With the growing demand for electric cars and the increasing prevalence of AI, the need for lithium-ion batteries and microchips is also on the rise. As these technologies are required to deliver ever greater performance, they are also becoming more sensitive and placing high demands on production environments. With e-skin soft ESD, Cologne-based plastics specialist igus is now launching a new energy chain for clean rooms that is not only abrasion-resistant but also conductive. It is set to be a game changer for designers, as it saves space and allows significantly more flexibility in energy management for cables.

Conductive thanks to additives in the material

Tiny electrostatic discharges (ESD) are invisible to the naked eye, but can damage sensitive products in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. It is therefore important that all machine components used in the vicinity of these products have ESD protection. However, this is not a matter of course when routing energy and data cables, as they are generally not dissipative. ‘Many designers implement special shielding, but this wastes valuable space in the clean room,’ says Kira Weller, product manager for e-chains and clean room expert at igus. An equally impractical alternative is to keep a large distance from the product, which can also lead to space problems. To solve this dilemma, igus has developed a new version of the cleanroom-compatible e-skin soft energy chain: the e-skin soft ESD, a compact e-chain that is not only abrasion-resistant but also conductive thanks to additives in the material. Electrostatic charges can be dissipated via the connecting elements, similar to a lightning conductor. Kira Weller: ‘For designers, the new energy chain is a game changer, as it can be used near the product without additional shielding.’

Space-saving e-chain enables tight bending radii

The e-skin soft ESD has a compact design and requires only a small amount of installation space. It consists of an upper and lower shell that form a closed tube housing that securely encloses cables, wires or media guides. It is made of an in-house high-performance plastic that allows a tight bending radius of 55 millimetres. Depending on the version, the internal height varies between 20, 24, 28 and 40 millimetres, and the internal width between 33, 48, 68 and 85 millimetres. Another special feature is that, thanks to its oval geometry and defined rigidity, the e-skin soft ESD can also be used for unsupported lengths, unlike conventional corrugated hoses. This eliminates the need for a guide. In addition, the energy chain is said to be particularly durable, with a service life of more than 20 million double strokes.

On the way to the highest purity level ISO Class 1

The e-skin soft ESD meets the most stringent cleanroom requirements. ‘The high-performance plastic is extremely abrasion-resistant, so that no particles are generated during operation, even with fast movements,’ emphasises Kira Weller. Particles from the cables cannot escape to the outside either, as the upper and lower shells can be joined together to form a closed tube using a zip-lock principle. ‘This guarantees both cleanroom suitability and quick filling and maintenance of the cables,’ says Kira Weller. Tests in the in-house cleanroom laboratory in Cologne, which was set up in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), have already been completed with very good results for the new energy chain. Official certification will take place in the coming weeks.

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