Endurance test for the latest P4 generation, P41.80RI roller e-chain on ship unloader crane at EMO B.V.

Jens Göbel | 15. July 2020

With a trolley travel of over 100 m, a travel speed of up to 4 m/sec and an additional load of over 50 kg/m, the igus P41.80RI roller e-chain has been performing it’s duty on gigantic ship unloader cranes at EMO B.V. in Rotterdam, since the end of 2015. EMO B.V. is one of the largest bulk terminals in Western Europe. The port is operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week and so is our P41.80RI chain, the largest chain in the P4.1 chain series.

This very demanding crane application was specifically selected to test the P4.1 chain, with its tribologically optimized iglidur® plain bearings in the pin / bore connection of the chain links, to reduce the friction. The P4.1 was not officially presented to the public until 2018, by then the chain had already completed over 9,000 operating hours on the EMO ship unloader cranes and has long since proven its advantages.

Due to our constant new developments and product improvements, like the change from a single integrated roller in the chain link, to the divided P4 roller, to a P4.1 roller e-chain equipped with a tribo bearing (optionally equipped with intelligent life monitoring – igus® isense), the limits have been shifted and the service life of the energy chain system increased significantly.

Energy chain systems for port cranes from igus®:

With over 1.250 STS cranes equipped with an igus® energy chain system (including more than 570 with the P4 chain series) and more than 6.880 RTG and RMG installations worldwide (since 1999), the igus® roller energy chain has conquered the port crane market. On our website you will find further examples and solutions for the cable guidance on port equipment, as well as the free softcopy of our port crane brochure.