Preparation method of high-flexibility anti-bending drag chain cable special for new energy automation equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a preparation method of a high-flexibility anti-bending drag chain cable special for new energy automatic equipment. In the application, the uniform distribution of the organic silicon chain segment on the polyether ester main chain is realized through the melt grafting process in the preparation process of the organic silicon modified polyether ester elastomer, the excellent mechanical strength and hydrolysis resistance of the polyether ester are retained, and the material is endowed with excellent low-temperature flexibility and fatigue resistance. In the extrusion process of the cable preparation, the accurate temperature gradient control and the raw material pretreatment ensure that the grafting structure of the modified material is stable, degradation does not occur due to high temperature or moisture interference, the insulation layer and the sheath layer can adapt to the high-frequency reciprocating bending of the new energy equipment drag chain, the molecular chain can freely stretch and disperse stress, and the insulation layer and the sheath layer can resist the oil stain and chemical reagent erosion in the workshop environment, so that the internal core wire of the cable is provided with persistent protection, and the structural stability in the use process is further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of new energy cable manufacturing technology, specifically a method for manufacturing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment is a highly flexible special cable designed and manufactured specifically to meet the frequent reciprocating motion requirements of automated machinery in new energy industry production lines. It is mainly used in drag chain systems in lithium battery manufacturing equipment, photovoltaic module production lines, and automated robots. Addressing the weakness of traditional cables prone to fatigue fracture under high-speed, high-acceleration conditions, this cable employs ultra-soft, finely stranded oxygen-free copper wire conductors, high-strength special insulation materials, and optimized layered or bundled stranding processes to effectively reduce friction and internal stress between the core wires. The cabling process typically involves filling with high-strength tensile elements (such as Kevlar fiber), combined with a highly abrasion-resistant and torsion-resistant inner sheath and a polyurethane (PUR) outer sheath, giving the cable excellent bending resistance, abrasion resistance, and tensile strength. This allows it to withstand millions of cycles of reciprocating motion in confined spaces and complex environments without damage. As a key dynamic connection component ensuring the continuous and stable operation of new energy intelligent manufacturing equipment, this cable strictly adheres to relevant industrial standards, significantly improving the operating efficiency and reliability of the production line.

[0003] However, in existing technologies, drag chain cables mostly use ordinary polyether ester or polyurethane materials, which make it difficult to balance flexibility and fatigue resistance. After long-term high-frequency bending, problems such as insulation layer cracking and core wire breakage are prone to occur. Moreover, the interfacial compatibility between the materials and the shielding layer and filler ropes is poor, and interlayer separation is prone to occur during bending, resulting in a decrease in shielding effectiveness. At the same time, traditional manufacturing processes lack precise material pretreatment and full-process stress control, resulting in poor product performance consistency during mass production. Residual stress inside the cable can easily cause early performance degradation, making it difficult to adapt to the long-term stable operation requirements of new energy automation equipment under complex working conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for preparing a highly flexible, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment in order to solve the problems mentioned above.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: A method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment, comprising the following steps: S1: The silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE), polyetherimide (PEI) micro powder, nano aluminum hydroxide (ATH), and silane coupling agent (KH-550) of the insulation layer in the formula are added to the Si-g-PEE, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micro powder, and antioxidant / UV absorber compound of the sheath layer in a high-speed mixer and mixed at 300 rpm for 15 minutes at 120°C to ensure uniform dispersion of each component. The premixed material is sealed and stored in a dry environment to provide a stable basic mixture for the subsequent extrusion of the S3 insulation layer and the S6 sheath layer.

[0006] S2: Multiple strands of tin-plated oxygen-free copper wire (0.08mm×19 strands) are stranded using a "bundle stranding + re-stranding" process. The bundle stranding pitch ratio is set to 8:1 and the re-stranding pitch ratio is set to 10:1. During the stranding process, the tension of each copper wire is stabilized at 50N using a tension controller. After stranding, the conductor surface is wiped with anhydrous ethanol to remove oil and oxide layers, so as to avoid affecting the adhesion of the subsequent S3 insulation layer.

