Justin Leonard, Energy Chain Systems Director at igus UK, explains how pre-harnessed and ready-to-fit energy chains can save money for machine builders and machine tool manufacturers.
Everything from space telescopes to toy trains, and from artificial hip joints to mobile phones are manufactured directly or indirectly using machine-tools. Here in the UK, the focus is increasingly on cost reduction driven by competition from the Far East. With tailored parts and systems, especially pre-harnessed energy supply systems (known as ReadyChain), igus UK, gives machine tool manufacturers - and other machine builders - tools that will help increase competitiveness for the future.
The demands of machine tools in terms of flexibility and productivity are ever increasing. These challenges can only be resolved by intelligent automation concepts. The trend is increasingly aimed at an integrated approach. This extends from the acquisition costs to the total costs for the complete service life of the machine, and includes the availability and the ease of operation. This means that early co-operation between the subsystem supplier and the machine manufacturer can be crucial for market success.
With the help of pre-harnessed, ready-to-fit energy supply systems (consisting of E-Chains, Chainflex cables and connectors as required), assembly times decrease and storage costs drop. Capacity fluctuations can therefore be easily managed. The machine manufacturer passes on the entire procurement process for all of the necessary special parts, sheet-metal panels, machined parts and hydraulic components, to allow provision of the full turn-key system on the required delivery date. The machine tool manufacturing industry, which mainly consists of small and medium-sized companies, can use the ReadyChain energy supply systems to reduce assembly times of several months to a few days, and thereby keep ahead of the game.
Follow the link for more information about the igus ReadyChain service.