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Reliable e-loop® cable guidance for top drives

Weather resistance with easy maintenance, assembly, and disassembly

Getting oil out of the ground requires deep drilling rigs with top drive systems. They often involve extreme conditions: wind and weather, dirt, and harsh handling of systems and equipment affect machine components. For cable guidance, manufacturers and operators have so far relied on service loops, which often entail a number of problems. Cables can move in the service loops, which have no defined bend radius. In extremely windy conditions, the freely hanging service loop can get caught in the mast or lighting system and be torn off. Another problem is that the entire hose package must be replaced if one hose is defective. To reliably guide cables, even those with large cross sections and great weight, in hanging applications, igus has developed the e-loop.

The e-loop combines the advantages of a plastic energy chain with those of a high-strength pull rope. Inside the energy chain, the pull rope transfers the pull force to the mounting brackets and the structure. The e-loop is used not only in the oil and gas industry, but also in the offshore industry and for onshore power supply, construction machinery, and wind turbines.

Guide hoses and cables reliably in a single system
Resistant to weather and dirt
Protects against impact due to robust PU outer body
Cables can be added or replaced, even during operation
Secondary locking tension for all bolted connections offers great operational reliability

Query a project with the e-loop now

e-loop cable guidance system in a deep drilling rig

The e-loop for top drive applications

How the e-loop is designed

1) The interior consists of four injection moulded parts. Two of them form the crossbar in the chain link and are screwed on (captive). The screwed connections clamp them onto the pull rope.

2) External protectors made of impact-absorbing PU protector material protect the energy chain and cables against hard impacts.

3) The individual chain links are clamped onto the high-strength pull rope. The rope itself is a plastic-fibre rope with a permissible tensile load of 50kN.

4) The e-loop's mounting brackets are strong steel mounting brackets. The plastic-fibre rope, which absorbs the e-loop's entire tensile force, is an integral part of the brackets.

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To e-loop product selection

Dynamic e loop

Dynamic, crossbars every link | For almost any application

Part No.	Inner width BI [mm]	Outer width Ba [mm]	Bend radius [mm]	Cable diameter [mm]	Fill weight [kN]
ELP.220.01.D	150	220	380	38	4
ELP.300.01.D	230	300	500	75	7
ELP.430.01.D	360	430	680	108	11
ELP.TD.300	230	300	500	75	50

Static e loop

Static with crossbars every 2nd link for purely static cable guidance

Part No.	Inner width BI [mm]	Outer width Ba [mm]	Bend radius [mm]	Cable diameter [mm]	Fill weight [kN]
ELP.220.01.S	150	220	175	38	4
ELP.300.01.S	230	300	210	75	7

Complete e-loop set

Buy the e-loop as a complete set

Order the e-loop in just three clicks. Save lots of time and greatly reduce costs.

▶ Buy the e-loop now

In-house test laboratory for the e-loop

e-loop load test
Continuous test of a completely harnessed e-loop with cable filling for a 500t top drive. The test is performed outdoors with all environmental influences and simulated wind and vibration.

The result: The test has run 170,000 double strokes, corresponding to 4.5 years of continuous operation. No influences due to weather affect e-loop functionality. Side impacts, bumps, and vibrations do not impair the e-loop.

e-loop break test
Test setup: the e-loop is dropped from a height of ten metres onto a vault, hitting it with full force.

The result: The e-loop withstood the impact without problems, showing that its design is shatter-proof and resistant to shocks.

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White paper: e-loop in vertical drilling rigs

White paper

e-loop in vertical drilling rigs

A newly developed alternative to the service loops on vertical drilling rigs offers significantly longer service life under extremely tough environmental conditions.

▶ Download the white paper now

The e-loop under adverse conditions

White paper

The e-loop under adverse conditions

The e-loop is used under harsh conditions such as those in bucket wheel dredgers, ship unloaders, and offshore wind turbine construction

▶ Download the white paper now

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The most fascinating projects with e-loop

Full functionality in spite of a snowstorm - top drive

For a Canadian oil drilling company, an e-loop energy chain solution from igus guarantees that the top drive, which lowers the drill pipe into the earth and pulls it out again, is always safely and reliably supplied with energy and signals even after heavy storms.

e-loop in bucket wheel excavators

Bucket wheel excavator

The e-loop is used in a bucket wheel excavator made by Holcim (Germany) GmbH. The modular system made of high-performance plastic always enables a defined bend radius and can handle vibration and impacts. Instead of the planned eight hours of installation time, work with the e-loop was completed after just four hours.

e-loop in the top drive System

Top drive System

The e-loop modular energy chain system is being used in a drilling rig in the oil and gas industry. The igus e-loop has made it possible to improve the service life of the drilling rig and considerably reduce costs. Moreover, the cables in the mast can no longer become tangled.

Assembly of two chain links of the e-loop

e-loop in the factory

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for the e-loop

How can I guide energy reliably and safely in heavy-duty applications? What is a service loop, and what alternatives are there to service loops and umbilicals?
A service loop is used to guide cables and hoses in hanging applications to perform such tasks as supplying energy to a top drive. To this end, cables are often cast together in a dress pack.
To ensure that heavy cables with large cross-sections can be reliably guided in hanging applications, igus has developed the e-loop as an alternative to the service loop. The energy supply system is a round, three-dimensional modular system that can move strain-relieved cables with a defined bend radius. The cables can be used individually and replaced during maintenance. The chain links can also be replaced at any time.

How does the e-loop absorb forces?
The new igus energy supply system is built around a high-strength plastic rope that absorbs cable tensile forces. The rope is made of a synthetic plastic fibre, so it is shatter-proof, weather-resistant, flexible, and corrosion-free.

How can I exchange the cables in the e-loop?
Unhook, lay down, unscrew, exchange cable(s), screw shut, remount. That's all it takes regarding maintenance thanks to the simple modular setup of the energy chain. For the rarest of cases you should always have a replacement chain at hand to avoid downtime.

How does igus deliver the e-loop and how is it installed?
igus delivers the e-loop in the way that you prefer: either completely assembled or fully harnessed, on a drum or on a pallet. There is a defined thread at the end of the e-loop for additional mounting. Our installation team is happy to take care of the assembly.

How are components prevented from falling down?
The individual chain links are all secured with screw connections, so that no component can fall down.

chainflex® TopDrive cables

chainflex TopDrive cables

The right cable package consisting of motor, data & hybrid cables for your top drive system.

Buy chainflex® TopDrive cables now

e-loop installation instructions

e-loop installation instructions

How to assemble the e-loop with and without cables.

Download installation instructions

e loop brochure

e-loop brochure

Download the e-loop brochure (PDF), which contains everything you need to know about the e-loop.

Download now (PDF)

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