The world's longest travel with igus® e-chains® and Chainflex® cables - to minimize maintenance costs.

Travel of 2,018 ft.

The longest distance in the world by an igus plastic e-chain® was designed and delivered for the largest power supplier in the Czech Republic, the CEZ Group. The "heavy duty" roller e-chain system® of the 5050RHD series is installed in the conveyor unit of a large brown coal excavator "Tušimice II". The distance covered is 2,018 ft. The record lengths until now was held by container cranes in Singapore Harbour that held almost 1,640 ft. and a taconite conveyor system in the USA with 1,903 ft.
The igus® plastic e-chains® with rugged Chainflex® cables were selected because the customer was convinced by the technology, service and service life. A successful conversion of a similar facility (Pocerady, 2001) with igus® plastic e-chains®, which continues to function today without any failure, was taken into account. Compared to the previously integrated festooning systems, with the e-chain systems® the required cable lengths can be reduced and installation space saved. The e-chain systems® today clearly contribute toward the reliability, as system downtime's through cable breaks is reduced to zero.

In the facility, three more e-chain systems® from the E4/4 range are used with assembled Chainflex® cables: the 4040 series with 328 ft travel as well as two roller e-chains® 5050R each with 1,043 ft. travel. The systems are directly mounted on the excavator and safely supply energy, data and media.

The facility before conversion

Freely hanging cables before the conversion

Condition monitoring: A push-pull detection system (PPDS) monitors the facility and automatically sends an SMS to the maintenance team.

For emergency cases, a PPDS early warning system is installed for condition monitoring of the facility. This turns off the facility in case of failures and sends data by SMS to the maintenance team.

The particular feature of this facility is the potential to connect any discharging unit to any desired energy supply system. Five different igus® e-chains® are integrated in a supply line for the conveyor system.

Facility after the conversion

As huge as six soccer fields: 2,018 ft. travel with igus® e-chains® in the conveyor system of the brown coal excavator.