Cablecraft designs and manufactures engineered motion control solutions for general industrial equipment and OEM applications. Our capabilities include push-pull and pull-only control cables, ball bearing control cables, miniature cables, safety and restraint cables, remote actuation systems, operator controls and value-added assembly. Cablecraft engineers evaluate load, travel, routing, environmental exposure, mounting and expected cycle life to develop a solution suited to the application.
Motion Control Solutions for Industrial Equipment
Cablecraft offers multiple motion control technologies for industrial equipment and OEM applications. The appropriate solution depends on the required direction of motion, operating load, routing, efficiency, available space, environmental exposure and operator interface.
| Motion Control Solution | Best Suited For | Primary Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Push-Pull Control Cables | Applications that require controlled mechanical motion in both directions, including positioning, shifting, throttle, valve and equipment-control functions. | Transfers push and pull forces through flexible routing while supporting a wide range of loads, travel lengths, mounting styles and end fittings. |
| Pull-Only Control Cables | Remote release, latch, brake, clutch and tension applications that use a spring, gravity or another mechanism to return the system. | Provides a simple and dependable method of transmitting tensile force through a routed mechanical system. |
| Ball Bearing Control Cables | Long routing, demanding load requirements, precision motion and applications where reduced friction or lost motion is important. | Provides high mechanical efficiency, responsive movement and consistent motion transfer through complex or extended routing paths. |
| Safety and Restraint Cables | Tethering, retention, movement limitation, panel restraint and other applications that require a secondary mechanical connection. | Supports configurable cable construction, coating, length, fittings and corrosion-resistant material options. |
| Cycle-Flex™ Miniature Cables | Compact mechanisms, confined routing, repeated cycling, light-load actuation and applications where cable diameter must be minimized. | Combines small diameter, routing flexibility and custom fitting options for space-constrained mechanical assemblies. |
| Remote Actuation Systems | Remote latches, releases, locking gas springs, throttles, chokes, vents, valves and other mechanisms operated from a separate location. | Combines the operator input, control cable, fittings and remote mechanism into a coordinated actuation system. |
| Hand and Foot Controls | Operator-controlled throttle, clutch, brake, valve, drive-engagement and equipment-control functions. |
Provides a practical interface between the operator and
the mechanical or electronic function being controlled.
Explore Hand Controls | Explore Foot Controls |
Cablecraft application engineers can help determine whether a standard, modified-standard or custom configuration is appropriate based on load, travel, routing, mounting, environment and expected operating life.
What Engineers Should Consider When Specifying a Motion Control System
Reliable motion control begins with defining the complete application, not simply choosing a cable from a catalog. Load, travel, routing, environment, lost motion, mounting and expected service life all affect which cable construction, conduit, innermember and fittings should be used.
| Design Variable | Why It Matters | Information to Define | Engineering Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Load | The expected push or pull load influences cable construction, diameter, conduit strength, fittings and the required design margin. |
|
Choosing the Best Control Cable |
| Required Travel | Travel defines the amount of input and output movement the system must produce. Insufficient or excessive travel can prevent the mechanism from reaching its intended position. |
|
Accounting for Lost Motion |
| Routing and Bend Radius | Cable length, routing complexity, number of bends and bend radius directly influence friction, efficiency, operator effort and service life. |
|
Minimum Bend Radius Guide |
| Environmental Exposure | Temperature, moisture, chemicals, dirt, abrasion and corrosion can affect cable performance, material selection and expected operating life. |
|
Harsh-Environment Cable Selection |
| Conduit and Innermember | The relationship between the conduit and moving innermember affects flexibility, friction, efficiency, backlash, protection and load capability. |
|
Conduit and Innermember Options |
| Lost Motion and Efficiency | Backlash, system deflection and friction affect how accurately and efficiently input motion is transferred to the output mechanism. |
|
Reducing Backlash and Improving Control Feel |
| Mounting and Interfaces | The connection between the cable, operator control and remote mechanism must maintain alignment and transfer load without excessive side loading or bracket movement. |
|
Hardware and End Fittings Guide |
| Cycle Life and Cable Stretch | Frequency of operation, load history and cable construction influence fatigue life, constructional stretch and elastic elongation. |
|
Constructional and Elastic Stretch |
| Installation Space | Available packaging space affects cable diameter, conduit construction, fitting geometry, bend radius and the type of control that can be installed. |
|
Cycle-Flex™ Miniature Cables |
| Pulleys and Direction Changes | Pulley diameter, groove size, alignment and cable construction influence bending fatigue, wear, friction and cable life. |
|
Pulleys in Cable Systems |
Engineering support is available.
Cablecraft can review drawings, application requirements, existing part
numbers, photographs or physical samples to help determine whether a
standard, modified-standard or custom motion control configuration is
appropriate.
Explore all Cablecraft engineering resources | Contact Cablecraft
Need Rod Ends, Spherical Bearings or Linkage Assemblies?
Radial Bearing, part of the Cablecraft family, specializes in engineered linkage products for applications requiring articulation, misalignment accommodation, load transfer and reliable mechanical motion. Explore the resources below to identify the appropriate product or engineering capability for your application.
| Product or Resource | When to Consider It | Learn More |
|---|---|---|
| Rod Ends | Use rod ends when the application requires a threaded connection combined with angular movement, misalignment accommodation or adjustable linkage geometry. | Explore Rod Ends |
| Spherical Bearings | Consider spherical bearings when the bearing will be installed within a housing and must accommodate rotation, oscillation, tilting or misalignment under load. | Explore Spherical Bearings |
| Engineered Assemblies | Assemblies are appropriate when multiple bearings, rod ends, pins, brackets or machined components must work together as a complete motion control solution. | Explore Assemblies |
| Custom Solutions | Custom engineering may be appropriate when standard parts cannot meet the required geometry, load, tolerance, material, coating, temperature or packaging requirements. | Explore Custom Solutions |
| General and Industrial Applications | Review industry-specific capabilities for specialty manufacturing, outdoor power equipment, industrial systems and other demanding general-industrial applications. | View Industrial Solutions |
| Engineering Resources | Access technical literature, product specifications, interchange information, case studies and engineering insights for product selection and sourcing decisions. | View Engineering Resources |
Need help selecting a linkage product?
Radial Bearing engineers can review your operating loads, motion,
geometry, materials, tolerances, environmental conditions and
production requirements.
Contact Radial Bearing
.