LAPP Cables help T5 to be ready for take-off

The Lapp range of cables, cable glands and accessories were specified on over 30km of handling and automation conveyors. Lapp appointed a dedicated team to co-ordinate orders and deliveries and to liase with the electrical sub-contractors on- site to ensure the project ran smoothly and to schedule.

“One of the key successes of this partnership was Lapp’s ability to produce cost effective cable assemblies to customer specific designs in a very short lead time.” Says Lapp’s Product Marketing Manager Matt Ansell. “This was made possible by our extensive UK cable stock holding and our unique Epic connector range that can be assembled quickly enabling a 24 hour turn around on delivery.”

The Lapp products were specified after stringent durability and fire safety testing on prototype sections of the specially designed conveyors. Cables had to be flame resistant, low smoke, halogen-free and suitable for medium mechanical stress applications. A range of flexible control cables from Lapp’s highly flexible ÖLFLEX range were used in the conveyor systems, including ÖLFLEX H, which features a halogen-free, oil resistant and flame retardant outer sheath. Lapp also provided cables for the project’s Fieldbus systems, including UNITRONIC BUS ASI (Actuator Sensor Interface) cable. This halogen-free cable enabled high-speed data and power transmission between control units and peripherals and was tested to five million bending cycles. The contract also tested Lapp’s design and manufacturing expertise, with the requirement for non-standard cabling for power distribution in tunnels between terminal buildings.

Lapp also won the complete containment supply contract for specific areas of the handling and automation systems at T5 and was responsible for co-ordinating the supply of all electrical components required for the conveyor systems and power distribution between the new terminal and satellite buildings. Darren Clark, who heads the project management for Lapp at T5, said “Lapp won this prestigious contract on product performance and also for its technical and project management expertise. A contract of this scale demands suppliers can meet a stringent specification and handle high volumes of product. We have also been able to offer the main contractors the benefit of a single supplier solution, which includes non-Lapp products such as cable trunking, trays and fixings.”