igus launches energy chain with 600-degree rotation for industrial robots
By
The Robot Report Staff
|
August 3, 2026
The new power chain is designed for industrial applications such as palletizing. Source: igus
Motion plastics leader igus GmbH has announced a new self-supporting twisterchain energy chain that it said delivers reliable cable management through rotation angles of more than 600° on compact industrial robots.
This rotary module sits in a sag around the robot base. As the robot rotates, it lifts step by step to a new level, enabling full 360° rotation without colliding with the connector plate, igus explained.
Cologne, Germany-based igus develops and produces motion plastics. These lubrication-free, high-performance polymers improve technology and reduce costs wherever things move.
igus said it is the worldwide market leader in
energy supplies
, highly flexible cables, and plain and linear bearings, as well as lead-screw technology made of tribo-polymers. The
company
is represented in 31 countries and employs 4,600 people across the globe. In 2022, igus generated a
turnover
of €1.15 billion ($1.32 billion U.S.).
igus energy chain addresses two robotics challenges
igus said its new
twisterchain product
solves two challenges for robotics. The first involves compact robots, which handle screwing, gluing,
assembly
, and pick-and-place tasks but have long lacked reliable energy supply along the fast-rotating first axis.
The second arises on the fifth axis of
palletizing
robots, where uncontrolled corrugated hoses often collide with the tool. In both cases, the new chain’s defined movement on two levels lets power and data cables safely follow full rotations, even with highly dynamic motion profiles, according to igus.
Because the energy chain system is self-supporting, installation requires only two connection points. There is no need for costly guide troughs or complicated alignment, the company claimed.
The chains open at the inner radius for easy cable insertion and offer flexible interior separation with removable shelves, said igus. They also include adjustable pretension that can be tuned precisely to cable weight and rotation angle for maximum repeatability.
The
company
listed key features of the new twisterchain:
Rotation angle of over 600°
Unsupported design — no guide trough or trough system required
Chain can be opened on the inner radius for easier cable insertion
Cables easily accessible for servicing
Shelves included for separating cables or hoses
Axis 1: base of small
industrial
robots; mountable on the floor or a raised plinth
Axis 5: palletizing and handling robots; mountable on robot arm or end-of-arm tool
Recyclable at end of life through igus recycling program
igus works to expand offerings
“Research in the industry’s largest test laboratories constantly yields innovations and more security for users,” said igus. About 234,000 articles are available from stock, and the service life can be calculated online.
In recent years, the company, which has U.S. headquarters in Rumford, R.I., has expanded by creating internal startups. For example, it has units for ball bearings, robot drives, 3D printing, the
RBTX
platform for Lean Robotics and intelligent “smart plastics” for Industry 4.0.
To support
sustainability
, igus has invested in the “change” program for recycling used e-chains. It also participates in an enterprise that produces oil from plastic waste.
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