Reliable cable guide in sliding, telescopic and revolving doors for aircraft hangars

What was needed: Energy chain micro flizz, chainflex control cable CF9

Requirements: A reliable and easy-to-install cable guide was needed that is robust and can withstand rain, snow, fog, frost and heat. It also had to run freely in tight spaces.

Industry: Aerospace, aviation industry

Success for the customer: As the upper and lower run of the energy chain run separately, friction and wear are minimised. The compact, space-saving system is closed at the top and thus offers protection against dirt and dust. The use of the energy chain pays off, so that the system is now always installed in the telescopic doors.

With over 1,100 customised gates installed, Butzbach GmbH Industrietore is the market leader in Europe. The specialist realises individual solutions for industry and aviation of all sizes, whereby each door is a special design. There are sliding doors with individually movable door leaves, telescopic and revolving doors - each with or without an electric drive. Due to safety concerns, each door leaf should usually be fitted individually with a closing edge safety device.

A continuous connection is necessary so that the information from the individual closing edge safety devices can flow from door leaf to door leaf. As the nominal voltage of the safety technology is usually 24V, busbar systems or conductor lines are at a disadvantage here. The sliding contacts or copper tracks on the rails hanging outside fog up/corrode due to environmental influences and faults begin to occur. For this reason, a cable connection is required for which a suitable cable guide must be used. This had to be robust and be able to withstand rain, snow, fog, frost and heat.

Initially, Butzbach GmbH used a normal standard busbar system for data transmission, but this only worked to a limited extent and was vulnerable. The first complaints came in after a year at the latest. The fault lay with the rail. It was not flexible enough in the carriage area. In addition, the available space was sometimes extremely tight, making assembly or repair considerably more difficult.

Especially in space-saving telescopic systems, which are being used more and more frequently, what ultimately proved its worth for many years was the micro flizz energy supply system. This energy chain solution for horizontal applications supplies a moving consumer with energy via a roller or sliding carriage. It runs in a compact aluminium guide channel that separates the upper and lower run of the chain. The reduced force minimises friction and wear. The space-saving system is closed at the top and thus offers protection against dirt and dust. The micro flizz also offers the option of controlling the moving end carriage in its guide independently of its height.
The energy supply system is attached to the driven door leaf. The information from the individual closing edge safety devices is 'looped through' from door leaf to door leaf and connected to the door control system. If a closing edge is triggered, the control system reacts immediately, the motor shuts down and the entire door stops. It is then reversed and moves back approx. one metre to clear the obstacle.

Although a classic standard conductor cable is cheaper in principle, it does not achieve the required level of reliable data transmission. Due to the small number of poles available, it reaches its limits with many control-intensive queries or low currents. Thanks to the energy chains and a number of sensors, Butzbach GmbH offers the customer the option of querying the door status, for example, and linking this to the facility management system. This allows the door to recognise its status (open or closed) and switch off the heating in the meantime.

The use of the micro flizz energy chain also pays off due to the requirements on site - robust, very narrow, small and pure information transmission - so that the system is now always installed in the telescopic doors.
The energy chain and cable are supplied fully harnessed. Specifically, the bend-resistant chainflex CF9 control cable is used to transmit information. Due to the low speed of 0.25m/s and the infrequent travelling frequency, the door specialist was able to cut back on the bend radii of the cable.