[0007] S3: The conductor core wire processed in S2 is fed into a double-layer co-extrusion extruder, and the insulation layer mixture premixed in S1 is added at the same time. The extrusion temperature is controlled at 190-210℃ and the die pressure is stabilized at 12MPa. After extrusion, it is immediately cooled in an 80℃ warm water cooling bath to ensure that the insulation surface is smooth and free of bubbles, providing a flat adhesion base for the subsequent S4 shielding layer weaving.

[0008] S4: Place the core wires that have been insulated in S3 on a high-speed braiding machine and use tinned copper wire (0.1mm in diameter) for shielding braiding. The braiding density is strictly controlled at 90%. During the braiding process, adjust the tension of the copper wires to make the mesh layer fit tightly against the surface of the insulation layer. After the braiding is completed, manually check for any missing braids or skipped wires to ensure that it can be tightly embedded with the carbon fiber rope of the subsequent S5 filling layer and avoid gaps when the cable is made.

[0009] S5: The shielded core wire from S4 and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber filler rope are put into the cabling machine together, arranged in a structure of 1 core wire + 6 filler ropes, with the filler ropes evenly distributed in the gaps between the core wires. The cabling pitch ratio is set to 15:1. During the cabling process, the traction speed is adjusted synchronously to keep it consistent with the braiding speed of the S4 shielding layer to ensure the overall roundness of the cable and provide a regular cable core structure for the extrusion of the S6 sheath layer.

[0010] S6: The shaped cable core from S5 is fed into a single-screw extruder, and the premixed sheath layer mixture from S1 is added. The extrusion temperature gradient is set to 180-200℃, and the concentricity of the die head and the cable core is controlled within ±0.1mm. During the extrusion process, the sheath thickness is monitored in real time by an online thickness gauge to ensure that it matches the overall structural dimensions of the S3 insulation layer and the S4 shielding layer, and to avoid affecting the subsequent bending performance due to uneven thickness.

[0011] S7: The extruded cable is sent into a hot air circulating oven and treated at 120°C for 4 hours to eliminate internal stress; then, bending life test (simulating 10 million cycles of drag chain reciprocating motion), insulation resistance test, shielding effectiveness test and oil resistance test are carried out in sequence. The focus is on verifying the bending resistance of the S1 premixed material and the core breakage resistance of the S2 conductor stranding to ensure that all indicators meet the usage requirements of new energy automation equipment.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, in step S1, the conductor core wire comprises 35 parts by weight of multi-strand tin-plated oxygen-free copper wire (0.08mm × 19 strands).

[0013] The insulating layer comprises 22 parts by weight of silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE), 3 parts by weight of polyetherimide (PEI) micro powder, 2 parts by weight of nano aluminum hydroxide (ATH), and 0.2 parts by weight of silane coupling agent (KH-550). The shielding layer consists of 8 parts by weight of tin-plated copper wire braided mesh (0.1 mm in diameter, 90% braiding density); The filler layer consists of 4 parts by weight of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber rope; The sheath layer comprises 20 parts by weight of silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE), 5 parts by weight of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU, Shore A92), 2 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micro powder, and 0.3 parts by weight of hindered phenolic antioxidant (1076) and ultraviolet absorber (UV-326).

