Unsupported over a travel of 28m: energy chain for DECKEL MAHO milling machine

• What was needed: guidelok horizontal
• Requirements: High modularity: The machine tool must be able to be extended from 6 to 28 metres. Long traverse paths. High travelling speeds and accelerations.
• Industry: Machine tools
• Success for the customer: With the guidelok, the heavy hoses and cables are safely guided in a self-supporting manner and the required 28 m travel lengths can be realised without any problems. The energy chain is also designed for high speeds and accelerations, a long service life and quick and easy installation.

The machine manufacturer lid MAHO Pfronten is focusing on maximum modularity for this machining centre: the modern DMU 600 Gantry 5-axis machining centre for milling workpieces should be easy to convert for different machining lengths. The X-travel of the machine (or the energy chain) is 6 metres as standard and can be extended to up to 28 metres on a customer-specific basis. This means that XXL workpieces can also be machined. The positioning accuracy of the linear axis is well below 10 µm for high-precision machining. Another high priority in the machine design was a high traversing speed of 45 m/min. and an acceleration of 3 m/s² of the 50 tonne machine cross beam. A suitable cable and hose guidance system had to be found for precisely these requirements. Due to their heavy weight, it had to be ensured that the energy chain would not sag. A classic, static support or a gliding application of the chain were out of the question for technical reasons.

Arranged high up on the control cabinet horizontally next to the machine, a guidelok energy chain is proving its worth today for the safe guidance of heavy hoses and cables. Several supports at different positions on the chain keep the upper run level and prevent the upper part of the chain from sliding on the lower run. The highlight of the support system: At the end of the supports that hold the upper run of the chain up are roller holders that fold in as soon as the chain radius passes them. When the chain returns, the brackets snap back into place and support the cable guide. This flexibility means that even travel distances of up to 50 m can be realised unsupported.
As two such energy chains are arranged in reverse (as opposed to the alternative of interlocking chains), the cable and hose run from the same position in both directions. This also applies if the travel and therefore the chain length is increased according to customer requirements. This avoids time-consuming changeovers for different machine versions and reduces assembly work.
What's more, the energy chain is designed for high speeds and accelerations, a long service life and quick and easy installation.