igus Energy Chain Systems on ship-to-shore cranes

Completely reliable even during typhoons

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – April 10, 2008– The Shanghai Waigaogiao Shipbuilding Company (SWS) uses igus® cable management systems on three of its ship-to-shore cranes.

The Chinese company SWS is situated at the southern harbor of the Pudong district in Shanghai, just opposite the Changxingdao port district at the mouth of the Yangtze River. The company has three shipyard cranes equal in size to 30-story high-rise buildings. Each one uses Energy Chain® cable carriers from igus to guide and protect the machine’s moving cables. The Energy Chains—which carry loads of 66 pounds over distances of 590 feet—are impervious to the harsh winds, lashing rain, and saltwater prevalent at the mouth of the Yangtze. The annual, two-month monsoon season leaves components at risk for corrosion, but due to their high-performance polymer construction, the Energy Chain Systems® operate problem-free. Even a typhoon two years ago did not shut down operations.

igus is responsible for the assembly and inspection of the Energy Chain Systems and checks them regularly. The two shipyard cranes, with lifting capacities of 600 to 800 tons, and the 32-ton material crane are supplied with energy and data via low-friction roller Energy Chains, which run inside igus guide troughs made of steel. These cable carriers are designed for high loads and long travels at high speeds. In ship-to-shore applications, travels up to 1,640 feet and speeds topping 19.7 feet-per-second have been achieved. When compared to a gliding Energy Chain, the reduction of the thrust force is close to 75 percent.

SWS also uses Chainflex® continuous-flex cables from igus. Chainflex cables are designed for constant flexing and have a highly wear-resistant TPE outer jacket. They are resistant to UV radiation, corrosion caused by coolants, lubricants and bio-oil and also withstand temperatures from -31° Fahrenheit to +212° Fahrenheit. In 2006, one shipyard crane was equipped with an Energy Chain, Chainflex cables and an additional system component: a 'Push-Pull Force Detection' (PPDS) system from igus. 'PPDS' monitors the sliding forces of the Energy Chains online in order to avoid system damage and failures through preventive maintenance or remote intervention. The system operates twenty-four hours a day and compares the data of the functioning chain system with the permissible values four times a second. Detected malfunctions can be automatically transmitted via SMS or e-mail to a pre-programmed computer to ensure an immediate response. For accident analyses, the data in the system memory can be traced back three months. Instead, SWS saves on storage by not keeping any spare igus parts on-site. These parts can all be found in the 32,292-ft2 igus warehouse in the free trade zone of Waigaoqiao, just 12 miles from the cranes’ location.

Learn more about Energy Chains or Chainflex cables.

About igus
igus Inc., founded in 1985 and based in East Providence, R.I., develops and manufactures industry-leading plastic cable carriers, continuous-flex cables, plastic bearings and linear guide systems. With more than 28,000 products available from stock, the company meets the motion control and machinery component needs of customers worldwide. Product lines include Energy Chain Systems to protect and house moving cables, Chainflex continuous-flex cables, iglide® self-lubricating, oil-free, plastic bearings, DryLin® linear guide systems and igubal® spherical bearings. For more information, contact igus at (800) 521-2747 or visit www.igus.com.

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igus, Energy Chain, Energy Chain System, Chainflex, iglide, DryLin and igubal are registered trademarks of igus Inc. All other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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	Download now Hi-Res/Lo-Res Download now Hi-Res/Lo-Res Download now Hi-Res/Lo-Res View the entire igus photo gallery and get other images and captions for print or online publication! Go now! *For more information about Energy Chain, click here.*		Completely reliable even during typhoons EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – April 10, 2008– The Shanghai Waigaogiao Shipbuilding Company (SWS) uses igus® cable management systems on three of its ship-to-shore cranes. The Chinese company SWS is situated at the southern harbor of the Pudong district in Shanghai, just opposite the Changxingdao port district at the mouth of the Yangtze River. The company has three shipyard cranes equal in size to 30-story high-rise buildings. Each one uses Energy Chain® cable carriers from igus to guide and protect the machine’s moving cables. The Energy Chains—which carry loads of 66 pounds over distances of 590 feet—are impervious to the harsh winds, lashing rain, and saltwater prevalent at the mouth of the Yangtze. The annual, two-month monsoon season leaves components at risk for corrosion, but due to their high-performance polymer construction, the Energy Chain Systems® operate problem-free. Even a typhoon two years ago did not shut down operations. igus is responsible for the assembly and inspection of the Energy Chain Systems and checks them regularly. The two shipyard cranes, with lifting capacities of 600 to 800 tons, and the 32-ton material crane are supplied with energy and data via low-friction roller Energy Chains, which run inside igus guide troughs made of steel. These cable carriers are designed for high loads and long travels at high speeds. In ship-to-shore applications, travels up to 1,640 feet and speeds topping 19.7 feet-per-second have been achieved. When compared to a gliding Energy Chain, the reduction of the thrust force is close to 75 percent. SWS also uses Chainflex® continuous-flex cables from igus. Chainflex cables are designed for constant flexing and have a highly wear-resistant TPE outer jacket. They are resistant to UV radiation, corrosion caused by coolants, lubricants and bio-oil and also withstand temperatures from -31° Fahrenheit to +212° Fahrenheit. In 2006, one shipyard crane was equipped with an Energy Chain, Chainflex cables and an additional system component: a 'Push-Pull Force Detection' (PPDS) system from igus. 'PPDS' monitors the sliding forces of the Energy Chains online in order to avoid system damage and failures through preventive maintenance or remote intervention. The system operates twenty-four hours a day and compares the data of the functioning chain system with the permissible values four times a second. Detected malfunctions can be automatically transmitted via SMS or e-mail to a pre-programmed computer to ensure an immediate response. For accident analyses, the data in the system memory can be traced back three months. Instead, SWS saves on storage by not keeping any spare igus parts on-site. These parts can all be found in the 32,292-ft2 igus warehouse in the free trade zone of Waigaoqiao, just 12 miles from the cranes’ location. Learn more about Energy Chains or Chainflex cables. About igus igus Inc., founded in 1985 and based in East Providence, R.I., develops and manufactures industry-leading plastic cable carriers, continuous-flex cables, plastic bearings and linear guide systems. With more than 28,000 products available from stock, the company meets the motion control and machinery component needs of customers worldwide. Product lines include Energy Chain Systems to protect and house moving cables, Chainflex continuous-flex cables, iglide® self-lubricating, oil-free, plastic bearings, DryLin® linear guide systems and igubal® spherical bearings. For more information, contact igus at (800) 521-2747 or visit www.igus.com. ### igus, Energy Chain, Energy Chain System, Chainflex, iglide, DryLin and igubal are registered trademarks of igus Inc. All other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.