Connected in seconds: small plug-in cable caterpillar from igus saves 80% assembly time

The plug-in principle of the readychain micro-speed allows quick connection of cable crawler systems in tight installation spaces

The plug-in cable crawler system readychain speed from igus connects assembled cable crawler systems in seconds and without the use of tools. This helps reduce both assembly lead times and machine downtimes and also minimizes scheduled maintenance work. The readychain cable crawler system saves 80% installation time. With the new readychain micro-speed, this is now also possible for very small applications and in particularly tight installation spaces.

No matter what industry, country or company: if a cable in a piece of equipment malfunctions, leading to a machine failure, the resulting downtime and consequential damages can be significant. After all, a few minutes of downtime often costs companies thousands of dollars. With igus' connection-ready readychain speed, the cable track system can be replaced very easily and quickly in such cases and the machine can be put back into operation immediately. For very narrow installation spaces, igus now offers the readychain micro-speed model.

Cables can be quickly replaced, such as a laptop's power cord

With the new readychain micro-speed, igus further expands its portfolio of high-speed plug-in cable crawler solutions. Thanks to its compactness, with a width and internal height of only 20 millimeters each, the system is particularly suitable for applications where space is at a premium, such as door interlocks in machine tools. With readychain micro-speed, there is no need to separate conductors from terminal strips using tools before replacing a cable. This is because the connectors are integrated into the cable assembly and the cable is already connected at both ends. Thus, the entire assembly is designed to be pluggable. The counterpiece, an attachment housing with grommet, can be flanged to the machine housing. Now when a change is needed, the cable caterpillar can be replaced as quickly as a laptop's power cord via the plug-in principle - without tools, without know-how, without technicians. Any employee can perform this task without worrying about making mistakes. Markus Hüffel, product manager readychain at igus: "Thanks to this flexibility, the response time in case of failures increases, so that downtimes can be reduced many times over. And that with only a small investment." 

Customized system for individual moving applications

With the readychain micro-speed, customers receive an interface solution tailored precisely to their application. It is virtually freely configurable and, like the larger readychain speed, can be combined with cables from igus' extensive range of chainflex cables - including control cables, bus cables, Ethernet cables and fiber optic cables. Thanks to the cable caterpillar, the cables are protected from mechanical damage. "The necessary connectors, housings and terminals can be planned individually," Hüffel emphasizes. "In this way, the customer gets everything from one source and each cable caterpillar becomes a customized product."