tables. They create the prerequisites for machining medium-sized and large workpieces on portal and gantry machines. Five-axis machining enables highly efficient and precise turning and milling processes in a single set-up. The Cool_Motion®_ torque motors within these systems stand for high dynamics, high torque and compact installation height. The direct drive in all axes enables accelerations and accuracies that cannot be achieved with mechanical drives.
It goes without saying that KESSLER takes great care when selecting the energy and signal supply to workpiece axes and rotary/tilt tables. The heads and axes have a very compact design, leaving very little space for the cable. This means that the cables have to be all the more wear-resistant - and that with continuous, short-cycle movements at high frequency. Another requirement is resistance to cooling lubricants.

Energy chains from igus® are now used for the external cables of swivelling tables - for example on the traversing axes of large portal machines for aerospace applications. Today, the scope of delivery of igus® usually includes the complete and customised movable cable systems under the name readychain®, as in the case of the spindle manufacturer FRANZ KESSLER.
The igus® chains prove themselves in use even under unfavourable conditions - for example, when flying chips are to be expected or when, as is becoming increasingly common, the machines process composite materials instead of metals. In these cases, the fibres have an abrasive effect, but this does not impair the service life of igus® chains and cables. In principle, cables from the chainflex® programme from igus® are also installed in the non-visible area, in the housing of the spindle swivel heads and rotary swivel tables. Different types are used here. Twistable CFROBOT4 cables are used at the customer interface above the head, which swivels by ±360°. They transmit the signals for the incremental and absolute encoders in the spindle, for example. motor cables come from the CF310 programme, and CFPE cables are used for the protective conductors. The cables are often used with a smaller bend radius than specified. In these cases, igus® has checked the application conditions and issued special approvals.