Steel as a material for energy chains is still going strong, as many satisfied KabelSchlepp customers can attest to due to their trouble-free experience with steel cable carriers in daily operation.
Highly rigid and sturdy, the forefather of all cable chains remains the first and best choice for many applications and what many people don’t know is that steel chains are also maintenance-free.
KabelSchlepp steel carriers can operate in extreme heat and harsh environments
In the realm of engineering, steel is indispensable given its inherent material properties like high strength, heat resistance, durability, and superior impact and corrosion resistance. For use in the design of cable carriers, demanding operational conditions have shown steel to be the best choice. This is why KabelSchlepp has never abandoned and chosen to continuously upgrade its STEEL LINE to the latest specifications, offering time tested and field proven solutions for the most demanding and extreme applications.
Heaviest Duty
Decades of experience in product development and challenging applications have resulted in a sophisticated product offering based on designs that consider extreme and demanding operational conditions. With maximum durability due to steel’s material properties and design features, steel chains can withstand high mechanical stresses, high loads and long unsupported travels. In fact, some larger steel carriers such as KabelSchlepp’s Series S 7000 can bear cable and hose load weights in excess of 500 kg/m over unsupported spans of several meters.
These very capabilities make steel chains indispensable for use in tough environments like tunneling and mining equipment where dirt, debris and even falling rocks are common. Another good application example where steel cable carriers excel is offshore drilling platforms where exposure to sea water, high winds, and UV radiation from direct sunlight pose a challenge. Stainless steel chains are corrosion and UV resistant and thus guarantee a long and maintenance-free operational life in these applications.
KabelSchlepp’s STEEL LINE carriers are available in a standard zinc plated material in addition to the stainless steel versions.
KabelSchlepp designs include chain bands and links with diverse sizes and geometries. Some include features like an open stroke system with self-cleaning properties to reduce wear and increase longevity. KabelSchlepp’s design also allows maintenance and lubrication free operation; STEEL LINE minimizes maintenance downtimes.
Steel carriers can withstand exposure to high heat, harsh chemicals, and radiation
Another key performance factor of steel is its suitability for operation in environments with very high ambient temperatures like those found in metal foundries and steel mills. Dependent on type, KabelSchlepp steel carriers will withstand continuous temperatures of up to 600 °C, and stainless variants can even master peak temperatures of 1000 °C. A range of protective cover options is also available to further protect cables and hoses accordingly.
Temperatures in steel mills are fairly high in general. There is often brief, but high radiant heat from red-hot steel and condensate humidity generated by the process. KabelSchlepp has stainless steel chains fitted to material handling devices in these environments that have been in operation for decades without failure.
In addition to being able to withstand exposure to high heat elements like red-hot chips and weld splatter, steel chains can also withstand harsh chemicals and radiation that would typically damage plastic carriers. Because of this, steel cable and hose carriers are commonly used on material handling robots found in chemical process applications like acid baths or galvanization. They are also used in the nuclear energy industry where high heat and radiation are factors.
In summary – for heavy duty applications in harsh environments, steel is often the very best choice, if not the only choice. For all other applications, the KabelSchlepp product portfolio offers a complete range of plastic or plastic-aluminum hybrid cable management products.