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, in step S1, the formulation of the silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE) by weight is as follows: 85 parts of polyether ester elastomer (PEE, Shore D55), 12 parts of vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, molecular weight 10000), 0.3 parts of dicumyl peroxide (DCP), 0.5 parts of γ-methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH-570), and 0.2 parts of hindered phenolic antioxidant 1010.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, in step S1, the mixer temperature is set to 120°C and the rotation speed to 300 rpm, and mixing is continued for 15 minutes. During this time, the built-in stirring blade structure of the mixer ensures that the components are fully dispersed and fused in the molten state. After mixing is completed, the two mixtures are immediately placed into sealed drying containers and stored in a dry environment with a temperature controlled at 25°C and a relative humidity below 40%. This prevents the materials from absorbing moisture and affecting the stability of subsequent extrusion processes, providing a uniform and stable basic mixture for the subsequent extrusion preparation of the insulation layer and sheath layer.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, in step S2, a stranding process is first performed, with a stranding pitch ratio of 8:1, to strand single-strand copper wires into sub-units; subsequently, a re-stranding process is performed, with a re-stranding pitch ratio of 10:1, to re-strand multiple sub-units into a complete conductor core. During the stranding process, a high-precision tension controller stabilizes the tension of each single-strand copper wire at 50N to prevent copper wire breakage or loosening of the core structure due to uneven tension. After stranding, anhydrous ethanol is used to thoroughly wipe the surface of the conductor core to completely remove oil stains generated during stranding and any oxide layer that may exist on the copper wire surface, ensuring the cleanliness of the conductor surface and providing good adhesion conditions for the subsequent tight coating of the insulation layer.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, in step S3, the pretreated insulation layer mixture is fed into the hopper of an extruder. The temperature gradient of the extruder is set to 190-210°C, and the extrusion pressure at the die is stably controlled at 12 MPa. After the mixture is fully melted and plasticized in the extruder, it is uniformly coated onto the surface of the conductor core wire through a double-layer co-extrusion die. The extruded insulated core wire immediately enters a warm water cooling bath at 80°C for cooling and shaping. By controlling the water flow rate and temperature in the cooling bath, it is ensured that the surface of the insulation layer is smooth, free of bubbles and cracks, forming a flat and dense insulation structure, providing a flat adhesion substrate for the subsequent tight weaving of the shielding layer.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, in step S4, tin-plated copper wire of a specified specification is used for shielding braiding. The braiding machine speed is set to 800 rpm. By adjusting the feed tension of the braided copper wire, the braided mesh layer is made to fit tightly against the surface of the insulation layer, ensuring that the braiding density reaches 90%. During the braiding process, the uniformity of the braided mesh layer is observed in real time through an online monitoring system. After the braiding is completed, the operator performs a full manual inspection to check for missing braids, skipped wires, loose mesh layers, etc., to ensure that the shielding layer structure is intact and can be tightly embedded with the carbon fiber rope of the subsequent filling layer, avoiding structural gaps during the cabling process.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, in step S5, the core wires are arranged with six filler ropes, with the filler ropes evenly distributed around the gaps around the core wires. The pitch ratio of the cabling machine is set to 15:1, and the traction speed of the cabling machine is adjusted to match the output speed of the shielding layer braiding process, avoiding tensile deformation of the core wires or shielding layer due to speed mismatch. During the cabling process, the cable core is shaped in real time using the shaping mold of the cabling machine to ensure a round overall cable structure, providing a regular cable core structure for subsequent sheath extrusion and coating, and avoiding uneven sheath thickness due to non-round cable cores.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, in step S6, the pretreated sheath layer mixture is fed into the extruder hopper. The temperature gradient of the extruder is set to 180-200℃, and the concentricity of the die and the cable core is controlled within ±0.1mm. After the mixture is melted and plasticized in the extruder, it is uniformly coated onto the surface of the cable core through the die. During the extrusion process, the thickness of the sheath layer is monitored in real time using an online thickness gauge to ensure that the sheath layer thickness is uniform and consistent, and accurately matches the overall structural dimensions of the insulation and shielding layers, thus avoiding the impact of uneven thickness on the bending performance and mechanical strength of the cable.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, in step S7, the extruded cable is placed in a hot air circulating oven, with the oven temperature set at 120°C for 4 hours. This slow heating and cooling process eliminates internal stress generated during extrusion and cabling, preventing structural cracking during subsequent use. After post-treatment, the cable undergoes full performance testing, including bending life testing, insulation resistance testing, shielding effectiveness testing, and oil resistance testing. The bending life test simulates the reciprocating motion of a cable chain in new energy automation equipment, with over 10 million cycles. The insulation resistance test ensures insulation performance meets industry standards. The shielding effectiveness test verifies electromagnetic shielding capability. The oil resistance test simulates oil contact in a real-world environment. Through these tests, the bending resistance of the modified material and the conductor stranding structure's resistance to core breakage are verified, ensuring all performance indicators meet the requirements for use in new energy automation equipment.

