Low cost long travels - Plastic guide profile eliminates need for steel trough

Oct. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- Cable carrier specialist igus® introduced a new plastic guide profile at this year’s IMTS show in Chicago, IL. Guidelite is a lightweight and cost effective system that enables Energy Chain® cable carriers to travel over long runs without requiring a steel guide trough.

While the lower run of the cable carrier is guided between two of Guidelite’s L-shaped, fiber-reinforced plastic profiles, the upper run passes partly through guide brackets mounted three feet apart. The upper run of the cable carrier is only partially guided and so is ideal for long distances at low speeds, or with a low number of cycles.

Guidelite is an inexpensive replacement for steel troughs in long-travel applications, can be quickly installed, and is corrosion resistant and lightweight.

The new system is also weather resistant, insensitive to dirt, impacts, and high temperatures, and is therefore suitable for demanding environments. While many different applications are possible, one potential application is to guide water hoses in large-scale greenhouses.

The system is compatible with the company’s new series 3500 roller chain, as well as Energy Chains from the E2/000 and E4-1 lines.