Energy & Cable Systems (ECS)

Whether it be a conversion or new installation, custom solutions do not need to be expensive. With more than 20 years of experience in project work and more than 1,000 projects each year, we have a trusted system that makes it very easy for us to design, build, install & test custom solutions.

Our focus is to always avoid over-engineering; we believe that the simplest solution is the best solution. We consistently deliver high quality solutions for a fair price.

Conversion project or new development - Comprehensive Technical Support from Start to Finish

Whether you're initiating a new digital project or upgrading an existing platform, igus® offers expert guidance throughout the entire development lifecycle. Our engineering and digital specialists work closely with you to ensure optimal performance and cost-efficiency.

Our mission: Tech up, Cost down.
From initial concept design to implementation, we provide full technical support at no cost to you. Whether you're starting with a blank canvas or refining a legacy system, our team is here to help you achieve a future-ready solution.

Project Planning & Quotation - Transparent Process, Fixed Pricing

Once you approve the initial design concept, we move into detailed project planning. Our team will collaborate with you to define all technical and operational requirements, outlining each step necessary to implement the proposed solution.

Based on this comprehensive scope, we will provide a fixed-price quotation, ensuring clarity, cost control, and no surprises. This phase is designed to align expectations and deliver a solution that meets both performance and budgetary goals.

Project Execution - Precision Assembly & Full Documentation

During the execution phase, our project team develops detailed engineering drawings and comprehensive system documentation tailored to your specifications. Upon approval, production begins at our state-of-the-art 32,000m² facility.

Each system is assembled with precision, ensuring all components are pre-configured and ready for seamless integration. A complete documentation pack, including wiring diagrams, installation guides, and maintenance instructions is provided to support efficient deployment and long-term reliability.

Delivery and assembly

Following delivery of your pre-assembled energy supply system, you can now install it with the assistance of an igus® engineer, if you wish. Or our igus installation team can take over the full installation and commissioning.

Industry: Stage technology & machinery

25 years of loyal service to London's Royal Opera House

What was needed?
New energy supply system including cables for the new LED stage lighting.

Requirements:
Space-saving design, stability and durability, lightweight (<150 kg), smooth running, minimum maintenance requirements.

Success for the customer:
With the new zig-zag system, the Royal Ballet and Opera  has an energy supply that is not only reliable and familiar, but has also been perfectly adapted to the high loads in daily theatre operations. igus supplied a completely pre-fitted system consisting of box, e-chains and cables, which could be installed immediately and offers maximum operational reliability. This ensures that the lighting technology remains strong and trouble-free in use over the long term. At the same time, recycling the old energy chains via the igus Chainge recycling programme improves the company's sustainability balance.

Industry: Packaging technology

Bread packaging machine: avoid cable breaks with chainflex and smart plastics

What was needed?
E4.1L series energy chain and highly bend-resistant chainflex® cable (control cable and measuring system cable), supplied as a pre-assembled readychain® system, CF.Q isense sensors, connector concept Module Connect, drylin® W linear bearing

Requirements:
Minimum bend radius of only 63 mm, high bending strength cable, high load of up to 80 double strokes per minute.

Success for the customer:
The E4.1L is characterised by high force absorption and is used together with highly bend-resistant chainflex® cables. The i.Sense sensors with CF.Q module detect wire breaks before they occur and save the user high downtime costs.

Industry: Machine tool construction

80% less working time thanks to readychain

What was needed?
energy chain of type E4.1L, energy chain of type E4/light, both designed as pre-assembled readychain®, chainflex® cable

Requirements:
As the machine takes up just seven square metres, the chains also had to fit into a small installation space. It also had to be assembled quickly.

Success for the customer:
The pre-assembled energy chains save the customer 80% of the installation time. The first machine with the readychain® has been in operation 24 hours a day, six days a week for more than 18 months without any problems.

e-spool® stage equipment

In the theatre and stage industry, space constraints behind the scenes can cause problems for designers and engineers, so products such as the igus® e-spool® and zig zag chains are ideal for such applications which require stage cable management. 
The e-spool® is a cable reel system but works without a slip ring. This drum allows different cable types to be safely guided together. Since most reels can only carry one cable this can drastically reduce the number of units (and therefore space and cost) required.

