MechChem Africa April 2020

⎪ Automation, process control, instrumentation and CAE ⎪

German manufacturer and distributor, igus GmbH has developed the twisterband HD, a cable management system that safely and reliably guides cables and hoses for energy, data and media, during rotary movements of up to 7 000°. twisterband HD for rotary motion in very small spaces

the tests.Because of its modular structure, the energy supply system can be lengthened or shortened as desired. The cables can be inserted in the guidance systemeasilyandcanbe replacedor extended at any time, creating a further advantageover slip rings. The twisterband HD series is cur- rently available directly from stock in a total of four sizes with an outer diameter of 140 to 500 mm. q

H igh rotation speeds and a small installation space often mean that energy cables, data cables and hoses are subjected to a great deal of stress. With the long service life and success of igus’ twisterband series, the company has nowadded two newsizes to the twisterband HD product range, intended for small installation spaces. Compact and reliable solutions are fre- quently required in the case of small instal- lation spaces such as machine tools. The lightweight energy chain of the twisterband HD chain is stable, easy to fill and can cope with rotating speeds of up to 180° a second, rotating on its own axis. The energy supply series is already being used successfully in woodworking machines as well as in workpiece positioners in the automotive industry. With the twisterband, rotary movements of up to 7 000° are possible on the horizontal plane and 3 000° on the vertical plane, in an extremely small space, at speeds of up to 180 degrees per second. Slip rings can be replaced in the case of a limited rotation angle. Different media lines as well as bus cables or even fluids can be guidedwithonesystemeasily,cost-effectively and without interruption. The inner compact heights of the new sizes are 11 and 18 mm, optimal for very small installation spaces such as rotary tables or in robots. The twisterband HD is very slim, light and fits closely around its own axis of rotation. The energy chain consists of individual links that canbe connected toeachother bymeans of a pin-and-hook principle. This results in a defined bend radius and ensures greater stability. The energy supply solution is made of maintenance-free tribo-polymers into which a fibreglass-reinforced material has been worked. As a result, the twisterband HD has a longer service life. Therobustenergychainhasdemonstrated its long service life in igus’ own 3 800 m 2 test laboratory. In conjunction with chainflex cables, which are designed for motion, the twisterband HD achieved long service life in Special technical design characteristics

Rotate energy, data and media safely and without interruption in extremely small spaces with the new compact sizes of the twisterband HD from igus.

Wika top-mounted level indicator WIKA’s model UTN top-mounted level indicators are used for continuous indication of the filling level. The functional principle is based on a magnet connected to a float transmitting the level –without an additional supply volt - age – to an indicator bar that consists of magnetic rollers or flaps. The level indicator consists of a measuring chamber, a float with guide rod and a magnetic system. The mounting onto the vessel is made via appropri- ate process connections (flanged or threaded). In addition, various magnetic switches and level sensors can be fitted as additional accessories. The permanentmagnetic system, which is connected to the float via a guide rod, transmits the liquid level measured in the vessel by the float, contact-free, to the magnetic display mounted to the outside of the measuring chamber. In this magnetic display, there are red/white plastic rollers or stainless- steel flaps with bar magnets fitted at 10 mm intervals. The magnetic rollers or flaps are turned 180° through the walls of the measuring chamber for an increasing level fromwhite to red and for a falling level from red to white. This allows the magnetic display to indicate the level of a vessel as a red column, without power supply. q

April 2020 • MechChem Africa ¦ 19