How e-chains help guide and protect cables and hoses

When cables and hydraulic lines connect to a moving machine component, such as a telescopic loader, there are several ways to allow the movement. While the easiest is to simply allow slack hose, this method can lead to excess flexing, premature hose wear, and damage from pinching or catching on the equipment or working area. The use of hose reels is another possibility, but generally they are useful only for single lines and these also offer no physical protection for the hose.

In this week’s video we see a more effective approach is to use a cable and hose carrier that forms a flexible guide for multiple lines, preventing them from tangling, whilst carrying and guiding the services with a smooth, rolling action. Made from engineering plastic, igus energy chains are inherently resistant to corrosion and weathering, and the best types are unaffected by exposure chemicals and oils, and even UV light. They have also been proven, by exhaustive testing and in the field, to function reliably even at extreme temperatures and in adverse weather conditions.