Crane and material-handling cables fail from movement, not from current. Choosing on conductor size alone misses the duty. This guide sets out the movement types, the questions to answer, and where APAR trailing cable and festoon fibre fit.
| Movement type | How the cable moves | Main stress | APAR products to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Festoon | Cable hangs in loops from trolleys along a track and moves with the crane or hoist. | Constant flexing; the cable must not carry long unsupported loads. | Trailing and material handling cable for power; festoon fibre for signals. |
| Reeling | Cable winds onto and off a drum as the machine travels. | Repeated bending and tension; torsion if the drum or guide twists the cable. | Trailing cable, checked against the drum maker bend radius. |
| Drag chain or cable carrier | Cable moves inside a guided carrier. | Bending in one plane, abrasion against the carrier. | Trailing cable, with the carrier maker conditions. |
| Vertical drum or hoist | Cable hangs vertically and is raised and lowered. | Own weight and torsion. | Trailing cable; festoon fibre for signal over long vertical distances. |
What the APAR trailing cable page states
The material handling and trailing cables page lists a range of 2.5 to 300 sq mm. Characteristics are high flexibility at low temperatures, abrasion and tear resistance, the ability to be loaded under torsional stress, and resistance to atmospheric influences, UV radiation and vibration. The standards named are DIN VDE 0250, IS 9968 (Parts 1 and 2), IEC 60502 (Parts 1 and 2) and BS 7919. Listed uses include lifts, mining, locomotive and rail-carriage construction, oil rig platforms, emergency power generators, construction machines, conveyors and crane systems, in dry or damp environments and outdoors.
What the festoon fibre page states
The optical fibre festoon cables page describes flexible signal and data cables for cranes and material handling equipment, suitable for festoon systems and simple reeling. They are resistant to oils and grease, UV protected, and fungus and water resistant, with a wide operating and storage temperature range. Fibre types are G.652.D, G.657.A and G.655 single-mode and OM1 to OM4 multimode, in 2 to 96 fibre configurations, to IEC 60793, IEC 60794, Telcordia GR-20 and TIA/EIA 598. Fibre carries signals only. Power stays on copper.
Questions to answer before enquiring
- Which movement type applies, and what are the travel length and speed?
- What current, voltage and duty cycle does the load draw, and what voltage drop is acceptable over the full length?
- Is the environment oily, outdoor, damp, hot or cold, and is there UV exposure?
- Is there twisting, and how is the cable supported along its travel?
- Are control or data signals carried on the same route, and over what distance?
Minimum bend radius, tensile limits and permitted travel speed are not general figures. They come from the datasheet for the exact construction, so request it with the enquiry. The guide to reading a cable datasheet explains the entries, and the minimum bending radius chart covers fixed power cable only, not moving duty.