Robust and low maintenance

Blickle develops specialised rollers for systems which provide energy and data

The client

In addition to cable trollies, Conductix-Wampfler’s product range also includes conductor rails, spring and motorized reels, slip ring assemblies and contactless energy supply solutions, alongside mobile and remote control units. The Weil am Rhein-based company provides its customers with advice and solutions tailored to any application.

Conductix-Wampfler is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of cable trolley systems. These are used by cranes and lifting devices in steel plants, ports, galvanizing plants and composting facilities.


The challenge

The load-bearing and guide rollers used by the cable trolleys are subject to significant stresses. They are frequently in use outdoors around the clock and exposed to frost, salty air, moisture and heat. The company was not satisfied with the rollers they had been using, as they could not withstand the demanding conditions. As an example, Conductix-Wampfler had to replace the rollers they were using on offshore cranes at regular intervals to prevent them from failing when unloading container ships, which could lead to expensive downtime. Costs for maintenance and spare parts were going up. The company also constantly had issues with treads coming loose due to corroded wheel centers. The rollers also provided an inadequate level of hydrolysis resistance.


Our solution

Wheel RK-FPOB 160 x 40Thanks to Blickle’s new generation of rollers, these problems are a thing of the past. The wheel and caster specialist in Rosenfeld supplied components made from high-quality nylon 6 along with the resilient premium polyurethane Blickle Besthane. The wheel centers are hermetically sealed on one side to prevent the entry of water. The tread is hydrolysis resistant and extremely resilient when used in salty air. The wheels can resist temperatures from -20 to 70 degrees Celsius and remain reliable even in extreme weather conditions.


The result

Thanks to the outstanding performance of the rollers, Conductix-Wampfler now relies solely on Blickle’s solution for all of its cable trollies used for applications with a high dynamic load. The load-bearing and guide rollers have a diameter of 80 to 160 mm. The connection between the wheel center and the polyurethane tread is extremely resilient and has significantly improved the service life of the rollers. Conductix-Wampfler has significantly lowered its costs for maintenance and storing spare parts.

Blickle’s casters passed with flying colours when it came to providing the customer’s cranes with energy. “These trolleys have to withstand punishing conditions when used on offshore cranes - and that’s exactly what Blickle wheels and casters make possible,” said Patrick Schöpflin, Festoon Systems Product Manager at Conductix-Wampfler. He is extremely satisfied with the equipment: “The hydrolysis resistant Blickle Besthane tread and the synthetic wheel center met all of our requirements for outdoor use.”


Technical information and advantages - RK-FPOB 160x040/100x35-48/25-B

  • Glass fibre reinforced nylon wheel center.
  • High-quality premium polyurethane elastomer Blickle Besthane.
  • Hydrolysis resistant.
  • Wheels are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and remain reliable even in extreme weather conditions.