When selecting cables and cable guides, it is necessary to consider the minimum bending radius
The minimum bending radius refers to the minimum radius at which an object can bend. In many applications, cable guides are used, so the question arises: how should the bending radius of the cable or cable guide be determined?
There are several methods to extend the service life of cables when choosing a cable management system. One of the most effective methods is to choose a cable guide device with a suitable bending radius. During this process, it is essential to ensure that the bending radius of the cable guide device (excluding applications with limited space) is greater than the recommended minimum bending radius for the cable. Therefore, in order to ensure the long service life and reliable performance of the cable, one key is to choose a suitable radius for the cable guide device. Generally speaking, all cable guide devices have several bending radii to choose from, and manufacturers recommend the minimum bending radius. The size of the radius chosen for the cable guide device depends on the cable with the largest diameter.
General rules and recommendations for selecting radius
We suggest that the bending radius of cables or cable guides should not be lower than the minimum radius recommended by the manufacturer, and choosing the maximum radius is optimal. Generally speaking, flexible motion cables must have support to ensure that the connection is not subjected to mechanical stress and to avoid severe bending of the cable. If the system is arranged in a loop, it must ensure that its bending radius is at least 10 times the diameter of the cable. The larger the radius of the system, the less stress the cable is subjected to, and the longer the service life of the cable. In addition, it should be noted that the minimum bending radius of the cable is usually determined within a certain temperature range. Therefore, special caution is required when the ambient temperature reaches or exceeds this temperature range.
This is particularly important in ultra-low temperature applications, as thermoplastic cables are prone to hardening in cold environments. A hardened cable will require a larger cable guide radius, making it prone to mechanical errors. Therefore, we recommend using cables with PUR or TPE sheaths as much as possible in low-temperature environments, or consulting the manufacturer directly for advice on bending radius. For applications with limited space, the radius of the cable guide device must be smaller than the recommended minimum bending radius of the filled pipeline. This is not absolute, and if unavoidable, cables designed specifically for small bending radius applications should be used. The EGGS Chainflex high flexibility cable series includes various cable types and models such as heavy-duty control cables, servo and power cables, robot cables, encoder cables, bus cables, and data cables, all of which can be reliably used in demanding environments and have a long service life.
Normally we suggst customer make a minimum bend raduis = 5* wire OD for static application, if for movable applicaiton, thebend raduis could be higher, maybe go to 10 * wire OD, even bigger. It's deend on the application detail condition.
