C-Chain – world’s first continuously rotating energy chain

Citation

(2010), "C-Chain – world’s first continuously rotating energy chain", Assembly Automation, Vol. 30 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2010.03330dad.001

C-Chain – world’s first continuously rotating energy chain

Article Type: New products From: Assembly Automation, Volume 30, Issue 4

Starting, stopping, starting up again, stopping and then moving back again at the end – conventional handling and transport applications cannot currently manage without a wasted run.

Opening up completely new directions for machine construction, igus^® has developed the world’s first continually rotating energy chain. Rotating all the way around, the igus C-Chain can supply grippers, sensor systems and other units with energy, data and media without non-productive start and return runs (Figure 1).

Figure 1 The igus C-Chain

The igus C-Chains are not only lightweight and reliable, with speeds of up to 8 m/s they can realize extremely fast machine cycle times and, depending on customer specifications, travel of 30 m and more is possible.

Numerous different carriages can be used to supply rotating grippers, suction cups or electro magnets, for example, which can pick up work pieces, hold them, adjust them and set them down again. Also, processing tools required for turning, clamping, adhesion or drilling can be supplied.

To watch the C-Chain in action, please visit: http://bit.ly/bvhL92