Corrugated tubing vs. triflex® R cable carriers

By Jared Worth

All robotic arms need a quality cable management system if they’re to avoid frequent downtime. Corrugated tubing is a popular choice, but there’s a better option that will keep your cables running longer: triflex® R cable carriers from igus. Read on to find out how these two industry heavyweights match up head-to-head.


Round 1: Cable Installation

How can cables be installed?

Corrugated tubing

  • Can only be installed via hose ends
  • Cables with plugs that are too large can’t be installed

triflex® R

  • Can be pressed in externally
  • Can install any cables, regardless of the plug size

Round 2: Replacement after damage

How can damaged areas be replaced/repaired?

Corrugated tubing

  • Damaged areas cannot be repaired or replaced

triflex® R

  • Damaged links can be removed and replaced with ease

Round 3: Tensile strain

How do the two products behave under tensile strain?

Corrugated tubing

  • Stretches significantly
  • Load is transferred to cables

triflex® R

  • Minimal stretching
  • No additional load for the cables

Round 4: Length Adjustments

What options are there for adjusting length?

Corrugated tubing

  • Can only be shortened with cutting tools
  • Cannot be lengthened

triflex® R

  • Individual links can be removed and added with or without tools

Round 5: Torsion

What happens when torsional forces occur?

Corrugated tubing

  • Little-to-no torsion occurs
  • Cables can twist and abrade, leading to breakages

triflex® R

  • 7-12.5° torsion angle per link
  • Up to 900° torsion angle per meter
  • Cables are protected from torsional forces

Round 6: Defined minimum bending radius

Is there a limit to the amount of bending possible? Will damage occur if the product is bent too far?

Corrugated tubing

  • No minimum bend radius
  • Hose and cables can be damaged during excessive movement 

triflex® R

  • Minimum bend radius of 50mm – 182mm
  • Built in torsion-stops to prevent chain from bending too tightly

If you’re interested in triflex® R as a cable management solution for your robotic applications and want to learn more, contact an expert today, or visit our triflex® R webpage!

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