CE-Type / Crash Element
Deformation Tube / COMPENSER®
With the CE-Type, LEBEN offers a maintenance-free deformation tube (so-called crash element for impact reduction) for emergency stops and fall protection systems. Leak-free energy absorption through irreversible deformation.
Maintenance-Free Deformation Tube for Emergency Impact Protection
The COMPENSER® CE-Type from LEBEN is a maintenance-free deformation tube and crash element for industrial applications. It is designed to absorb high levels of impact energy during emergency, overload or accident situations where machinery, structures or moving equipment must be protected against excessive impact forces.
Unlike a conventional hydraulic industrial shock absorber, the CE-Type absorbs kinetic energy through controlled permanent deformation of the deformation tube. During an impact, the deformation element is expanded in a defined manner. The resulting plastic deformation and friction convert the impact energy and reduce the forces transmitted to the surrounding machine or supporting structure.
Because the CE-Type does not require hydraulic oil or another damping fluid, it provides a leakage-free and maintenance-free solution for applications in which a simple, robust and reliable emergency energy absorber is required.
Crash Element for End Stops, Fall Protection and Overtravel Protection
Typical applications include emergency end stops, fall protection systems, vertical axes, lifting equipment, conveyor systems, material handling equipment, AS/RS and storage systems, test rigs, crash test facilities, railway equipment and special-purpose machinery.
For example, the CE-Type can be used as a mechanical fall protection element for lifting systems or storage and retrieval machines. In the event of an uncontrolled downward movement, the crash element provides a defined deformation stroke to absorb the kinetic energy of the moving mass and limit the resulting reaction forces.
The CE-Type is particularly suitable for rare emergency impacts and non-reversible overload events. After activation and deformation, the deformation tube is replaced.
Scalable Impact Energy Absorption
Where a single deformation tube is not sufficient for the required impact energy or reaction force, several CE-Type crash elements can be installed in parallel. This makes the system adaptable to different moving masses, impact velocities, available deformation strokes and permissible reaction forces.
The CE-Type therefore provides a compact and technically simple solution wherever a maintenance-free industrial crash element, deformation tube, emergency buffer or impact energy absorber is required to protect machinery and structures against exceptional impact loads.
The COMPENSER® of the CE series is a maintenance-free impact-reduction element that can be used as a deformation tube as an emergency end stop, for example as fall protection. If required, several deformation tubes (so-called crash elements) can be arranged in parallel as an end stop.
Applications:
- Test benches, test fixtures, and crash test facilities
- Conveyor systems, conveyor technology, and material flow systems
- Lifting systems, vertical axes, and fall protection devices
- Actuators, control elements, and safety-related motion axes
- Motion systems
- Custom machines, custom machine design, and plant engineering
- Heavy-duty applications
- End stops, emergency impact stops, and overtravel protection in industrial plants
- Crash elements for rare, non-reversible overload and emergency impact scenario load cases, for example in railway technology
- Energy absorbers for leak-free applications without hydraulic media
- Mounting position: any
- Energy dissipation possible in direction of compression & tension
- very short design
- high buckling resistance
- Maintenance-free
- Leakage-free
- Rear flange
- Surface galvanized or painted
- Variable reaction force profile over the stroke possible, e.g., optionally constant reaction force over the entire stroke, increasing reaction force in the front stroke range, or a stepped profile
- Extreme temperature ranges
- Energy dissipation up to 1,800 kNm
- irreversible energy absorption (exchange after impact)
The crash element is mounted to the support structure via the flange 3. In the event of an impact, the plunger (which acts as a mandrel) 1 enters the deformation tube 2 and expands it by up to 20%.
The introduced energy is converted into deformation energy and, through friction, into thermal energy. The combination of deformation and friction determines the reaction force.
The maintenance-free crash element of the CE series is a cost-effective irreversible shock reducing element for emergency use. However, it can only be used for a single impact, but reliably protects the structure from destruction. Suitable, for example, as fall protection.
If required, several crash elements can be arranged in parallel.
Designations
1 Plunger
2 Deformation tube
3 Flange
- specific materials, e.g., stainless steel for highly corrosive environments or use in the food industry
- high-quality corrosion protection according to DIN EN ISO 12944 up to corrosivity category C5M
- Optional round or square flange on the rear side
- Special mounting elements (e.g. threads) according to customer’s desired geometry
- Special impact cap on customer request and for special applications