Jan. 21, 2026 — igus has announced that it is the first supplier to qualify halogen-free chainflex TPE cables for IPA dry cleanroom classes 4 and 5 through the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA). This certification ensures customers in highly automated battery production receive energy supply solutions with a guaranteed service life of up to four years.
In lithium-ion battery manufacturing, production purity is critical. Dust, particles and moisture can compromise quality and shorten product life. Dry cleanrooms — where relative humidity is typically below 1% or just a few ppm—protect sensitive materials like electrolytes from chemical reactions. However, many machine components fail under such harsh conditions.
“Many components are susceptible to wear and tear due to the dry air, so they have to be replaced within a very short time,” said Kira Weller, product manager, e-chains and cleanroom expert at igus. “To ensure that our cable routing systems meet the requirements of the dry environment, we are working together with Fraunhofer IPA to develop and certify our motion plastics for use in dry cleanrooms.”
This certification now covers 238 chainflex cables. “These are our high-end TPE cables, which are specially developed and tested for use in the energy chain. The range includes control, bus, motor, robot, servo and measuring system cables, among others,” explained Rainer Rössel, head of the chainflex Cables division at igus. After extensive testing in igus’ Cologne lab, the cables earned the two highest IPA dry cleanroom classes, 4 and 5. The certification guarantees low particle emissions under long-term stress and reliable material resistance — key for modern automation in battery production.
“The cooperation with Fraunhofer IPA gives our customers the certainty that our solutions will function reliably even under the strictest conditions,” said Rössel. The halogen-free TPE sheathing ensures maximum purity and durability. igus backs all products with a four-year warranty and service life calculation.
These TPE cables are standard catalog items, available from stock in lengths starting at one meter—without cutting fees, small quantity surcharges, or packaging costs.
About igus
igus GmbH develops and produces motion plastics. These self-lubricating, high-performance polymers improve technology and reduce costs wherever things move. In energy supplies, highly flexible cables, plain and linear bearings, and lead screw technology made of tribo-polymers, igus is the worldwide market leader. The family-run company based in Cologne, Germany, is represented in 35 countries and employs 4,600 people across the globe. In 2023, igus generated a turnover of €1.136 billion. Research in the industry's largest test laboratories constantly yields innovations and more user security. Two hundred 234,000 articles are available from stock, and service life can be calculated online. In recent years, the company has expanded by creating internal startups, for example, ball bearings, robot drives, 3D printing, the RBTX platform for Lean Robotics, and intelligent "smart plastics" for Industry 4.0. Among the most significant environmental investments are the "chainge" program — recycling used e-chains and participating in an enterprise that produces oil from plastic waste.