High-Flex Robot Arm Cables: 15M+ Cycles
How we helped a German robotics manufacturer eliminate field failures with custom high-flex cables that exceeded 15 million flex cycles in testing.
Client
European Robotics Manufacturer
German industrial automation leader
Industry
Industrial Robotics
6-axis robot arm systems
Products
High-Flex Cables
Continuous motion rated
The Challenge
A leading German robotics manufacturer was experiencing premature cable failuresin the field on their 6-axis robot arms. Their specification required cables rated for 10 million+ flex cycles, but their existing suppliers couldn't meet this requirement consistently. Field failures were damaging customer relationships and costing significant warranty expense.
Key Pain Points:
- 1Existing cables failing at 5-7M cycles (spec: 10M+)
- 2Field failures causing robot downtime and warranty claims
- 3Customer trust eroding due to reliability issues
- 4European suppliers charging premium prices without meeting specs
Requirements:
- 10M+ flex cycles at 50mm bend radius
- Mixed signal + power in single cable package
- -20°C to +80°C operating temperature
- EMI shielding for sensitive encoder signals
Our Solution
We developed a custom high-flex cable design using advanced materials and construction techniques, validated through extensive accelerated life testing.
Custom Conductor Design
We designed conductors with optimized strand count and pitch specifically for continuous flexing applications. Ultra-fine stranding with specialized lay patterns distributes stress evenly and prevents individual strand breakage.
Proprietary Jacket Materials
Special TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) jacket compound developed for maximum flexibility while maintaining abrasion resistance. Low-friction surface reduces wear in cable carriers and routing channels.
In-House Flex Life Testing
Our testing laboratory performs accelerated flex life validation using automated test fixtures that simulate real-world robot arm movements. We tested to 15 million cycles - 50% beyond the specification - to ensure reliability margin.
Optimized Cable Construction
Neutral axis positioning ensures power conductors, signal pairs, and shielding all flex uniformly without differential stress. Elements are arranged to minimize internal friction during continuous motion.
The Results
"Their flex-life testing capability saved us months of validation time. The cables have exceeded our requirements by 50% and completely eliminated our field failure problem. Our customer satisfaction scores have improved significantly since we switched to these cables.
Technical Specifications
| Flex Life | 15M+ cycles at 50mm bend radius |
| Conductor | Ultra-fine stranded copper (0.05mm strands) |
| Jacket | High-flex TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) |
| Operating Temp | -20°C to +80°C continuous |
| Shielding | Braided copper shield with drain wire |
| Bend Radius | 7.5x outer diameter (continuous motion) |
| Testing | 100% continuity, insulation resistance, flex validation |
Our Testing Capabilities
Flex Life Testing
Automated fixtures simulate real-world robot movements at accelerated rates
Environmental Testing
Temperature cycling, humidity exposure, and UV resistance validation
Electrical Testing
Signal integrity monitoring during flex testing to detect early degradation
Need High-Flex Cables for Robotics?
Get cables designed for continuous motion applications. Our testing lab validates flex life performance before production.