[0022] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: In this invention, the organosilicon-modified polyether ester elastomer achieves a uniform distribution of organosilicon segments on the polyether ester backbone through a melt grafting process during preparation. This retains the excellent mechanical strength and hydrolysis resistance of polyether ester while imparting excellent low-temperature flexibility and fatigue resistance to the material. In the extrusion process of cable manufacturing, precise temperature gradient control and raw material pretreatment ensure the stability of the grafted structure of the modified material, preventing degradation due to high temperatures or moisture interference. This allows the insulation and sheath layers to withstand the high-frequency reciprocating bending of cable carriers in new energy equipment, with molecular chains freely expanding and dispersing stress, while also resisting the corrosion of oil and chemical reagents in the workshop environment, providing durable protection for the cable's internal core wires. Simultaneously, the good interfacial compatibility between the modified material and the shielding layer and filler rope prevents interlayer separation during bending, further enhancing the structural stability during use. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process principle of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram comparing the bending and mechanical properties of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram comparing the electrical and multi-band shielding performance in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram comparing the environmental adaptability and long-term stability of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0025] Example: Refer to Figure 1-4 A method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment includes the following steps: S1: The silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE), polyetherimide (PEI) micro powder, nano aluminum hydroxide (ATH), and silane coupling agent (KH-550) of the insulation layer in the formula are added to the Si-g-PEE, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micro powder, and antioxidant / UV absorber compound of the sheath layer in a high-speed mixer and mixed at 300 rpm for 15 minutes at 120°C to ensure uniform dispersion of each component. The premixed material is sealed and stored in a dry environment to provide a stable basic mixture for the subsequent extrusion of the S3 insulation layer and the S6 sheath layer.

[0026] S2: Multiple strands of tin-plated oxygen-free copper wire (0.08mm×19 strands) are stranded using a "bundle stranding + re-stranding" process. The bundle stranding pitch ratio is set to 8:1 and the re-stranding pitch ratio is set to 10:1. During the stranding process, the tension of each copper wire is stabilized at 50N using a tension controller. After stranding, the conductor surface is wiped with anhydrous ethanol to remove oil and oxide layers, so as to avoid affecting the adhesion of the subsequent S3 insulation layer.

[0027] S3: The conductor core wire processed in S2 is fed into a double-layer co-extrusion extruder, and the insulation layer mixture premixed in S1 is added at the same time. The extrusion temperature is controlled at 190-210℃ and the die pressure is stabilized at 12MPa. After extrusion, it is immediately cooled in an 80℃ warm water cooling bath to ensure that the insulation surface is smooth and free of bubbles, providing a flat adhesion base for the subsequent S4 shielding layer weaving.

[0028] S4: Place the core wires that have been insulated in S3 on a high-speed braiding machine and use tinned copper wire (0.1mm in diameter) for shielding braiding. The braiding density is strictly controlled at 90%. During the braiding process, adjust the tension of the copper wires to make the mesh layer fit tightly against the surface of the insulation layer. After the braiding is completed, manually check for any missing braids or skipped wires to ensure that it can be tightly embedded with the carbon fiber rope of the subsequent S5 filling layer and avoid gaps when the cable is made.

[0029] S5: The shielded core wire from S4 and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber filler rope are put into the cabling machine together, arranged in a structure of 1 core wire + 6 filler ropes, with the filler ropes evenly distributed in the gaps between the core wires. The cabling pitch ratio is set to 15:1. During the cabling process, the traction speed is adjusted synchronously to keep it consistent with the braiding speed of the S4 shielding layer to ensure the overall roundness of the cable and provide a regular cable core structure for the extrusion of the S6 sheath layer.

[0030] S6: The shaped cable core from S5 is fed into a single-screw extruder, and the premixed sheath layer mixture from S1 is added. The extrusion temperature gradient is set to 180-200℃, and the concentricity of the die head and the cable core is controlled within ±0.1mm. During the extrusion process, the sheath thickness is monitored in real time by an online thickness gauge to ensure that it matches the overall structural dimensions of the S3 insulation layer and the S4 shielding layer, and to avoid affecting the subsequent bending performance due to uneven thickness.

