Recognizing wear in practice
In an unsupported chain, the link stops wear most due to dynamic loading. In a gliding application, you see wear on the side bands where they slide over each other or the trough. As soon as the wall thickness on the glide surface has decreased by more than 25%, replacement is near. Also watch for fine plastic dust (swarf) in the guide trough.
Replacing individual links
A big advantage of modular plastic cable carriers is that you don't have to disassemble the entire chain for local damage. With a screwdriver, you open the crossbar locks and unclip the side bands. When installing a new link, ensure the pins or clips are fully locked; an incompletely closed link is the weakest link in the entire travel.
Service life in cycles
High-quality PA6 chains easily achieve 5 to 10 million double strokes in a clean environment. Factors that shorten this are: contamination (sand, metal chips), chemical fumes that dry out the plastic, and exceeding the maximum sag. For steel chains, the service life is often even higher, provided the pivot points are periodically lubricated (if not maintenance-free).
| Interval | Check | Action on deviation |
|---|---|---|
| Wekelijks | Visuele controle op breuk | Schakel vervangen |
| Maandelijks | Vervuiling in de goot | Reinigen / uitblazen |
| Jaarlijks | Speling op bouten/aanslagen | Preventieve vervanging |
| 5 mln cycli | Glijvlak-dikte meten | Ketting reviseren |
Frequently asked questions
- How do I know if a chain is 'spent'?
- If the material turns white when bent (stress-whitening), links snag, or the chain makes significantly more noise than before, the technical service life has been reached.
Products from this article
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- How do you extend the life of cables in a cable carrier?Three causes explain nearly all premature failures. How to spot them in time and what your maintenance plan needs.
- How do you divide a cable carrier with separators?Compartments, shelves and EMC separation: what belongs where and which distances to keep.