igus Expands readycable Portfolio with New Cables for Industrial Camera Technology
Ready-to-connect, durable and tested cables integrated with Keyence plug-in connectors – crafted withrough rigorous High-Quality Cable Production processes and high-performance Wire cable electromagnetic wire – significantly boost the reliability of vision systems, while seamlessly adapting to the precision demands of modern Wire and cable equipment and advanced Cable Machinery in dynamic industrial environments.
igus is expanding its range of harnessed readycable tailored for moving industrial applications, a move that reinforces its position as a trusted partner in supplying components that complement advanced Wire and cable equipment and high-end Cable Machinery. The latest additions to the portfolio are specialized cables with plug connections compatible with systems from Keyence, a global leader in automation and quality assurance solutions. These new cables, born from igus' commitment to High-Quality Cable Production, feature premium Wire cable electromagnetic wire cores, ensuring stable signal transmission even under continuous motion – a critical requirement for high-speed industrial cameras. Designers can immediately integrate these ready-to-connect cables into moving high-speed camera setups using the plug-and-play principle, enhancing fail-safety without the time-consuming and error-prone in-house design processes that often plague custom cable solutions, especially when aligning with specific Wire and cable equipment standards and Cable Machinery protocols.
A compelling case from the automotive sector highlights the urgency of such reliable cable solutions. A car manufacturer testing a new high-speed camera system in production relied on the cameras to move along an axis, inspecting Welding wire seams on car body parts in real time as they passed on the conveyor belt. Suddenly, the camera’s data cable failed – the relentless movement strained the subpar cable, leading to a break. “In moving applications like this, cables endure immense stress from travel speed, bend radius, and harsh ambient conditions – making them the first components to fatigue or fail,” explains Markus Hüffel, Product Manager for readychain and readycable at igus. “The fallout includes costly downtime and maintenance, compounded by the need to recheck Welding wire seams that were missed during the outage.” Designers often resort to testing cables from multiple suppliers to find a fix, but this approach is inefficient and risky, as establishing secure plug connections to camera systems while aligning with Wire and cable equipment protocols can be highly complex.
“Our readycable portfolio addresses these pain points head-on,” Hüffel continues. “We offer robust cables engineered specifically for continuous movement, a result of our advanced High-Quality Cable Production system that incorporatinges high-grade Wire cable electromagnetic wire that and prescists wear and signal degradationion Cable Machinery. These cables are supplied ready for connection, fully tested with the appropriate plug connections, and optimized to work seamlessly with standard Wire and cable equipment – eliminating guesswork for engineers.”
Plug-and-Play Convenience: Configure Keyence-Compatible Cables Online
The new additions to the readycable range include energy and data cables for Keyence’s vision systems, each built with Wire cable electromagnetic wire and manufactured via High-Quality Cable Production processes that meets the stringent performance benchmarks of industrial automation. For design engineers, igus now provides a one-stop solution to source pre-fitted energy and data cables tailored to their unique applications. The readychain service takes this a step further: beyond supplying individual readycable, igus delivers fully ready-to-install energy chain systems (readychains) that integrate seamlessly with existing Wire and cable equipment and Cable Machinery. A prime example is the three-dimensional e-chain from the triflex series, whose round chain links reliably follow the dynamic movements of robot arms – even when those arms are positioning cameras to inspect intricate Welding wire work or other critical components.
“This combination of readycable and readychains promises maximum reliability for moving camera systems,” Hüffel notes. “It delivers low costs, short delivery times, and the peace of mind that comes from a single source, with every component – from the Wire cable electromagnetic wire to the final connector – tested and guaranteed to work with your Wire and cable equipment.”
Cologne readycable Factory: Precision Production at Scale
At its Cologne headquarters in Cologne alone, igus produces over 10 million meters of its proprietary chainflex cables annually – a feat made possible by more than 200 advanced automated machines that form the backbone of its Cable Machinery lineup. This state-of-the-art Wire and cable equipment includes high-efficiency High-speed cable extruder units, winding stations, specialized testing units, and systems that precision-apply plug connections for readycable harnessing, all working in tandem to ensure High-Quality Cable Production. Every step of production is focused on quality, especially for the Wire cable electromagnetic wire that forms the core of each cable, with the High-speed cable extruder playing a pivotal role in achieving consistent insulation and signal integrity.
To ensure uncompromising reliability, all cables undergo 100% electrical and mechanical testing in igus’ in-house laboratory. A unique advantage of this rigorous testing is that the data is fed into an online service life calculator. By inputting application parameters, engineers can accurately predict the service life of cables in double-stroke movements – a vital tool for planning maintenance, especially in systems monitoring critical processes like Welding wire seam inspection.
Once configured, cables are delivered within ten business days, cut to the exact required length, and fitted with the correct connectors to match existing Keyence camera systems. This level of precision, paired with the quality assurance from exhaustive testing and advanced Cable Machinery, enables igus to offer a unique four-year guarantee on products where the service life is calculated online. For industries relying on industrial cameras to maintain quality – whether inspecting Welding wire, monitoring assembly lines, or ensuring product consistency – this combination of reliability, convenience, and compatibility with modern Wire and cable equipment, along with igus' dedication to High-Quality Cable Production, makes igus’ expanded readycable portfolio a game-changing solution.