[0031] S7: The extruded cable is sent into a hot air circulating oven and treated at 120°C for 4 hours to eliminate internal stress; then, bending life test (simulating 10 million cycles of drag chain reciprocating motion), insulation resistance test, shielding effectiveness test and oil resistance test are carried out in sequence. The focus is on verifying the bending resistance of the S1 premixed material and the core breakage resistance of the S2 conductor stranding to ensure that all indicators meet the usage requirements of new energy automation equipment.

[0032] In step S1, The conductor core consists of 35 parts by weight of multi-strand tin-plated oxygen-free copper wire (0.08mm × 19 strands); The insulating layer comprises 22 parts by weight of silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE), 3 parts by weight of polyetherimide (PEI) micro powder, 2 parts by weight of nano aluminum hydroxide (ATH), and 0.2 parts by weight of silane coupling agent (KH-550). The shielding layer consists of 8 parts by weight of tin-plated copper wire braided mesh (0.1 mm in diameter, 90% braiding density); The filler layer consists of 4 parts by weight of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber rope.

[0033] The sheath layer comprises 20 parts by weight of silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE), 5 parts by weight of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU, Shore A92), 2 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micro powder, and 0.3 parts by weight of hindered phenolic antioxidant (1076) and ultraviolet absorber (UV-326).

[0034] In step S1, the formulation of the silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer (Si-g-PEE) by weight is as follows: 85 parts of polyether ester elastomer (PEE, Shore D55), 12 parts of vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, molecular weight 10000), 0.3 parts of dicumyl peroxide (DCP), 0.5 parts of γ-methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH-570), and 0.2 parts of hindered phenolic antioxidant 1010.

[0035] This formula creatively breaks the molecular chain regularity of traditional PEE by introducing long-chain PDMS flexible segments. It retains the excellent mechanical strength and hydrolysis resistance of PEE, while giving the material an extremely low glass transition temperature (Tg=-75℃). It is perfectly suited to the bending requirements of new energy cables in low-temperature environments of -60℃. At the same time, it solves the problem of insufficient insulation resistance of ordinary organosilicon materials, and can simultaneously meet the dual performance requirements of cable insulation and sheath layers.

[0036] The preparation methods of Si-g-PEE include: First, PEE is dried in a vacuum drying oven at 100℃ for 4 hours to remove moisture and avoid hydrolysis that could affect grafting efficiency. Then, the dried PEE, PDMS, KH-570, and antioxidant 1010 are put into a high-speed mixer and mixed at 80℃ for 10 minutes to pre-disperse the components. The mixture is then added to a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, and a temperature gradient of 180-200℃ is set for melt blending. At the same time, DCP initiator is precisely injected from the side feed port, and the screw speed is controlled at 300 rpm. The PDMS segments are uniformly grafted onto the PEE main chain through a free radical grafting reaction. The extruded material is water-cooled and pelletized, and finally vacuum-dried at 110℃ for 6 hours to obtain the finished pellets.

[0037] In step S1, the mixer temperature is set to 120℃ and the rotation speed to 300 rpm, and mixing is continued for 15 minutes. During this time, the built-in stirring blade structure of the mixer ensures that the components are fully dispersed and fused in the molten state. After mixing, the two mixtures are immediately placed into sealed drying containers and stored in a dry environment with a temperature controlled at 25℃ and a relative humidity below 40%. This prevents the materials from absorbing moisture and affecting the stability of subsequent extrusion processes, thus providing a uniform and stable base mixture for the subsequent extrusion preparation of the insulation layer and sheath layer.

[0038] In step S2, the first step is a stranding process, with a stranding pitch ratio of 8:1, to strand single-strand copper wires into sub-units. Then, a re-stranding process is performed, with a re-stranding pitch ratio of 10:1, to re-strand multiple sub-units into a complete conductor core. During stranding, a high-precision tension controller stabilizes the tension of each single-strand copper wire at 50N to prevent wire breakage or loosening of the core structure due to uneven tension. After stranding, the surface of the conductor core is thoroughly wiped with anhydrous ethanol to completely remove oil stains generated during stranding and any oxide layer that may be present on the copper wire surface, ensuring the cleanliness of the conductor surface and providing good adhesion conditions for the subsequent tight coating of the insulation layer.