Industry: Agriculture

Flexible and torsionally rigid energy and signal cable technology in harvesting technology

What was needed?
ready-to-install chainflex® cable sets for power and signal transmission.

Requirements:
UV- and moisture-resistant, torsion-resistant, temperature-stable, notch-resistant & low-wear.

Success for the customer:
Time and cost savings compared to internal harnessing as well as high service life and flexible handling of the cables used.

Industry: Intralogistics

Pre-assembled cable guides for continuous use in storage and retrieval units

What was needed?
E2/000 series energy chain, chainflex® cable, ready-to-connect readycable® with HARTING industrial connectors.

Requirements:
Standardised components with the aim of procuring subsystems from a single source wherever possible; use even at temperatures as low as -30 °C in deep-freeze storage, throughput of up to 30 double cycles per hour, high availability.

Success for the customer:
The ready-to-connect systems from igus® optimise the procurement process, streamline internal logistics and reduce assembly times; special connectors enable easy handling and reliably ensure power and signal transmission even at sub-zero temperatures.

Industry: Crane

Heat and dust: reay-to-install cable carrier system for indoor crane under adverse conditions

What was needed?
Pre-assembled cable carrier for use in a heavy-duty application

Requirements:
Tight installation space, resistance to high temperatures and heavy soiling, trouble-free operation.

Success for the customer:
Quick assembly on the crane bridge by delivering the filled energy chain on transport drums. The very compact chains also do not have to be dismantled or packed for onward transport to the place of use.

Mobile wind machine

e-spool® is used in telescopic winding systems. Special features of the e-spool:  space-saving and durable.

Industry: Robotics

Cable guidance for pick & place robots: safely guided despite a rotating axis

What was needed?
E2 micro series energy chain, designed as a reverse bend radius energy chain and travelling in a rotation module, supplied ready assembled as a readychain®.

Requirements:
Gentle cable routing to the rotating axis with a high number of cycles, in continuous operation, with 360° rotations in less than a second, speeds of up to 7 m/s and accelerations of up to 60 m/s2.

Success for the customer:
The energy chain with reverse bend radius achieves high rotation angles and, thanks to its extremely low weight, supports the robot's high flexibility and fast movements. The failure rate of the cable leading to the A5-axis has been significantly reduced.

Full functionality in spite of a snowstorm - top drive service loop

For a Canadian oil drilling company, an e-loop energy chain solution from igus® guarantees that the top drive, which lowers the drill pipe into the earth and pulls it out again, is always safely and reliably supplied with energy and signals even after heavy storms.

Industry: Automotive industry

Multidimensional triflex® energy chain allows complex movements of assembly robots

What was needed?
triflex® R energy supply systems.

Requirements:
Reliable energy supply system that also flexibly supports complex movements in all axes; movements mean strong twisting, yet the energy supply must not tear or kink; in addition, simple installation and the price-performance ratio were important to the customer.

Success for the customer:
The triflex® R offers high flexibility and cable protection for complex movements in all eleven robots, which also increases the service life; it is also impact-resistant, dirt-repellent, robust, abrasion-resistant and swarf-resistant; the modular design enables cost-saving assembly and disassembly.

Industry: Building material manufacturing

Cable guidance for dust and dirt

What was needed?
E4.1 energy chain; E4/4 energy chain; pre-assembled readychain®

Requirements:
The environment in the production of concrete and sand-lime bricks is characterised by large amounts of dirt, sand and splash water. The cable ducts therefore had to be extremely stable and reliable. Quick and easy to install systems with a high level of user-friendliness were also important.

Success for the customer:
The robust e-chain system® E4.1 and E4/4 provide the machine specialist with safety despite abrasive dust and dirt. They also have a modular design and are particularly easy to install.

Industry: Automotive

Intelligent breakage monitoring in a 22-ton automotive driving simulator

Which smart plastics technology is used?
P4.1 roller chain, i.Sense EC.B, chainflex cables

Why is it used?
Increase in plant safety and availability; complete project implementation from a single source; smart early warning system.

