Energy chains in machines for micro-assembly of electrical components

• What was needed: energy chain of the E6-series and E2-series, chainflex® -cable of the CF 2, CF10, CF 11, CF 27 and CFPE series, among others, as protective conductor
• Requirements: at least 5 years of maintenance-free operation of the machines and components, up to 20 million movement cycles per day, low-friction and low-vibration running of the energy supply system at both high and low speeds, compactness of the solution
• Industry: Machine tool manufacturing
• Success for the customer: Detailed engineering for the customer with regard to planning the bend radius, internal separation of the cable, strain relief, etc., maintenance-free energy supply system, extremely long service life despite continuous load, selected cable materials ensure extremely high downtime, particularly quiet and low vibration (E6) chains

The core expertise of Häcker Automation GmbH, founded eleven years ago by Gerrit Häcker, lies in manufacturing for highly integrated production in the micrometre range. For the European passport, for example, Häcker's 18-axis machine glues a wafer-thin transponder wire, which ensures machine readability, onto a substrate. But there are also sensors in cars, e.g. for electronic braking and stabilisation systems (ABS, ESP etc.), which are produced on Häcker machines.
These machines produce around 15 million sensors per year - with an error rate of well below 1 ppm (parts per million). At the same time, customers expect extremely high availability of the machines, which run in three-shift operation throughout the year. Selected partners and high-quality individual components must therefore be found for the machines.
This also applies to the energy and data cables that lead to the gripper, assembly or dosing units via the x-, y- and z-axis. One of Häcker's development goals is to be able to operate the machines maintenance-free for five years. In single-shift operation, the machines complete 5 to 7 million cycles per year; in 24-hour operation, it can be up to 20 million. This means that all moving components, including the cables, must be designed for 100 million movement cycles without maintenance or replacement in extreme cases.
In addition, the energy supply systems must run smoothly and vibration-free at both high and low speeds. Compactness also plays an important role in the machines: As the assembly operations usually take place in a working area of 500 x 500 mm, it is a maxim of the Häcker designers not to "give away" any installation space for the energy chain.

Häcker found this demanding requirement profile in the igus® cable programme after previously using other cables that tended to fail and did not meet the high demands. There is a reason why this did not happen with the igus® cables. The signal and energy cables in the chainflex® series were specially developed for use in energy chains and are characterised by an extremely long service life under continuous load due to movements with the energy supply system. New conductor materials as well as special sheath materials are used in them - with the result that the cables achieve a multiple downtime when used in energy chains compared to conventional cables. The dreaded "corkscrew" with subsequent core rupture is avoided by the basic design of the chainflex® cable. 
Häcker uses chainflex® -cable series CF 2, CF 10, CF 11, CF 27 and CFPE, among others, as protective conductors - and sees its choice confirmed, as no failures have actually occurred to date despite the high requirements and millions of movements.
However, Häcker Automation also places high demands on the abrasion behaviour of the chain, as the machines mostly operate in cleanrooms. Under these conditions, the E6-series energy chain from igus®, which Häcker uses for the linear guide of the x-, y- and z-axis, has proven itself. These chains are characterised by very smooth, low vibration running - an essential requirement in micro-assembly. And they are extremely durable.