[0039] In step S3, the pretreated insulation mixture is fed into the hopper of an extruder. The temperature gradient of the extruder is set to 190-210℃, and the extrusion pressure at the die is stably controlled at 12MPa. After the mixture is fully melted and plasticized in the extruder, it is evenly coated onto the surface of the conductor core wire through a double-layer co-extrusion die. The extruded insulated core wire immediately enters a warm water cooling bath at 80℃ for cooling and shaping. By controlling the water flow rate and temperature in the cooling bath, it is ensured that the surface of the insulation layer is smooth, free of bubbles and cracks, forming a flat and dense insulation structure, providing a flat adhesion substrate for the subsequent tight weaving of the shielding layer.

[0040] In step S4, tin-plated copper wire of specified specifications is used for shielding braiding. The braiding machine speed is set to 800 rpm. By adjusting the feed tension of the braided copper wire, the braided mesh layer is made to fit tightly against the surface of the insulation layer, ensuring that the braiding density reaches 90%. During the braiding process, the uniformity of the braided mesh layer is observed in real time through an online monitoring system. After the braiding is completed, the operator performs a full manual inspection to check for missing braids, skipped wires, loose mesh layers, etc., to ensure that the shielding layer structure is intact and can be tightly embedded with the carbon fiber rope of the subsequent filling layer, avoiding structural gaps during the cabling process.

[0041] In step S5, the core wires are arranged with 6 filler ropes, evenly distributed around the gaps around the core wire. The pitch ratio of the cabling machine is set to 15:1, and the traction speed of the cabling machine is adjusted to match the output speed of the shielding layer braiding process to avoid tensile deformation of the core wire or shielding layer due to speed mismatch. During the cabling process, the cable core is shaped in real time using the shaping mold of the cabling machine to ensure a round overall cable structure. This provides a regular cable core structure for the subsequent extrusion and coating of the sheath layer, preventing uneven sheath thickness due to an uneven cable core.

[0042] In step S6, the pretreated sheath layer mixture is fed into the extruder hopper. The temperature gradient of the extruder is set to 180-200℃, and the concentricity of the die and the cable core is controlled within ±0.1mm. After the mixture is melted and plasticized in the extruder, it is uniformly coated onto the surface of the cable core through the die. During the extrusion process, the thickness of the sheath layer is monitored in real time using an online thickness gauge to ensure that the sheath layer thickness is uniform and consistent, and accurately matches the overall structural dimensions of the insulation and shielding layers, avoiding the impact of uneven thickness on the bending performance and mechanical strength of the cable.

[0043] In step S7, the extruded cable is placed in a hot air circulating oven at 120°C for 4 hours. This slow heating and cooling process eliminates internal stress generated during extrusion and cabling, preventing structural cracking during subsequent use. After post-treatment, the cable undergoes comprehensive performance testing, including bending life, insulation resistance, shielding effectiveness, and oil resistance tests. The bending life test simulates the reciprocating motion of a cable chain in new energy automation equipment, with over 10 million cycles. The insulation resistance test ensures insulation performance meets industry standards. The shielding effectiveness test verifies electromagnetic shielding capabilities. The oil resistance test simulates oil contact in a real-world environment. These tests primarily verify the bending resistance of the modified material and the conductor stranding structure's resistance to core breakage, ensuring all performance indicators meet the requirements of new energy automation equipment.

[0044] Comparative example: Ordinary polyether ester elastomer was used as the insulation and sheathing materials without silicone modification. The conductor was only stranded in a single step with a pitch ratio of 10:1, and no surface cleaning was performed after stranding. The insulation and sheathing extrusion processes did not involve premixing the raw materials; the raw materials were directly fed into the extruder, and the extrusion temperature was uniformly set to 200℃. Ordinary polypropylene filler rope was used instead of carbon fiber filler rope during cabling, with a cabling pitch ratio of 18:1, and no real-time shaping was performed. The post-processing stage only used natural cooling, without a hot air circulation stress relief process.

[0045] Bending and mechanical properties, such as Figure 2 As shown: Bending life: According to GB / T 5013.2-2008, a drag chain bending tester was used, with bending angles of ±90° and ±180° respectively, and a bending frequency of 10 times / minute. The cumulative number of bends when the cable core wire broke or the insulation layer cracked was recorded, and the average value of 3 sets of parallel tests was taken.

