Part 4: 6 Key factors affecting the design of drag chains

In episode 4 of the topic "Drag chains - Solutions for future motion applications", Mr. Bilal Ismail - Area Sales Manager for Asia (minus China) of EKD Systems shared about 6 key factors affecting the design of drag chains. This topic is important because by understanding the above factors, you can ensure that the product you choose is the most optimal solution for your project.

According to Mr. Bilal Ismail, EKD Systems provides plastic drag chains, called Kolibri. Essentially, these products are made up of solidly molded parts or single parts, some additional parts, and accompanying moving parts. In addition, the company offers larger cable chains, called PKK. These products are usually made up of four main parts. In addition, EKD Systems also provides hybrid drag chains (products made of plastic and with aluminum cross bars) and high-titanium 316 stainless steel.

With a diverse product portfolio of drag chains designed from a variety of materials, you can easily choose the right product for each specific application. For example, in normal production environments, plastic chains are often preferred because of their compactness, but in extreme conditions with high temperatures, steel drag chains are the more optimal choice because of their ability to be resistant to high temperatures and durable over time.

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Nowadays, some production environments will require corresponding drag chains with the right features to ensure efficiency and product life. In this case, we at EKD Systems research and work with the customers to come up with a custom-designed product that meets the customer's technical requirements.

To be able to custom design by technical requirements, Mr. Bilal Ismail shared that 6 essential factors that EKD Systems always care about include:

• Filling

First, we need to know which cables will be installed into the chain. Besides, you need to determine some information such as cable type, number of cables, cable size, and type of cable's outer sheath.

• Bending radius:

What bending radius do you need? We need to know this parameter because, during the movement, the drag chains and the cables inside will also be bent periodically. Therefore, only by having the bending radius of the drag chain and cables inside, can we know the exact length of the drag chain required.

• Speed and Acceleration

You need to know how long it takes the chain to complete one movement and how much acceleration it will take. From there, engineers can calculate and design the corresponding drag chains to reduce damage when moving continuously with high frequency.

• Movement distance

The distance traveled by the drag chain also needs to be clarified before going into design. By knowing the length of distance, the chain needs to travel, we at EKD Systems can customize the chain line to be more suitable and faster.

• Form of movement

The form of motion also affects the selection of the appropriate type of drag chain. You should know if the application requires linear, oscillating, vertical, or circular motion. This is important information affecting the design and installation.

• Installation environment

The installation environment of the drag chain also affects the product life, especially the choice of materials. The operating environment of the drag chain is dusty, the temperature is too high or too low, the drag chain needs to be used outdoors or indoors, the cable chain is in direct contact with abrasive elements or not, etc. When you know this information, you can consider the appropriate product line.

Designing drag chains or customizing them according to customer requirements requires engineers to have a lot of experience. Thus, at EKD Systems, we have engineers dedicated to designing and supporting customers in customizing products according to each requirement. You can be completely assured of choosing the right and optimal products for your project.

Currently, EKD Systems is our subsidiary of HELUKABEL Vietnam. Therefore, we can provide a comprehensive solution for you including specialized cables and diverse models of drag chains. If you need more in-depth advice on cable products or drag chains, please contact our engineers for quick support.

For more information, please contact:

HELUKABEL® Vietnam

54, Street 1, Cityland, Ward 7, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam

Tel. +84 28 22536441 | info@helukabel.com.vn | www.helukabel.com.vn

SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH OUR ENGINEERS HERE!

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