Industry: Automation machine tool

Automated loading of machining centres with the help of harnessed energy chains

What was needed?
Reliable solution for the automated loading of the MH HEIDI machining centre.

Requirements:
Space-saving solution and small bending radii, high load capacity, dynamics.

Success for the customer:
Time savings during assembly, reliable machine operation in automatic mode thanks to the ready-to-install cable assembly system.

Industry: Crane

Complete smart plastics package on RMG crane

Which smart plastics technology is used?
Condition monitoring: EC.P for determining push/pull forces, EC.B for detecting chain breaks, CF.P for measuring tensile force on cables, EC.M sensor for movement data, and EC.W for measuring abrasion on the energy chain. Predictive maintenance: i.Cee:local.

Why is it used?
For maximum system protection, overview, maintenance management, product service life, and safety.

Industry: Aerial work platforms

Safe and reliable energy supply in lifting work platforms with readychain®

What was needed?
Ready-to-install cable assembly system solution.

Requirements:
Harsh environmental conditions, long unsupported length.

Success for the customer:
The ready-to-install, pre-assembled energy chains can be replaced quickly during maintenance work and no assembly work is required.

Industry: Packaging machines

Cable monitoring for bread packaging machinery

Which smart plastics technology is used?
CF.Q = Cable monitoring. 

Why is it used?
At 80 cycles per minute, several million cycles are reached within just a few months. Of course, the machine should operate for many years without failing. CF.Q does not lengthen the service life of the cables but can calculate their exact service life and thus makes maintenance 100% predictable.

e-spool® in the igus® test lab

Take a look inside the igus test lab at the extensive testing of our e-spool® cable carrier system!

Industry: Automotive

Austrian automotive parts supplier uses smart plastics

Which smart plastics technology is used?
EC.B sensor for breakage monitoring + EC.W for measurement of the abrasion along the e-chain®.

Why is it used?
For the customer, it is important that subsequent damage to the equipment be prevented in the event of chain breakage. The EC.B module detects a breakage in the energy chain and switches the equipment off or at least indicates a fault. By means of the EC.W sensor, the abrasion along the e-chains is measured, as a result of which maintenance is predictable.

Industry: Photovoltaic plants

Multiaxial movements in photovoltaic plant

Strong UV radiation, heat, wind, dust: solar plants have to operate under extreme environmental conditions. igus offers different and customised solutions that meet these exact requirements. Our motion plastics are absolutely ideal with their long service life, freedom from maintenance, lubrication and low costs. Application scenarios for dirt-resistant and lubrication-free plain and spherical bearings are:

• Tracking systems,
• Floating photovoltaic plants (floating PV) 
• Cleaning systems.

Industry: Wastewater and sewage treatment plants

Smart sensors in sewage treatment plant pipelines prevent failures before they occur.

Which smart plastics technology is used?
EC. P pull force monitoring system for the energy chain.

Why is it used?
The EC. P module is used to shut down the plant in an emergency so that the damage can be rectified or total damage is avoided.

e-spool® flexible cables in stage technology

Failure of stage technology, such as the cables and cable reels, is not an option. “The show must go on,” as they say. And more importantly, the safety of the actors and audience depends on reliable and fail-safe technology.

Industry: Transport

Condition monitoring in train washing station

Which smart plastics technology is used?
EC.M motion sensor, EC.W abrasion sensor, EC.B breakage sensor, i.Cee:plus for the evaluation of sensor data, i.Cee:net for the transfer of data to the i.Cee dashboard.

Why is it used?
The purpose of condition monitoring of the built-in components is to ensure that, if damage occurs, the machine is shut down, whereby the predictive maintenance system provides an optimum maintenance plan.

Industry: Packaging

CF.Q condition monitoring can prevent failure of machines with high output

Which smart plastics technology is used?
E4.1L e-chains® and chainflex® cables pre-assembled as a readychain, CF.Q isense sensors, Module Connect connector.

Why is it used?
The i.Sense sensors with CF.Q module detect core ruptures before they occur and save the user high downtime costs.

Industry: Crane

Complete indoor crane automation thanks to i.Sense and i.Cee

Which smart plastics technology is used?
Complete smart plastics package with i.Sense - condition monitoring and i.Cee - predictive maintenance.

