Fast cable replacement: energy chain for high-performance gliders

• What was needed: plastic-energy chain
• Requirements: We were looking for a space-saving cable routing system that would enable quick and easy replacement in the event of a cable break.
• Industry: Aerospace, aviation
• Success for the customer: The e-chain® has the perfect dimensions for this application and still offers enough space for additional cables. By simply opening the chain solution, it is no longer necessary to re-route the entire cable set if a single cable is damaged.

The high-performance glider "Quintus M" from Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH is a self-launching "open class" aeroplane for competition, record and pleasure flights. For the instrumentation of high-performance gliders, various data cables, power supplies and pneumatic hoses must be routed from the fuselage into the forward-folding instrument panel. These were previously routed using a hose, which on the one hand led to a space problem with the increasing number of data cables and on the other hand caused difficulties during servicing when new cables had to be pulled through. Furthermore, if the hose was damaged, the entire cable set had to be re-routed as it could not simply be replaced.

One of our plastic-energy chains was therefore selected for the prototype for the bundle of data cable, power supply and pneumatic hose, as it offered several advantages over the previously used hose solution: For example, the customer was able to adapt the installation height precisely to the available space. And even after installing the chain solution, there was still enough space available in the installation area. The simple opening mechanism of the e-chain® enables quick and easy "insertion" of the cable. This means that service work in the event of cable breakages can be carried out quickly and cost-effectively by quickly opening the cable guide and simply inserting or replacing the cable. The plastic chain always offers the necessary flexibility to follow the path of the cover when open and closed.