Robust cable guidance for dynamic Bystronic laser cutting machines

• What was needed: readychain® assembled energy chain, type E6 energy chain
• Requirements: High dynamics of the energy supply solution due to high travelling speeds and accelerations with simultaneous high robustness of the system
• Industry: Machine tool construction
• Success for the customer: Using a Kanban process, the customer receives the ready-to-install energy chain systems just-in-time at the assembly site, which reduces assembly times and eliminates the need for warehousing

The Swiss company Bystronic is a global provider of high-quality solutions for the economical processing of sheet metal, other sheet materials and tubes. Customers benefit from customised systems and services for laser and waterjet cutting and bending.
The universal and flexible Byspeed 3015 laser cutting system for sheet metal formats up to 3 x 1.5 metres has been on the market since 2001. It impresses with its well thought-out concept. The centrepiece is a proprietary drive concept that has enabled the system to advance into the high-end range of laser cutting. The maximum axis acceleration is 30 m/s², the positioning speed 150 m/min. Depending on the laser source, this system can cut steel from 0.5 to 25 mm, stainless steel up to 15 mm and aluminium up to 12 mm. The laser power can be expanded up to 4.4 kW and 5.2 kW laser. The Byspeed 3015 is mainly used by contract manufacturers who process sheet metal for the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, the electrical and electronics industry and apparatus engineering, among others.
However, due to the extremely high dynamic requirements, the energy supply used had to be particularly stable and robust but not too heavy. The chain experiences very high lateral acceleration, especially on the Y-axis. This is where all the factors of physics meet the energy chain, which means pure stress. Space is also at a premium.
The pre-assembled energy supply system is filled with a large number of control and drive cables. The motor cable for the Y-axis is the most important of these. It is the cable with the largest diameter. The international orientation of the laser cutting system plays a major role in the filling process. UL certification of all filling components is extremely important for Bystronic.

The pre-assembled readychain® energy supply systems from igus® are used. As a system supplier, igus® has been supplying Bystronics standard models with energy chains for a long time, but this laser cutting machine is the first time they have been used. Here, the machine manufacturer was able to obtain everything from a single source, and igus® was also in charge of the complex assignment of the energy supply system as part of the development of the Byspeed.
The permissible bend radius of the drive cable, including the UL certification of all components, is truly unique in this application. As a supplier, igus® was able to make an improvement with the UL certification and replaced the corresponding motor cable with a protective conductor wire so that the filling now completely fulfils the requirements of the UL standard.
In addition to the technical benefits, there are also a number of economic advantages to using the pre-assembled energy supply systems. For technical changes, Bystronic has only one contact person. igus® is represented worldwide, so that the machine manufacturer always has a contact on site at its subsidiaries in America or Asia. The knowledge of the industry experts who provide support pays off in this challenging project. The ever-advancing technology of the energy chain must be conveyed in constant dialogue with customers.
The CEO of igus® Schweiz GmbH, Artur Peplinski, reports: "As this application involves extremely strong lateral acceleration, the cables to the Z-axis were able to slip. We have reduced this with a new interior separation so that the entire energy supply now runs smoothly. This is simply a matter of experience. The short route on site has paid off here!"