Igus introduces safe energy chain systems for cars

As vehicles globally get more electrified there is an increasing need for energy chain solution that can guide cables safely in seating systems, wipers or electric sliding doors, among others. German energy chain systems and polymer component Igus, has developed energy chain solutions that can guide cables safely even in the smallest of installation spaces. The company showcased its new offering ‘e-chain E2 micro’ and ‘e-chains of the E2C.10 and E2C.15 series’.

There is a growing need from vehicle owners along with new-trends in autonomous driving and EVs. At the same time, the stress on electronics in vehicles, for example, is also increasing with car sharing that requires safe and reliable energy supply.

According to Forsa a German market research company’s survey, one in three motorists spends more than an hour in the car on a business day. It further states that the trend shows that this will continue to increase in the coming years due to increasing mobility.

The consequence is an increasing intelligent electrification of vehicles, whether in window lifters, wipers, tailgates and cornering lights or in seat systems and sliding doors, control systems in the centre console, displays and loudspeakers. Current trends for the future, such as autonomous driving and e-mobility, also require more and more cables, along with the need for safe and lightweight energy supply systems.

New stress on electronic systems

The electronic systems in the automobile nowadays have to withstand new stresses. In the globally growing car sharing concept, for example, the door must be unlocked autonomously by means of a chip before each journey. The requirements for autonomous door systems are therefore increasing from a standard 200,000 opening and closing cycles to 500,000 cycles. The number of seat and mirror adjustments per day also increases during car sharing and stresses the energy systems. A fail-safe and long-lasting guidance of the moving cables in very small spaces is therefore required.

The company claims that the use of energy chains from igus will be optimal in the above scenarios, due to its ability to protect and guide cables safely even at extreme temperatures. The high-performance plastic from which they are made ensures that they are not only free of corrosion and lubrication, but also very light.

The ‘e-chain E2 micro’ is designed for minimal installation spaces, and is available in various sizes depending on the application. The company claims that with a size of 4.5 millimetre it is the smallest plastic energy chain in the world. While the ‘E2C.10 and E2C.15 series’ is resistant to temperatures of -40 up to +80 degrees Celsius and can implement accelerations of up to 3 m/s².