Homepages
Industries
Heavy-Duty Industries
Long travels and heavy duty

igus Heavy Duty Drag Chains for Long Travel and Gliding Applications

Heavy Duty Drag Chains for Unsupported Travel and Gliding Applications

Achieve maximum durability and efficiency in unsupported energy supply systems with igus® e-chains. Designed for dynamic applications, these chains offer a long service life, withstanding up to 10 million cycles. Ideal for installations requiring high speeds, reduced noise, and low maintenance, igus® e-chains are available in various configurations, including Industry 4.0-ready options. Boost performance and reduce downtime by choosing the right e-chain® solution for your application.

igus

Free sample box

3d models

Cable carrier catalog

igus

Assembly instructions

igus® energy chain solutions designed for:

Contact an expert

Whitepaper

White Paper:

The Ultimate Guide to Crane Industry Innovations: Boosting Safety, Efficiency, and Reliability

The crane industry is constantly evolving, presenting new challenges in safety, efficiency and technology. This free e-book aims to provide the ultimate resource for navigating these changes.

Download free white paper

Types of drag chains for different applications:

E4.1 e-chain

E4.1 e-chain®

Inner height .83 - 13.78 in.
Crossbars removable along the inner/outer radius
Undercut design for the most lateral stability
High push force on long travels, unsupported lengths
Noise-reducing "brakes" and optional noise dampers
Outer and inner side links for quick assembly

E4Q

E4Q - e-chain®

Tool-free opening and closing
Reduced projection into the interior for easier filling with the open e-chain®
15% greater crossbar pull-out strength
10% less weight thanks to material recesses
Optionally 17dB(A) quieter due to noise dampening parts made of noise-optimized material - only upon request

E4/4HD

E4/4 - e-chain®

For long travels up to 1,312 ft (without rollers)
Best solution for unsupported, side-mounted travels
Excellent for extreme indoor & outdoor conditions
Works well in harsh temperatures, dirt or debris
High torsional rigidity, ESD available
Roller links available for long travel up to 2,625 ft
Snap-open along the inner and outer radius

E4/light

E4/Light - e-chain®

Lightweight and cost-effective
Smaller side links, thinner crossbars
Optimized ratio of interior & exterior dimensions
Numerous interior separation options
Wide range of modular accessories
Narrow outer links
Maximum travel up to 1,312 ft

E4/100

E4/100 - e-chain®

Most universal and low-noise E4 chain
Additional noise reduction with rubber pads
Numerous interior separation options
Wide range of modular applications
Widths up to 118 in. possible with extension links
Openable along both the outer and inner radius
Maximum travel: 1,476 ft

Contact an expert

P4 - e-chain®

Inner height 1.26 to 3.15 in.
Crossbars every link: crossbars removable along the inner and outer radius
Long travels of up to 2,625 ft and more
High fill weight of up to 21.16 lb/ft
High speeds of up to >32.8 ft/s
iF Product Design Award 2007

Contact an expert

rol e-chain

rol e-chain® - rolling vs. gliding

Inner height: 1.26 to 3.15 in.
Available in two versions; crossbars every link and fully enclosed design
For especially demanding applications
75% less drive power, rolling
Speeds up to 19.7 ft/s possible
Uniform roller resistance in dirty environments

Contact an expert

autoglide

autoglide - e-chain®

Self-guiding without guide troughs
For travels up to 263 ft & speeds up to 8.2 ft/s
Quick-filling, simply press cables into the carrier
Chain links of one piece
Very fast installation times for long travels
Narrow installation width, quiet operation
Safe, quiet, abrasion-resistant & energy efficient

Contact an expert

e4.1L cable carrier

E4.1L - e-chain®

Light, cost-effective, short assembly time
Combines advantages of E2/000 and E4.1
Snap-open along the inner and outer radius
Optimized interior/exterior dimensions ratio with narrow outer links and crossbar shape.
Inner diameter very accessible for easy filling.
Unique side plate with tongue and groove system.

Contact an expert

Applications for Drag Chains

Drag chains are essential in industries such as manufacturing, automation, and material handling. They ensure cables and hoses are safely guided through complex movements, reducing wear and tear and minimizing maintenance costs.

heavy duty construction machinery

Construction Machinery

igus® offers durable cable management solutions guaranteed to last up to 4 years. e-chain® cable carriers are resistant to dirt, dust, shock, vibration, corrosion and UV rays. They can withstand loads of up to 403 lbs/ft. Explore more of our products and how they can be used in heavy-duty construction machinery.

heavy duty bulk material handling

Bulk Material Handling & Mining

Bulk material systems must function reliably under rough and dirty working conditions and in harsh weather conditions. We offer plastic components for bulk material technology that can do just that and are particularly characterized by their resilience and long service life. This includes e-chains®, cables and hoses that are used, for example, in bucket wheel excavators, ship loaders, portal scrapers, wagon tippers, conveyor belts, silos, and hoppers. Our components are also used in mining equipment.

crane application image

Port & Terminal Cranes

For over 30 years, high-strength plastic e-chain® cable carriers have been trusted and proven on thousands of port and terminal cranes worldwide. While unforgiving environmental factors such as high winds, UV rays, saltwater and extreme temperatures can cause traditional cable management systems such as festoons to fail, energy chain cable carriers are able to withstand the harshest conditions while operating reliably.

heavy duty oil and gas industry

Oil & Gas

Machinery used for oil and gas extraction, such as drilling equipment, is frequently exposed to dirt, saltwater, vibrations, extreme temperatures, mechanical stress and risk of explosion. Downtime is costly in these conditions, but e-chains from igus® offer the high performance needed to ensure continuous, failsafe operation.

heavy duty EOT and indoor cranes

EOT and Indoor Cranes

igus® e-chain® cable carriers are a durable and cost-effective alternative to bus bars festoons and cable reels. e-chain® systems are engineered with high-performance plastics and have space-saving designs, allowing for easy mounting either directly to the crane or on top.

heavy duty offshore industry

Offshore Equipment

From wind power plants to drilling vessels or oil drilling rigs, igus® products ensure a reliable energy supply. Thanks to our engineering team, we offer ready-to-install complete systems, specifically tailored for the offshore and the oil and gas industry utilizing chainflex® cables that are certified according to DNV/GL and NEK.

Railway

Railway

Lasting, tough and reliable mechanical components form the backbone of the transport industry. A maintenance-free operation with high reliability is critical when used with high cycle rates under changing weather conditions. Our components are maintenance-free because they work without external lubricants, are fail-safe, free of toxins and tested according to appropriate standards for railway technology.

Woodworking

Woodworking

igus® solutions help you to reduce installation, handling and throughput times. Time-consuming maintenance work can be minimized with dry running, chip-resistant solutions from a single source. Where there is dust and chips, the very tightly sealed energy supplies ensure the safe and secure movement of cables, hydraulic and pneumatic hoses in woodworking machines or CNC processing centers.

e-chain cable carrier online tools

e-chain expert

Expert Configurator

Orange Services

CAD Library

3d models

Interactive 3D models

Contact Us

Questions or product information? Please contact:

Dan Thompson

Dan Thompson

Product Manager

+1 800 521 2747 Contact an Expert

Customer Service

Customer Service:
Phone: Monday to Friday from 8 am - 8 pm
LiveChat: 24 hours

Book a Call
Book an Appointment with a Product Expert