Guide to Cable Carriers

Posted by ustsubaki on | Comments Off on Guide to Cable Carriers

As the designer and manufacturer of the original steel-link cable carrier, Tsubaki understands the global cable carrier market’s needs better than most. Dedicated to improvement and innovation, our team continues to add state-of-the-art Kabelschlepp® cable carrier products to the Tsubaki catalog, routinely offering new solutions for new industries and markets. This article will elaborate on cable carrier functionality, the types of cable carriers available, and the kinds of industrial situations that benefit from cable carriers.

Cable Carrier Basics

Cables used on moving equipment are prone to tangling and damage. If cable tangles and bends or gets caught in the machinery and breaks, it may disable valuable equipment and result in costly downtime for repairs.

Common in machine tools, robotics, conveyors, cranes, and other varied industrial equipment, cable carriers offer cable housing made out of plastic, steel, or various metal alloys that keeps cables well-organized and safe during movement. Versatile in design and type, cable carriers are available in lengths exceeding 1,000 feet, and can be used with cables of virtually any length or size.

Types and Features of Cable Carriers

Cable carriers come in two design types:

  • Open design. Open cable carriers primarily serve to keep cables organized and untangled. These carriers offer good visibility and easy access to the cables.
  • Closed design. Ideal for harsh environments, closed cable carriers protect cables from heavy dust, debris, and other harmful environmental factors that may impede the cable’s functionality or shorten its service life.

Cable carriers offer numerous design options and features, ensuring that potential users can find an ideal carrier for their needs. Some of these include:

  • Armor plating. Reserved for harsh environments, armor-plated carriers resist corrosion and keep out harmful environmental contaminants.
  • Conduit partitions. The addition of horizontal or vertical dividers enables the separation of cables and components to keep them from tangling within the carrier.
  • Metal or plastic. Metal carriers offer robust functionality and longer service life, while plastic carriers are more affordable and easier to replace.
  • Snap-through or feed-through. Adding snap-through or feed-through functionality ensures that any covers or crossbars stay in place while the cable is installed or taken out of the carrier.
  • Removable or hinged crossbars. Removable or hinged covers and crossbars simplify the process of removing or changing cables.
  • Removable links. Removable links make it easy to add or remove links to change the length of the carrier.
  • Strain reliefs. Strain reliefs keep cables in position by locking them into place at either end of the carrier.
  • Zipper-style. The crossbars are connected, so opening one also opens the adjacent crossbar.

Applications of Cable Carriers

Cable carriers see broad usage in virtually any industry that uses cables to transmit power or data on moving equipment. The applications of cable carriers can be subdivided somewhat by the material of the carrier:

  • Plastic cable carriers are more common in industrial automation, robotics, and light-duty industrial equipment.
  • Steel cable carriers are more prevalent in harsh environments or heavier-duty applications like construction equipment, steel and metal forges, or oil and gas drilling operations.

Kabelschlepp Cable and Hose Carriers From Tsubaki

Tsubaki develops and manufactures a comprehensive catalog of dependable power transmission solutions for use in numerous industrial applications. The Tsubaki name has become synonymous with quality and value in state-of-the-art products and technologies used around the world. Our portfolio of cable carriers includes:

  • MONO series
  • QuickTrax® series
  • UNIFLEX Advanced series
  • TKP35 series
  • TKK series
  • PROTUM® series
  • EasyTrax® series
  • K series
  • MASTER series
  • M series
  • TKHD series
  • XL series
  • QUANTUM® series
  • TKR series
  • TKA series
  • MT series
  • XLT series
  • ROBOTRAX® System
  • LS/LSX series
  • S/SX series
  • S/SX Tubes series

Cable carriers perform an essential function in any operation that uses cables within moving machinery. Available in numerous types and materials, we have a Tsubaki Kabelschlepp cable carrier that will ideally suit your needs. To learn more about our cable carriers or for assistance finding the right cable carrier for your needs, please contact us or request a quote today.

Comments are closed