igus UK has presented its vector
awards to two British engineering
companies – UK Astronomy
Technology Centre and Xograph
Healthcare – for the challenging and
innovative use of cable carrier systems.

UKATC uses an igus E4 heavy duty
e-chain to route cables and hoses
during the rotary movement of its
KMOS instrument. KMOS is a nearinfrared
multi-object integral-field
spectrometer used by one of the
European Southern Observatories
Very Large Telescopes. igus’ energy
chain carries the heavy and delicate
network of cooling gas pipes and
power and signalling cables needed.

The telescope can be moved through
270° from its initial position in both
directions, so the energy chain also
had to be able to carry pipes and
cables safely through 540°.

Xograph Healthcare uses igus’
special low friction ‘rol e-chain’ in an
innovative X-ray system for hospital
emergency rooms, which allows many
bays to be accessed rapidly in mass
emergency cases. The energy chain
carries cables used in the ceilingmounted
BuckyStar Resus X-ray. It
features low friction so apparatus can
be moved rapidly to each bedside.