What is a Drag Chain&#;
Also known as drag chain and cable protection chain, it is a product used to protect cables, gas pipes, oil pipes, and water pipes that make reciprocating movements, mainly for protection, storage, and traction. Typically used in industrial automation and robotics applications, it consists of interconnected housings and links that protect wires and cables from damage under conditions of motion and vibration. Drag chains are often installed outside machines or equipment to manage the movement of wires and cables.
Understanding the Composition of Drag Chain
It is generally a combination of links and connectors. Optional accessories are available, such as dividers and comb plates. The links are repeating units, and the travel determines the number of links. The joint contains the moving and fixed ends, which play a fixed role. Specifically divided into the following components:
Housings are commonly crafted from plastic or metal materials, safeguarding wires and cables while providing support and protection for the connections.
Chain links: interconnected components made of plastic or metal, usually flexible and wear-resistant for use in motion and vibration conditions.
Drive Systems: Used to connect drag chains to equipment and are usually made of metal.
Accessories: include connectors, brackets, fixings, etc., for mounting and securing the drag chains.
Drag Chains Used in Various Industries and Applications
Suitable for all occasions of reciprocating motion, linear motors, CNC machine tools, travel cranes, robots, manipulators, lifting equipment, automated warehouses, etc.
Automation equipment: Drag chains can connect all kinds of automation equipment, such as machine tools, robots, automated production lines, etc. It can protect wires and cables and support and protect the equipment.
Electronic equipment: Drag chains can connect various electronic equipment, such as computers, controllers, communication equipment, etc... It protects wires and cables and provides good anti-interference performance.
Motion control systems: Drag chains can connect various motion control systems, such as CNC machine tools, robots, automated storage systems, etc... They can protect the wires and cables and provide good support and protection for the equipment.
Special environment: Drag chains can be used for applications in special environments, such as high temperature, low temperature, high humidity, corrosion, etc. It protects wires and cables and provides good protection and durability.
(1) Long life: Made of high-quality material, it can withstand high load, high speed, and frequent movement, and the imported part can run more than 20 million times.
(2) Multiple installation methods: With multiple installation methods, such as lateral, vertical up, vertical down, etc., it is easy to install. It can quickly put cables and pipelines inside the drag chain, thus reducing installation time and cost.
(3) Adaptable to different motion trajectories and angles: It can meet various running speeds. The fastest speed can reach 20m/s, and acceleration can reach 50m/s², adapt to different motion trajectories and angles, and move under horizontal, vertical, and bending conditions.
(4) Complete size: The drag chain is complete. The minimum inner height is 7mm, the maximum inner height is about 80mm, and the maximum inner width is up to 500mm.
(5) Rich variety: complete variety, including silent type, dust-free type, anti-static type, two-way bending type, three-dimensional movement type for robot needs, etc., to meet different user needs.
The selection and installation steps of the drag chain are as follows:
1&#;Determine the inner height and inner width of the drag chain
Determine the inner height of the drag chain according to the maximum cable diameter or the maximum diameter of other pipelines, and 10-20% space must be left in the direction of height and width to determine the inner width.
2&#;Determine the pipeline arrangement and separation
According to the number and diameter of pipelines, make a suitable arrangement. Heavy or thick pipelines should be placed in the middle, and other pipelines should be placed on both sides and join the separation piece for space separation.
3&#;Determine the bending radius of the drag chain
According to the bending radius required by the pipeline, determine the bending radius of the drag chain. The bending radius of the drag chain must be greater than the minimum radius required by all pipelines, combined with the installation height, to determine the final bending radius.
4&#;Choose the suitable drag chain code
Consider the requirements of the use environment, choose the corresponding drag chain code, choose the dust-free grade, silent grade, etc.
5&#;Determine the number of chain links according to the stroke and bending radius
6&#;Determine whether comb plate joints are needed or not
Select whether comb plate connectors are needed. Comb plates are usually used to fix cables
7&#;Select the suitable installation method
Consider the installation method, such as hanging, supporting, sliding, etc., and choose the suitable installation method to select the suitable drag chain.
Additional, you could contact us for more professional selecting information about drag chains.
Eg. The customer selects the VBD32 series drag chain (pitch P=33.5mm), bending radius R=38mm, stroke s=500mm. Then the drag chain length is calculated as follows:
One &#;When the fixed end is in the middle of the stroke:
Lk=s/2+K=500/2+3.14*38+2*33.5=436.32mm
2&#;When the fixed end is not in the middle of the stroke: For example, the offset &#;M=100mm
Lk=S/2+&#;M+K=500/2+100+3.14*38+2*33.5=536.32mm
3&#;For specific length calculations, please get in touch with us.
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from LIONSHELL.
