Plug-in connector wins award for igus

Praised by the judges for its innovation, the new igus plug-in connector has been designed to suit limited spaces where a large number of plugged-in cables such as those for fibre, optic, electrics and encoders need to be connected together.

Justin Leonard, the e-chain Director at Northampton-based igus UK says: “Instead of having to connect each cable individually, which takes time and can too easily go wrong, this new design enables a large number of plugged-in cables to come together safely and quickly, even when in a tight space.

He goes on to say that because the entire energy chain system can be easily plugged in, the installation time is reduced from several hours to just minutes. Each Module Connect Adapter is self-coded which eliminates any disruption from a faulty plug and they are also easy to maintain and service.

Depending on the chain series, width, and number of connect modules, igus manufactures each of its Module Adapters individually, using 3D printing technology. Once manufactured each adapter is then attached to the energy chain via a ‘snap-in’ mechanism and machine builders can choose from a variety of mounting options. At the same event which saw the award made, the igus E4Q energy chain series was also praised and won a top German Design Award.