Increasingly complex technical challenges of stage productions
need clever engineering. Learn about igus e-spools, zigzag systems and
chainflex cables at The ABTT Show next week.

Fantastic stage
designs transform in seconds automatically. Giant mechanised props are lifted
and rotated with ease. Lighting rigs, trusses and whole stage sets must be
moved and stowed quickly and smoothly, multiple times per show. Each one is
different and needs its own motion engineering. The modern stage, theatre and
film industry needs clever, quick, reliable and safe engineered solutions to
synchronise, for the performance to be “alright on the night”.

Learn about the
latest and smartest igus products for the stage and screen at this year’s ABTT
Theatre Show at Alexandra Palace in London on 22-23 June, the perfect showcase
to see many of the best engineering solutions.

For stage
productions, igus manufactures expertly designed cable management systems,
including the e-spool and zigzag system, for fast spooling and deployment of
all cable types – energy, data, air, and fluid. igus will also exhibit its
cost-effective chainflex cable range, PRT slewing ring bearings and linear
rails, which can all be used by stage technicians to move and store stage props
quickly and easily. All bearings are made from lubrication-free polymers that
reduce weight, avoid messy oil-based lubrication, keep costs down and keep the
equipment maintenance-free.

Smooth cable handling: e-spool flex

Learn about the
e-spool flex 2.0 cable management system at igus’s stand.

The e-spool flex
2.0 is used for reeling cables for applications like above- and under-stage
equipment and lighting beams. It has always been difficult to mix services when
using traditional cable drums in the past, generally only one cable type can be
spooled and a slip ring is often necessary to accommodate the inner rotation.

The e-spool solves
all of these problems by allowing spooling of different cable and hose types
together in any direction, using a twisterband fixed on the side of the cable
drum, acting as a secondary cable management system. Therefore, no slip ring is
required. Cable
diameters from 5mm to 15mm can be used. The cable is always safely
routed through a feed-through to ensure that it is wound up correctly. There
are several applications of e-spools for stage entertainment, for example
connecting cables between amplifiers and speakers, securing the quality of the
energy and signal needed for a faultless performance, and anywhere where
different cables should be routed in very confined spaces.

Zigzag solution

In modern stage technology it can be necessary to bring many heavy cables
up to the stage, and then stow them below stage. This is defined by the
complexity of the stage design and height – lifting heights of over 20m may be
required.

At ABTT you can learn about the innovative igus
zigzag system, which folds set lengths of an e-chain like a concertina into a
custom-made basket. When the stage platform rises, the energy chain unfolds and
follows quietly. The zigzag system is possible with different e-chains, and is
well-suited to larger or heavier cable assemblies when the stowage area is wide
enough to accommodate the basket.

igus zigzag systems are strong,
highly protective, easy to assemble and have little vibration.

If you build systems or sub-systems for stage and theatre, the message is clear: visit igus on stand F30 at ABTT – we will have something for you