Why is it used?
Real-time control over the condition of the automatic crane's energy supply system and significant reduction of the risk of failure.

e-spool® in the fly loft

Trouble-free operation in lighting equipment
Ten igus® e-spool® systems have been installed on the fly walk of the mobile gallery at the Cultural and Congress Center in Torun, Poland. They provide the necessary flexibility for the given space in every case.

Bucket wheel excavators

The e-loop® is used in a bucket wheel excavator made by Holcim (Germany) GmbH. The modular system made of high-performance plastic always enables a defined bend radius and can handle vibration and impacts. Instead of the planned eight hours of installation time, work with the e-loop was completed after just four hours.

Industry: Gantries and linear robots

Smart maintenance planning for linear robot

Which smart plastics technology is used?
EC.M sensor for motion data and EC.W sensor for measuring abrasion on the energy chain.

Why is it used?
The two sensors transmit the measured values via the i.Cee module directly to the Güdel condition monitoring system, which evaluates the data, making maintenance predictable.

Industry: Cranes

Smart move: Rolling instead of hauling on a bunker crane

Which smart plastics technology is used?
Heavy Duty roller energy chains with the smart i.Sense condition monitoring system.

Why is it used?
Intelligent, reliable supply of power and signals under extreme adverse environmental conditions.

Industry: Cranes

Smart shipyard crane: Functionally reliable despite typhoons

Which smart plastics technology is used?
Roller energy chains with EC.P push/pull force detection that monitors the displacement forces of the energy chains online.

Why is it used?
To prevent failures and damage to the system by means of predictive maintenance or remote intervention.

Top Drive System

The e-loop® modular energy chain system is being used in a drilling rig in the oil and gas industry. The igus® e-loop® has made it possible to improve the service life of the drilling rig and considerably reduce costs. In addition, the cables in the mast can no longer become tangled.

Industry: Cleanroom

ESD retraction systems ideal for dry cleanroom

ESD components made of conductive and dissipative high-performance polymers are used to protect people and machines from the consequences of electrostatic discharge. Whether during work with sensitive electronics components, in machines with delicate parts or in potentially explosive environments with a lot of dust or gases - wherever friction can contribute to sparking, a special protection against electrostatic discharge is essential. igus® offers a wide range of wear-resistant components made of anti-static materials which, thanks to the incorporated solid lubricants and their special composition, have an especially long service life and considerably reduce the amount of maintenance work needed.

Industry: Cranes

Twelve ship-to-shore cranes with smart heavy-duty energy chains

Which smart plastics technology is used?
E4/4 Heavy Duty energy chains with the smart i.Sense condition monitoring system.

Why is it used?
To prevent damage and downtime in the demanding application environment.

Industry: Bulk handling

Smart push/pull force detection system as a dirt detector

Which smart plastics technology is used?
i.Sense EC.P as a system cleaning reminder.

Why is it used?
"If the chain's travel is too impaired by dust and dirt, the pull/push force detection shuts the system down before damage occurs, and we know it's time to clean the chain's travel again."

Industry: Bulk handling

Longest travel with intelligent roller chain system

Which smart plastics technology is used?
i.Sense EC.P for permanent monitoring of the plant.

Why is it used?
The system includes an intelligent sensor system for monitoring the pull/push forces, which can be used for an emergency shutdown in the event of increased forces.

Industry: Bulk handling

615m travel with continuous condition monitoring

Which smart plastics technology is used?
5050RHD rol e-chain with i.Sense condition monitoring system.

Why is it used?
Trouble-free operation without failure for more than ten years.

Industry: Composting and incineration plants

Reducing costs with smart e-chains in a waste crane

Which smart plastics technology is used?
Completely harnessed readychain system with i.Sense Push/Pull Detection System.

Why is it used?
i.Sense push/pull force measurement also provides additional safety, monitoring the entire system and shutting down the crane if it becomes overloaded. This prevents damage to the chain and cables and thus costly failures, reacting to them before they can occur.