[0046] Tensile strength and elongation at break: Tested according to GB / T 1040.2-2006 at a tensile speed of 50 mm / min in an environment of 25℃. The result is the average value of 5 samples.

[0047] Low temperature tensile strength retention rate: Tensile strength was tested after being placed in an environment of -40℃ for 4 hours. Retention rate = (low temperature tensile strength / room temperature tensile strength) × 100%, and the average value of 3 parallel tests was taken.

[0048] Oil resistance retention rate: The sample was immersed in IRM903 oil at 100℃ for 24 hours and then the tensile properties were tested. Retention rate = (performance after oil resistance / performance at room temperature) × 100%. The average value of 3 parallel tests was taken.

[0049] Electrical and multi-band shielding performance, such as Figure 3 As shown: Insulation resistance: Using a ZC36 high resistance meter, a 1000V DC voltage was applied for 60 seconds at 25℃ / 40%RH environment, and the value was read. Resistance per unit length = test value × cable length (km), and the average value of 5 test points was taken.

[0050] Dielectric constant and breakdown strength: According to GB / T 1408.1-2006, the dielectric constant was tested at a frequency of 1MHz using a power frequency dielectric strength tester. The breakdown strength was tested by the step-by-step voltage increase method, and the average value of 5 samples was taken.

[0051] Multi-band shielding effectiveness: In accordance with GB / T 17651.2-1998, the signal attenuation values ​​of 100MHz, 1GHz and 5GHz frequency bands were tested using the shielded room method. Shielding effectiveness = transmitted signal strength - received signal strength, and the average value of 3 tests was taken.

[0052] Volume resistivity: According to GB / T 1410-2006, it was tested using a high-resistivity meter, and the result was the average of 5 samples.

[0053] Environmental adaptability and long-term stability, such as Figure 4 As shown: Low-temperature bending performance: After placing the cable in a -40℃ environment for 4 hours, bend it 1000 times at ±90° and observe whether the insulation layer and sheath layer are cracked. If it passes, there is no obvious damage.

[0054] Thermal aging performance retention rate: According to GB / T 2951.12-2008, the tensile strength of the cable was tested after aging at 135℃ for 72 hours. The retention rate = (strength after aging / initial strength) × 100%, and the average value of 3 parallel tests was taken.

[0055] Abrasion resistance: According to GB / T 19292.1-2003, the Taber abrasion tester was used, a 1000g weight was loaded, and the mass loss after 1000 revolutions was tested. The average value of 3 samples was taken.

[0056] Hydrolysis resistance: The sample was aged in a 95℃ / 95%RH environment for 1000h. The tensile strength retention rate was calculated as (strength after aging / initial strength) × 100%, and the average value of 3 parallel tests was taken.

[0057] Flame retardant performance: According to GB / T 2408-2008, the vertical burning method is used for testing. The V-0 level is that the sample self-extinguishes within 10 seconds of burning and there are no molten droplets igniting the degreased cotton. The V-1 level is that the sample self-extinguishes within 30 seconds of burning.

[0058] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the term "comprising" or any other variations thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0059] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment, characterized in that: The method includes the following steps: S1: The silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer, polyetherimide micro powder, nano aluminum hydroxide, and silane coupling agent of the insulation layer in the formula, and the Si-g-PEE, thermoplastic polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene micro powder, and antioxidant / UV absorber compound of the sheath layer are respectively put into a high-speed mixer and mixed at 120°C and 300 rpm for 15 minutes to ensure that each component is evenly dispersed; the premixed material is sealed and stored in a dry environment to provide a stable basic mixture for the subsequent S3 insulation layer extrusion and S6 sheath layer extrusion; S2: Multiple strands of tin-plated oxygen-free copper wire are stranded using a "bundle stranding + re-stranding" process. The bundle stranding pitch ratio is set to 8:1 and the re-stranding pitch ratio is set to 10:

