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Compared to cable reels, bus bars or festoon systems, plastic cable carrier systems are an extremely low
maintenance, resilient solution which can reduce required installation space and reduce the length of cable
required by up to 50%. Over the past several years, cable carrier manufacturers have been increasingly
pushing the envelope to develop solutions for higher speeds, harsh environmental conditions, larger loads,
and longer travels to develop solutions for large machinery, including cranes, bridges, and more.
For long cable carrier, or e-chain
®
,
travels, the upper part of carrier rests
on the lower run, gliding partially on the
lower run, and partially on a low-friction
plastic glide bar installed at the same
height. Some carriers, like the P4 series
of e-chains
®
offer integrated rollers which
can greatly reduce the drive power
requirements of a gliding application.
To calculate the required length of a
cable carrier for a gliding application,
assuming the fixed end is in the center of
travel, use the formula Lk = s/2 + K2. In
this case, S = the carrier's travel, and K2
= the length of the curve of the carrier. As
a note, the variable ∆CL is shown in the
diagram shown, which is the mounting
location of the fixed end bracket.
Guide Troughs
Almost all gliding applications utilize a guide trough to increase stability and keep the entire system in place. To
select the ideal guide trough, be sure that the height of the trough is at least twice that of the chain link height, with
chamfered opening to allow the system to glide smoothly. The inner width of the trough should equal to the outer
chain width + 4-5 mm, depending on the type of trough selected.
Designing gliding, long-travel
cable carriers for large machinery
S/2
S/2
S/2
S/2
S
S
R
R
H
Ri
H
1
R R
H
Ri
D2
K2
K2
H2
H2
∆CL
