User reportGuaranteed 24 million strokes: harnessed e-chains for feeders in the press plant

• What was needed: energy chain from the E4 programme, also available as a narrow E4 light, supplied as an assembled readychain®; rotating energy supply with reverse bend radius rotation module; chainflex® cable
• Requirements: High loads with over 8 million strokes per year, 24/7 operation and speeds of 4 m/s (x-axis) and 3.5 m/s (y-axis)
• Industry: Automotive industry, pressing plant
• Success for the customer: Chains and cables prove their worth with over 23,000 strokes per day, tight bend radius and high speeds. speeds. Supplied as an assembled readychain®, the customer receives the system including cable and connectors in the correct length, crimped and screwed together.

Strothmann's "FeederPlus6 neo" can be used to automate press lines in automotive body construction. Within the forming process - from the sheet metal blank to the bonnet, door panel or complete side panel - the feeder's task is to pass the sheet metal from one station to the next. This creates a complex sequence of movements in a four-second rhythm.
The FeederPlus6 neo sets new standards compared to its predecessors in terms of service life and flexibility. This is due to the unique kinematics, in which linear, rotary and telescopic movements are superimposed and precisely coordinated. Thanks to the telescope and the resulting linear movements, which are twice as fast, the transfer unit can reach very far into the individual press stages within a few seconds. At each station, a total of five axes - three linear, one rotary and one telescopic - are electronically synchronised, grip the blank and "thread" it into the next station.
The components that are subjected to particularly high stress during the complex movements include the energy chain for the power and signal supply to the mould. A total of six energy chains were required here, with the cable routing on the two reverse main axes of rotation posing a particular challenge.
First and foremost, these must allow a large number of strokes: a cycle rate of 16 strokes of the FeederPlus 6 neo results in 23,040 strokes after just 24 hours, and over 8 million after one year. This requires maximum reliability and a robust design, not least because the presses operate 24/7.
But the speeds of 4 m/s in the x-axis and 3.5 m/s in the y-axis with acceleration values of up to 20 m/s2 must also be accommodated by the cable routing.
These requirements also apply to the cables within the energy chain: with high loads, servo, bus, control, measuring system and earthing cables with a long service life should be found for narrow bend radius and many strokes.

Standard chains from the universally applicable E4 programme are used in the Feeder-Plus6 neo, partly in the "E4 light" version, which requires less installation space. A particular challenge was the cable routing on the two main reverse rotary axes. Today, reverse bend radius rotation modules with internal energy chains have proven their worth here. Chainflex® cables, which were developed from the ground up for moving applications, are routed in the energy chain. Strothmann favours hybrid technology, in which the energy for the motor and the sensor signals are routed in a single cable. A principle for which we have extensively tested and approved cables in our programme. The Feeder-Plus6 neo uses different cable types(servo cable, bus cable, control cable, measuring system cable and earthing cables) from the CF series with TPE sheathing as well as the hybrid servo cable type CF280. All cables prove their worth over the long term even under adverse conditions, which are present here because the circuit boards are oiled. They are also characterised by their low bend radius. Due to the extremely "slim" feeder system, these were also absolutely essential. In total, the moving cables cover a length of 13 metres - divided into five individual cables, each of which is supplied as an assembled readychain®. Strothmann uses this service mainly for reasons of process reliability. The customer receives professionally assembled cables, crimped and screwed without tools and with a defined torque.
The readychain® systems were only assembled with connectors on one side for an initial prototype. Once the energy chain had been assembled, the exact cable length was measured and the cables were customised to fit exactly. Strothmann initially tested this prototype over several 100,000 cycles. Only then was the FeederPlus6 neo released for sale. As a service life of three years was agreed with Strothmann, the chains and cables must therefore achieve up to 24 million strokes. This means that we go well beyond our standard guarantee. Thanks to numerous operating parameters with data records from our test laboratory, this is a guarantee that we can give with a clear conscience.