There are many things that can go wrong with industrial machinery and equipment. From multiple moving parts and harsh operating environments to long running times and operator error, vital parts such as cables and hoses are more vulnerable than ever.

Whether cables are carrying data and power to machines, or hoses are transporting air or gas, they must be secured and protected during operation, and are critical to the performance and safety of the equipment. For this reason, cable carriers are designed to protect cables and hoses in dynamic applications including machine tools and materials handling equipment to large overhead ship-to-shore cranes.

Cable carriers can be found where cables and hoses will be moving in tandem with or as part of a piece of machinery. They protect the cables and hoses from twisting amongst themselves, wind and weather, and corrosive or damaging machine residue or debris.

Although manufactured in a variety of materials, cable carriers are typically made of either metal or plastic composite material. Steel typically offers longer unsupported spans but there are plastic carrier manufacturers that can handle travels over 1,312 feet and gliding speeds up to 16 feet per second. This is achieved through the innovative design of a long travel gliding application where the plastic carrier literally glides on itself. Plastic offers corrosion resistance, low noise, vibration resistance, and can function in a variety of applications from low to moderate duty to very high accelerations and fill weights. Plastic has a more cable-friendly interior because it is smooth and reduces wear inherently.

Distributors can serve their customers best by recognizing an opportunity to spec a plastic cable carrier. Minimizing cable and hose failures is important in many industries. Choosing the right cable carrier can not only help protect cables and hoses, it can also reduce maintenance and downtime.

Here are some key factors in selecting a cable and hose carrier for your customers:

1. Know the application. Know the mounting configuration of the carrier to the machine so that the length of carrier can be calculated. Is it vertical, horizontal, rotary, side-mounted, center-mounted, or end-mounted? This is important in selecting the correct carrier for the application. Speed and acceleration requirements are important to ensure that the carrier you select is strong enough to be able to handle the push-pull forces. Be sure to note any height or width restrictions of the application as well.

2. Note the cable and hose package details. It's important to note the cable and hose package details (diameters, weight per foot, bending radius) in order to design a system with the proper separation, shelving and strain relief for the cables and hoses, and also to lengthen their life and prevent failure. Internal dividers and shelving prevents the cables from crossing over each other in the carrier during operation and separates hydraulic hoses from the rest of the cable package.

3. Know the operating environment. Temperature, dirt, machine debris, dust, water and humidity are just some of the factors that must be taken in to consideration when specifying a cable carrier for both indoor and outdoor use. Look for open and enclosed styles of carriers. Some can be customized by combining open and enclosed sections of the carrier where part of the system can remain open (inside a machine, for example) and the other is enclosed to protect the cable in a harsh environment. This translates into cost savings for your customer. Plastic should be able to handle temperature variations up to 266ºF and -40ºF.

4. Consider ease of maintenance. Choose a carrier that can open from the outer or inner radius, from any point along the system. One plastic carrier features snap-open crossbars on top and bottom enabling conduits to be installed and inspected ("split and spliced") easily with just the use of a screwdriver. If a forklift should accidentally damage a steel carrier, the entire system would need to be replaced. With plastic, just the damaged links need replacement. This contributes to reduced downtime and labor, and increased productivity.

5. Calculate the cost with product availability and support. Look for a carrier manufacturer that offers various sizes of product with a wide range of inner height and width. Some manufacturers can provide different products for both long and short travels. There are many different styles to meet your needs, and you should make sure you're not purchasing a carrier that is over-engineered or is overkill for the application. A supplier with multiple solutions available right off the shelf, that can be customized to your need, is ideal for cost effectiveness. Manufacturers can also provide technical assistance, joint technical sales calls, in-house technical training, and an inside technical sales person who can help you with your application specification..

igus ® will answer distributor questions and offer advice on choosing the right cable carrier for the job. Call (800) 521-2747, email eobrien@igus.com, or visit www.igus.com.