1. During the stranding process, the tension of a single copper wire is stabilized at 50N by a tension controller. S3: The conductor core wire processed in S2 is fed into a double-layer co-extrusion extruder, and the insulation layer mixture premixed in S1 is added at the same time. The extrusion temperature is controlled at 190-210℃ and the die pressure is stabilized at 12MPa. After extrusion, it is immediately cooled in an 80℃ warm water cooling tank for shaping. S4: Place the core wire that has been insulated in S3 on a high-speed braiding machine and use tinned copper wire for shielding braiding. The braiding density is strictly controlled at 90%. During the braiding process, adjust the tension of the copper wire to make the mesh layer fit tightly against the surface of the insulation layer. S5: Place the shielded core wire from S4 and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber filler rope into the cabling machine together, and arrange them in a structure of 1 core wire + 6 filler ropes. The filler ropes are evenly distributed in the gaps between the core wires, and the cabling pitch ratio is set to 15:

1. S6: The shaped cable core from S5 is fed into a single-screw extruder, and the premixed sheath layer mixture from S1 is added. The extrusion temperature gradient is set to 180-200℃, and the concentricity between the die and the cable core is controlled within ±0.1mm. During the extrusion process, the sheath thickness is monitored in real time by an online thickness gauge to ensure that it matches the overall structural dimensions of the S3 insulation layer and the S4 shielding layer. S7: The extruded cable is sent into a hot air circulating oven and treated at 120°C for 4 hours to eliminate internal stress; then, bending life test, insulation resistance test, shielding effectiveness test and oil resistance test are carried out in sequence.

2. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the conductor core wire comprises 35 parts by weight of multi-strand tin-plated oxygen-free copper wire. The insulating layer comprises 22 parts by weight of silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer, 3 parts by weight of polyetherimide micro powder, 2 parts by weight of nano aluminum hydroxide, and 0.2 parts by weight of silane coupling agent. The shielding layer consists of 8 parts by weight of tin-plated copper wire braided mesh; The filler layer consists of 4 parts by weight of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber rope; The sheath layer comprises 20 parts by weight of silicone-modified polyether ester elastomer, 5 parts by weight of thermoplastic polyurethane, 2 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene micro powder, and 0.3 parts by weight of a blend of hindered phenolic antioxidant and ultraviolet absorber.

3. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the formulation of the organosilicon-modified polyether ester elastomer by weight is as follows: 85 parts of polyether ester elastomer, 12 parts of vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, 0.3 parts of dicumyl peroxide, 0.5 parts of γ-methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, and 0.2 parts of hindered phenolic antioxidant 1010.

4. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the mixer temperature is set to 120℃ and the rotation speed is 300rpm. The mixture is continuously mixed for 15 minutes. During this period, the built-in stirring blade structure of the mixer ensures that the components are fully dispersed and fused in the molten state. After the mixing is completed, the two mixtures are immediately loaded into sealed drying containers and stored in a dry environment with a temperature controlled at 25℃ and a relative humidity of less than 40%.

5. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the first step is to perform a stranding process, setting the stranding pitch ratio to 8:1, to strand a single copper wire into a sub-unit; then, the second stranding process is performed, setting the second stranding pitch ratio to 10:1, to strand multiple sub-units into a complete conductor core wire.

6. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the pretreated insulation layer mixture is fed into the hopper of the extruder, the temperature gradient of the extruder is set to 190-210℃, and the extrusion pressure at the die head is stably controlled at 12MPa.

7. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, tin-plated copper wire of a specified specification is used for shielding braiding, and the speed of the braiding machine is set to 800 rpm.

8. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S5, the core wire is arranged with 6 filler ropes, and the filler ropes are evenly distributed in the gaps around the core wire; the pitch ratio of the cable machine is set to 15:

1.

9. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S6, the pretreated sheath layer mixture is fed into the extruder hopper, the temperature gradient of the extruder is set to 180-200℃, and the concentricity of the die head and the cable core is controlled within ±0.1mm. After the mixture is melted and plasticized in the extruder, it is uniformly coated on the surface of the cable core through the die head.

10. The method for preparing a high-flexibility, bend-resistant drag chain cable for new energy automation equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step S7, the extruded cable is sent into a hot air circulating oven, the oven temperature is set to 120°C, and the process is continued for 4 hours.

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