The relationship between drag chain length and stroke
Stroke S: refers to the maximum distance the moving end of the drag chain moves, the fixed end is the best solution when it is in the middle of the stroke, and the length of the drag chain is selected as the shortest. lk=S/2+K The formula applies to all applications where the fixed end is in the middle of the stroke, except for rotary and long stroke motion.
Secure the connector to the machine sheet metal parts with screws.
1) For non-opening drag chains, thread the tubing first and then secure the drag chain.
2) For the drag chain that can be opened, fix the drag chain first, then pry open the cover and make reasonable arrangements for pipelines.
3) Make sure the running space of the drag chain is reserved according to the actual installation height and the joint height is reserved according to the theoretical installation height.
Disassemble the drag chain:
1) Stop the machine running and power it off.
2) Remove the screws at the end of the drag chain.
3) Remove the screws at the head joint of the drag chain.
4) Remove the fixing screws on both sides of the drag chain and take out the drag chain from the machine.
5) Disassemble the pipeline inside the drag chain as required and mark it well.
Caution:
1) Before installing and removing the drag chain, ensure the machine is stopped and disconnected from power.
2) When installing the drag chain, it must be selected and installed according to the requirements of the use of the drag chain.
3) When disassembling the drag chain, you need to disassemble the pipeline as needed and mark it well so it can be installed correctly in the next installation.
4) When disassembling the drag chain, if you encounter difficulties, you should consult professionals in time to avoid damaging the drag chain or the machine.
1 For the maintenance of the drag chain, the following measures can be taken:
2 regularly check whether there is any loosening of the joint screws to avoid the drag chain falling off or the pipeline being damaged due to the loosening of the screws.
3Check regularly whether the pipeline is tangled; if there is, it needs to be rearranged neatly. The winding of the pipeline may cause the drag chain to jam or run smoothly, and rearranging can avoid this situation.
4 Clean the drag chain regularly to remove the dust and dirt. Because long-term use will lead to the accumulation of dust on the drag chain surface, which will affect the use effect, the drag chain surface should be cleaned regularly.
5 Lubricate the drag chain regularly to reduce its wear and friction and prolong its service life. However, it is necessary to pay attention to using suitable lubricant and lubricate at appropriate time intervals.
6 For the comb plate joint, check the comb plate's fixing regularly and strengthen the fixing to prevent the comb plate from loosening and falling off.
7 Check regularly whether the bending radius of the drag chain meets the requirements to ensure that the drag chain can operate normally and avoid operation failure caused by the bending radius not meeting the requirements.
8 If it is found that the drag chain has been damaged or there is a running failure, it needs to be replaced or repaired in time to ensure the normal operation of the machine. Regularly check whether the joint screws are loose or not.
(1) Collapse:
If the drag chain is found to have collapsed waist during use, you can choose to strengthen the support or customize the drag chain with a gliding function to solve the problem;
Note that when strengthening the support, the support can only be added on one side of the fixed end to avoid adverse effects on the movement of the drag chain.
(2) Too many and too many cables:
If the pipelines are too many or too messy, you can choose to install a separator piece to divide the internal space of the drag chain into multiple spaces to realize the separation of electricity, oil, water, and gas while placing various pipelines neatly;
To ensure the separation effect of the separator, it is necessary to arrange the direction of the pipelines reasonably according to the actual situation to ensure that all kinds of pipelines can pass smoothly.
(3) Installation height:
When installing the drag chain, paying attention to the difference between the theoretical installation height and the actual installation height is necessary. The theoretical installation height refers to the height difference of the joint, while the running space of the drag chain should be reserved according to the actual installation height;
To ensure the accuracy of the installation height, it is recommended to make strict measurements and calculations before installation and choose the appropriate drag chain model and size according to the calculation result.
Equipment name: Linear motor
Design purpose:
To achieve reciprocating motion.
To protect cables from damage or tangling.
Keep the equipment neat.
Parts application description:
Easy installation and removal by fixing with sheet metal parts.
Using drag chains to arrange cables neatly to avoid tangling and damage.
Selecting appropriate drag chain specifications and materials according to actual needs to ensure smooth operation and durability of the drag chain.
Regularly check whether the drag chains and cables are loose or worn, etc., and timely maintain and replace them.
Example case:
A factory uses multiple linear motors in its production line. Since the equipment needs to make frequent reciprocating movements, the cables are prone to tangling and damage, which affects productivity. To solve this problem, the factory introduced a drag chain suitable for linear motors and fixed the drag chain to the machine with sheet metal parts. After using the drag chain, the cable was neatly arranged, reducing damage and tangling, and the production efficiency was significantly improved. The factory also regularly inspects and maintains the drag chains and cables to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.
For more information, please visit cable drag chain.
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