What is a control cable?- Part 1

There are so many different types of cables so we are going to do blogs on all the different types to try and give an insight into the cable world. Starting with control cables.

Have you heard of control cables?  Do you know where and why they are used? Let’s find out and discover what is a control cable?

What is a control cable?

Control cables are used in moving applications.  The main purpose of a control cable is to measure, regulate and control transmissions. These cables transmit continually switching statuses and control signals between a transmitter and a receiver. Control cables from igus® are ideally suited wherever cables are subjected to increased loads due to movement, torsion or harsh environmental conditions.

Control cable applications and considerations

There are many varied cable applications. These include:

• Assembly Lines
• Robotics
• Power distribution

Control cables are available for most mechanical requirements and are available with various approvals and conformity. Depending on the type of control cable required, they can be torsion-resistant, suitable for narrow radii and very low temperatures, UV-resistant, flame-retardant or halogen-free.

Flexibility is also a key consideration when choosing a control cable.  It is important to understand how the control cable will need to react in relation to flexibility.  For example, cables that will be continuously flexed in process automation can require different constructions compared to a cable that simply needs to be flexible so that it can be routed in a product correctly and still function properly.

Control cables from igus®

Control cables from igus® are specifically designed to provide long-lasting service with little or no maintenance. As with all igus® products, the chainflex® control cables are predominately used in moving applications and due to the technical properties of the igus® control cables, they are suited for applications where there is a high demand on the jacket and/or cable cores.

Testing and research for us has always been a priority. This allows us to offer services online to help customers calculate the minimum number of strokes for their specified cable.

All chainflex® cables are thoroughly tested under extreme loads in the igus® test laboratory. For over 25 years, we have been working to optimise the service life of our products and ensure we can predict service life more accurately.

What are the types of control cables?

Every application is different, every production facility is different and every requirement is different. The need for more complex features to cope with extreme environmental conditions is growing year on year. There are now applications where the cables must withstand aggressive environments, and this can put a toll on the cable. To be able to offer suitable control cables for these specific environments, igus® has spent many years testing, researching and advancing technologies, ensuring we can offer suitable cable materials.

Along with the advancement in technology, the cable structure has also had to advance. The corkscrew effect is not an option, so a cable with cores wound in layers is no longer sufficient. To protect against cable break or corkscrews igus® has made flexible control cables that are durable, dependable and ideally suited for energy chain movement.

What is a control cable with igus®? 

The chainflex® cable jacket materials are specially designed and adapted for moving applications. The variety of jacket materials allow particular levels of protection for the cable from adverse environmental conditions. To ensure this protection, the chainflex® control cables are available in jacket materials made of PVC, TPE, PUR or iguPUR, all of the materials offer different properties. All igus® control cables are available in both shielded and unshielded versions and can be installed together with other cables.

These can be purchased alongside our chainflex® cable case, a new innovation which reduces costs in delivery, saves storage space and is fitted with a QR code for easy reordering. To read more about this visit https://blog.igus.co.uk/the-igus-chainflex-case-the-cost-effective-innovative-storage-solution

Hopefully this helps answer “what is a control cable?” for you but for more information on chainflex® cables please visit https://www.igus.co.uk/info/unharnessed-cables-information-overview