Energy supply system for a cutting unit: reduce costs with a long service life

• What was needed: e-chain® Series 3500, autoglide system
• Requirements: Durability in any environment, safe guidance of cable and hose in the smallest installation space
• Economic efficiency
• Industry: Machine tools
• Success for the customer: customised design of the chain systems for a compact solution, problem-free handling of aggressive environmental conditions, time and cost savings thanks to maintenance-free components

With its 120-year history, Messer Schneidsysteme stands for top performance in cutting technology. The company manufactures thermal cutting machines at five production sites worldwide to meet the highest standards of the sheet metal processing industry.
One of Messer's current flagship projects is the MultiTherm system, which, in addition to cutting sheet metal, offers the integration of an additional device to cut unalloyed strip steel according to individual specifications. Nine sheet metal strips can be processed simultaneously, parts of metal structures can be created in different sizes and all of this can be set up automatically and operator-free. The system also enables plasma cutting (straight or bevelled), oxyfuel cutting with different torches, marking work or the combination of all these processes with side-by-side longitudinal units to guarantee cuts of the highest quality. The MultiTherm-series can accommodate eleven cutting devices/torches (ten at the front and one at the rear). In order to be able to safely accommodate the cables and hoses of all the holders in the smallest possible space, the energy supply system was of particular importance. The systems are designed to operate without interruption or failure in dirty and abrasive environments. Today, Messer systems have been in use for more than 15 years without any technical failures or line breaks. "We are prepared for the worst environmental conditions," explains Maxwell Santos, Technical Director (CTO) at Messer.

To this end, the technicians at Messer in Brazil worked with igus® to develop a design in which the e-chains® were mounted inside each other in their own radii in order to reduce the required installation space and ensure the safe guidance of cable and hose. The e-chain® series 3500 with 150 mm and 250 mm bend radius is used here. A autoglide system guarantees that the chains slide straight over each other. Thanks to a special comb-like crossbar, the chain basically guides itself, making an additional guide trough unnecessary. e-chain systems from igus® are made from high-performance polymers and can withstand the aggressive environmental conditions of the trade show without any problems. In addition, according to Maxwell Santos from Messer, one of the particular technical and economic advantages of igus® products is the cost saving: "The energy chains basically cost half as much because they last twice as long," explains the Technical Director. In the long term, the igus® energy chains are the most economical solution for Messer, as they are maintenance-free and their long service life leads to cost savings and greater productivity gains for their customers. "We have never had any problems with igus® as a supplier," concludes Maxwell Santos from Messer. "They work without failures and without unplanned downtime. In addition to the technical specification, the support from igus® and the confidence in the product information was also crucial for Messer, which has strengthened the partnership over the years during project development. This partnership extends worldwide, as Messer uses igus® energy chain in plants in Germany, the United States, India and China in addition to Brazil. A better solution could not be found at any of the five locations.