Igus used the Hannover Messe and its traditionally very well-attended stand to present its own Vector Awards on the evening of June 1.

Hungarian company Gepber Szinpad wins the golden Vector Award 2022 with a multifunctional hall that transforms like a transformer at the touch of a button. The jury at the Hanover trade fair recognized the multifunctional hall as the most spectacular energy chain application of the last two years - out of 233 entries from 36 countries. It contains 43 mobile platforms with over 2,000 seats.

Similar to synchronized swimmers, the rows of seats on 1,800 square metres take on different formations in just a few minutes - thanks to an electromechanical lifting device equipped with Series 3400 energy chains and energy and data cables from the chainflex range. At the touch of a button, open rows of seats, a tiered cinema-like arrangement or a stage with an orchestra pit can be created. Automation that makes it possible to stage several different large-scale events in one day with minimal effort.

Turf lighting system for soccer stadium

However, the Transformer Hall was not the only exciting application. The silver Vector Award 2022 and 2,500 euros in prize money went to Rhenac GreenTec AG. The company from Hennef near Bonn built a gigantic pitch lighting system for the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. The system consists of a large portal that moves up and down the soccer pitch on two rails at the edge of the pitch. On the underside of the portal are lamps that supply the pitch with LED grow lights for generation. To protect the power and data cables of the outdoor system from UV radiation, rain and temperature fluctuations, the engineers use e-chains of type 5050RHD from igus for the gantries. The e-spool system is also used for the vertical adjustment of the lamp holders - an alternative to the cable drum that works without a slip ring.

One of the longest energy chains in the world

India, in the state of Punjab, in the village of Banawala: here, the company Talwandi Sabo Power Limited has built a coal-based thermal power plant with a capacity of 1980 MW. And a huge bucket-wheel excavator that extracts the delivered mountains of coal and transports them via conveyor belts towards the boiler. It moves along a rail system that has one of the longest energy chain systems in the world. The power cables follow the bucket wheel excavator over a distance of 700 meters - inserted in a heavy-duty roller chain of the 5050RHD series from igus and thus protected from flying coal. The jury honored the application with the bronze Vector Award and 1,000 euros in prize money.

Economical irrigation system

Watering thousands of flower pots by hand in horticulture? Far too time-consuming, Dercks Gartenbau GmbH is convinced. The company from Geldern has therefore developed an automatic watering trolley. It moves along a rail at a speed of 18 meters per minute and supplies plants with water and the nutrients dissolved in it using two booms with a span width of 45 meters. The engineers use e-chains from the 3500 series from igus to guide the water hoses. The system works so precisely that water consumption is reduced by around 60 percent compared to conventional irrigation. One reason to honor Dercks Gartenbau GmbH with the green Vector Award for sustainable projects and prize money of 1,000 euros.