Cable Core Connecting Parts
The cable core connecting parts enable a tensile, compressive or torsional force to be transmitted to the cable, strand or wire rod of the inner cable. The end piece simplifies locking the inner cable to the housing or lever from which the movement originates.
Either standard parts or individually manufactured nipples can be pressed onto the rope end pieces. The usage of zamak injection molding, in which a zinc alloy is overmolded onto the wire, enables that there hardly limits to the shape of the cable end parts. Zamak nipples with a shot weight of up to 20 grams can be injection-molded by Binder + Wöhrle machines. Alternatively, it is also possible to manufacture the wire core end parts by plastic injection molding.
Both zamak injection molding and plastic injection molding combine the advantage of virtually free mold design with high cost efficiency for large quantities.
The individual shape of the cable end parts enables simple and fast assembly of a Bowden cable.
The wire core end parts when machined are typically made of aluminum, steel or brass. Zamak injection molding uses a zinc alloy (called zamak alloy). For plastic wire core end connection parts, for example, a glass fiber reinforced POM or PBT is used.
Overview of Cable Core Connecting Parts
Standardized Parts
The Bowden cable is a machine component that is used for the transmission of tensile and compressive forces for over two hundred years. Over time standardized types have become established for the wire core connection parts or inner cable ends, which are used in many different actuating cables in a wide variety of applications. Three of the most commonly used wire rope end connections are the Type-B (bottom right), Type-C (top right) and Type-D (bottom left) end nipples specified in standard 71984.
Machined Connection Parts
Turned and milled parts offer the possibility to individually design the shape of the wire rope end connection. In large volumes, standard parts are also produced as machined parts, as these can be standardized and produced fully automated. Specific manufactured solutions of the wire core end connections as turned and milled parts are predominatly used in the field of prototyping and small series, since here the tool costs for an injection molded part are not in proportion to the volume. The advantage of rope end connections as machined parts is that they can withstand large forces with low wall thickness and transfer them to the wire.
Zinc Injection Molding
Zamak injection molding offers a more cost-effective way to apply rope end connections to the inner rope. Both the material input and the manufacturing costs of the end connection can be greatly reduced compared with conventional press nipples. In addition, the shape of the rope pull end connections can be very specific and customized. However, a certain production volume must be available for a new customized shape so that initial tooling costs virtually disappear.
Plastic Injection Molding
Rope end connection parts can also be made of plastic as an alternative to zamak alloy. In this case, the nipple or pin is applied directly to the strand or rope using the plastic injection molding process. The use of plastic injection molding can enable several advantages. Basically, plastic parts are lighter than their metal counterparts. In addition, cycle times can be minimized by using multiple molds. It should be noted, however, that connection parts made of plastic can withstand significantly lower forces.
