Energy chains, cables, bearing technology, and sensors for SRUs and shuttles

Storage systems must work reliably, often around the clock. Transfer carts (also known as cross-travelling or shuttle carts), shuttle systems and storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) are used in high-bay warehouses and automated small parts warehouses to store and retrieve loads quickly. We offer maintenance-free and durable energy chains, cables and storage components to ensure reliable signalling and energy supply and trouble-free movement of these systems. Our energy supply systems are developed for horizontal and vertical movements with high dynamics, require little installation space and ensure greater energy efficiency thanks to their lightweight design.

Advantages of igus® products:

maintenance-free for 24/7 use
Space and weight saving
Low noise and low vibration
Simple assembly
Fast delivery
Calculable service life online
Complete systems or individual components from batch size 1

Selected products for SRMs, shuttle systems and co.

energy chain with steel cable floor guide

Energy, data, air and fluids in one system
4 m/s speed, 80 m travel
88 % shorter installation time compared to aluminium channels

More about autoglide 5

energy supply with protective housing

The alternative to the busbar system
Quiet, maintenance-free and easy to install
Operating speeds of up to 6 m/s
Low space requirement

More about microflizz

Vertical guide trough

For suspended applications up to 50 m high
Easy accessibility for servicing
Up to 80 % trough and thus cost and weight savings

white paper

Maintenance-free power transmission in RBG aisles
How can machine parts work dynamically over long distances and be supplied with electricity safely and maintenance-free?

This white paper deals with e-chain® and busbar systems for cable routing in storage and retrieval units (SRU), indoor or outdoor cranes, electric monorail systems, electric hoists and transfer cars (QVW).

Download the white paper now

Avoid bearing failures with "smart plastic"

smart plastic increases reliability in logistics. The intelligent sensor system reports the status and recommended maintenance dates of products such as energy chains or cables.

Your benefits

Reduce maintenance costs and eliminate unplanned downtime
Extend service life and increase system efficiency
Save time - faster identification of the causes of anomalies

white paper: Advantages and applications of smart plastic

Find out more about smart plastics

Successfully used by our customers

guidelok slimline P in storage systems from SIVAplan GmbH & Co. KG

SIVAplan puts guidelok system into series production after test phase
SIVAplan GmbH & Co KG relies on our energy supply to save weight and assembly time. The company is purchasing the guidelok slimline P cable carriers as readychain®. This means that the e-chain® is supplied ready for installation with durable chainflex® cables.

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maintenance-free e-chain® for SRM aisle at Gebhardt Intralogistics
For a Cheetah AKL storage and retrieval unit, the Gebhardt Intralogistics Group has opted for the energy chain autoglide 5 instead of a busbar system. The system has no guide trough and therefore saves space on the warehouse floor. It also requires less cleaning and maintenance.

Learn more about this application

... and other success stories.
Where are our energy chains and cables used for horizontal or vertical travel in storage and retrieval machines? Here you will find selected customer applications. We also show the use of our products in other areas of material handling such as forklift, AGV or conveyor belt.

Further application examples of our customers

We test in our in-house test laboratory.

In order to be able to make precise statements about the service life of our products, we put them to the test every day under real conditions. This includes our energy chain, for example, which we test for wear and resilience on a test area of 2,750 m2. This enables us to make more reliable statements for our customers about the behaviour of the solution in their application.

If that is not enough, we also carry out customer tests upon request and test the products under completely individualised conditions.

Learn more