Industry: Composting and incineration plants

Total networking in the indoor crane

A large German crane manufacturer uses the i.Sense condition monitoring system to ensure an optimum production process. It uses the EC.B break detection, EC.P push/pull force monitoring, and CF.P chainflex® tensile force monitoring products. All dynamic data is saved by the i.Cee module and processed. Here, machine learning and AI algorithms calculate the service life and display it on a web dashboard on the i.Cee dashboard on any internet-enabled device as "days until the next recommended maintenance work."

Industry: Bulk handling

Safe bulk material conveying with sensor-equipped energy chain

Which smart plastics technology is used?
i.Sense EC.P for continuous monitoring of prevailing push/pull forces.

Why is it used?
In order to provide additional planning security for such dimensions, the entire cable guide is supplemented with smart plastics – intelligent sensors in combination with energy chains. Damage to the cable guide can thus be countered well before it occurs.

Industry: Composting and incineration plants

Predictive maintenance solutions in a cushion factory

Which smart plastics technology is used?
E4-series energy chains with i.Cee for predictive maintenance.

Why is it used?
Provides the highest availability with maintenance recommendations to prevent unplanned failures. The result: fifteen years of continuous operation already.

Industry: Automotive

i.Cee predictive maintenance in automotive industry

In automotive production, the conveyor belt never stops. Collaborating robot arms for assembly and welding work are in continuous use, as are all the components that supply them with energy and data. It is precisely in such environments that intelligent concepts in the style of predictive maintenance make the most sense. Whether a new project for Industry 4.0 or efficiency-driven retrofitting - our smart plastics solutions are available as universal modular systems and can be individually adapted to any system.

Cleanroom

igus® has been among the frontrunners when it comes to manufacturing cable carrier systems for cleanroom environments and applications. igus® supplies a wide range of IPA-tested e-chains® that are easy to install and allow for machine-specific cable carriers in cleanrooms. Since the quality requirements demanded by customers and by test standards for cleanroom technology are constantly growing, igus® is continuously working on improving its products.

Bulk material handling & mining

Bulk material systems must function reliably under rough and dirty working conditions and in harsh weather conditions. We offer plastic components for bulk material technology that can do just that and are particularly characterised by their resilience and long service life. This includes e-chains®, cables and hoses that are used, for example, in bucket wheel excavators, ship loaders, portal scrapers, wagon tippers, conveyor belts, silos, and hoppers. Our components are also used in mining equipment.

Construction machinery

igus® offers durable cable management solutions guaranteed to last up to 4 years. e-chain® cable carriers are resistant to dirt, dust, shock, vibration, corrosion and UV rays. They can withstand loads of up to 403 lbs/ft. Explore more of our products and how they can be used in heavy-duty construction machinery.

Port & terminal cranes

For over 30 years, high-strength plastic e-chain® cable carriers have been trusted and proven on thousands of port and terminal cranes worldwide. While unforgiving environmental factors such as high winds, UV rays, saltwater and extreme temperatures can cause traditional cable management systems such as festoons to fail, energy chain cable carriers are able to withstand the harshest conditions while operating reliably.

EOT and indoor cranes

igus® e-chain® cable carriers are a durable and cost-effective alternative to busbars, festoons and cable reels. e-chain® systems are engineered with high-performance plastics and have space-saving designs, allowing for easy mounting either directly to the crane or on top.

EOT and indoor cranes

igus® e-chain® cable carriers are a durable and cost-effective alternative to busbars, festoons and cable reels. e-chain® systems are engineered with high-performance plastics and have space-saving designs, allowing for easy mounting either directly to the crane or on top.

Offshore, oil & gas

Machinery used in offshore oil and gas extraction faces extreme conditions, including saltwater, dirt, vibration, temperature fluctuations, mechanical stress and explosion risk, where downtime is costly. igus® e-chains provide the durability and reliability needed for continuous, failsafe operation across wind power plants, drilling vessels and oil rigs. With engineering expertise and ready‑to‑install systems tailored for offshore environments, igus® delivers complete solutions using chainflex® cables certified to DNV/GL and NEK standards for maximum safety and performance.

Stage & theatre

Stage and theatre equipment is complex, with various moving parts, space restrictions, and a focus on visual appeal. To support this area of application, igus has developed a variety of e-chain® products focused on making the cable management of theatre equipment simpler, easier, and more aesthetically pleasing.