In the application from the Spanish company Loxin 2002, which won an award from Igus at the Hannover Messe 2018, two articulated robots work in the final assembly line for aircraft fuselages. A large number of different energy chain systems from igus are used to safely supply the end effectors on the robots.

In the application - two industrial robots that work automatically in the final assembly of aircraft fuselages with a diameter of 4 m and carry out work steps such as drilling and riveting - the main problem in the past was to avoid collisions between the robots and the aircraft fuselage in order to prevent dangerous damage to the aircraft. Loxin 2002 uses two three-dimensionally movable e-chains from igus. They are attached in parallel to each side of the robot arms, allowing better mobility of the robot arms and greater accessibility to the aircraft fuselages despite the difficult geometries. In addition, more different cables and hoses for connecting elements can be routed to the end effectors of the robots. Other energy chain systems with different geometries and directions of movement supply the robots.

The silver Vector went to the US company Cordoba Technologies Inc. for the "Hummingbird", an innovation for the agricultural industry for the irrigation and fertilizer supply of fields. It replaces conventional individual machines, can be equipped with various sensors and uses software that processes data relating to temperature, nutrients or disease infestation. This means that the substances to be sprayed can be adapted, mixed and distributed according to plant growth on a case-by-case basis. A "micro flizz" system from igus is used here to guide cables and hoses, in which an energy chain travels compactly in an enclosed aluminum channel.

Thyssenkrupp Elevator received the Vector in Bronze for an innovative elevator in which the conventional ropes were replaced by linear motors. The linear drive and the guide rods can rotate through 90°, allowing the cabins to be moved both vertically and horizontally. One of the biggest challenges during implementation was the limited space available in relation to the amount of cable, both in terms of depth and rotational movement. The cables are also subject to high requirements, such as shielding and small diameters and bending radii. This is the first time that cable drag chains have been used for this type of application in the elevator sector. Two energy guiding chains, each running in opposite directions on a circular path and guided in a channel system, together with the corresponding cables from igus ensure the necessary energy and data transmission to the rotating platform.