About Lutze
Lutze Industrial Automation Cable Solutions
LUTZE Inc is an industrial automation manufacturer headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. Established in 1982 as part of the worldwide expansion of parent company Lütze GmbH (founded 1928 in Germany), LUTZE Inc serves the growing North American demand for flexible and continuous-motion industrial cables. Today, more than 120 people work in the Charlotte organization to design, manufacture, and sell industrial automation control components and cables, specializing in flexible and continuous-motion cables marketed under the LUTZE SILFLEX®, LUTZE SUPERFLEX®, DRIVEFLEX®, and MOTIONFLEX® brand families.
The core SILFLEX® product line consists of multi-conductor control, electronic, bus and network, motor supply, and power cables for stationary and occasional-flex applications in machine tools, machine and plant construction, industrial HVAC technology, assembly and production lines, and many other industrial environments. SILFLEX® FBP cables for food and beverage processing carry patented FDA 21 CFR compliance certification and are UL approved for NFPA 79 applications, certified to withstand common cleaning agents and harsh washdown chemicals used in frequent high-pressure sanitization procedures.
The DRIVEFLEX® VFD cable family is purpose-engineered to handle the unique electrical demands of variable-frequency drive (VFD) and servo motor applications, including pulse width modulation (PWM) high-frequency switching noise, harmonic distortion, and long cable runs (50+ meters) without signal degradation or EMI radiation. DRIVEFLEX® cables feature thermoset XLPE insulation (superior to traditional PVC/Nylon) for enhanced electrical performance, mechanical protection, and thermal stability, offering a premium alternative to standard power tray cables. MOTIONFLEX® cables address continuous-flex and drag-chain applications in robotic arms, automated material handlers, and manufacturing systems requiring high-cycle-count bending endurance (tested per IEC 61076-2-109).
Beyond cables, LUTZE offers complementary control-cabinet infrastructure: grounding and wire-management systems, compact industrial power supplies, LOCC-Box (intelligent DC control circuit protection devices), AirSTREAM-wiring systems for organized control-cabinet layouts, and LCIS relays for industrial applications. The company also provides connectivity solutions including servo cable assemblies pre-terminated per Siemens 6FX, Allen-Bradley 2090, and Bosch Rexroth Indramat standards, enabling rapid integration into existing automation architectures.
ChatMRO instantly maps your application profile (CNC machining / servo motion / VFD-driven conveyor / food-processing washdown) and environmental constraints (temperature, bend radius, voltage, EMI sensitivity) to LUTZE's cable portfolio, eliminating the traditional cable catalog search and enabling rapid specification of the correct SILFLEX, DRIVEFLEX, or MOTIONFLEX variant with all required certifications and termination options.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between LUTZE SILFLEX and DRIVEFLEX cables, and why can't I use standard power cable for a VFD drive motor?
SILFLEX® is a general-purpose multi-conductor control and power cable with PVC insulation, rated for stationary or occasional-flex (<5 million flex cycles), 600V AC max. DRIVEFLEX® is specifically engineered for VFDs with thermoset XLPE insulation, advanced shielding against PWM harmonics, and testing per NFPA 70E for variable-frequency voltage stress. Standard power cables (Romex, UF cable) are designed for fixed 60 Hz AC, not PWM switching transients; using standard cable on a VFD motor creates excessive heating (core losses from harmonic current), premature insulation breakdown (voltage stress from PWM switching edges), and potential cable fire. DRIVEFLEX® construction absorbs harmonic energy and prevents EMI radiation back into the control cabinet, protecting sensitive PLC and sensor circuits from noise-induced faults.
How do I choose the correct cable gauge (AWG/mm²) for a VFD motor circuit?
Cable size is determined by three factors: (1) Motor full-load amperage (FLA) per the motor nameplate, (2) Cable run length (voltage drop increases with length—NFPA 70E limits branch-circuit voltage drop to 3%), and (3) DRIVEFLEX® ampacity tables (which are conservative to account for harmonic heating). For example, a 5 kW motor with 50 m cable run on 400V three-phase requires #10 AWG (6 mm²) minimum per DRIVEFLEX® tables, whereas standard power cable might allow #12 AWG. Always use DRIVEFLEX®'s published ampacity tables rather than standard NEC tables; undersizing risks insulation failure and arc-flash hazard.
What does 'continuous-flex rating' mean, and how does MOTIONFLEX® differ from SILFLEX® in robotic applications?
Continuous-flex cables undergo millions of bending cycles per operating month (robotic arms, overhead conveyors, drag-chain systems); each bend cycle creates stress and fatigue at the insulation and conductor interface. MOTIONFLEX® cables are tested per IEC 61076-2-109 to 10–50 million flex cycles before insulation breakdown; SILFLEX® cables have a much lower flex rating and will develop cracks and shorts within weeks in robotic arms. Always verify the cable's flex rating (printed on the jacket, e.g., '5M' = 5 million cycles) against your machinery's actual duty cycle (e.g., a 6-axis robot arm with 50 movements/hour × 240 operating hours/month = 12,000 cycles/month = ~5 years until 5M flex limit).
Can LUTZE SILFLEX FBP cables be used in non-food industries, and are they more expensive than standard SILFLEX?
SILFLEX FBP cables are FDA 21 CFR compliant and certified to resist food-processing chemicals (sanitizers, high-pressure washdown), making them ideal for beverage plants, meat processing, and dairy operations. They perform identically to standard SILFLEX in non-food environments, but cost 15–25% more due to additional FDA testing and material scrutiny. Most food-processing installations standardize on FBP cables across all applications (even non-product-contact areas) to simplify maintenance and prevent accidental cross-connection of standard vs. FDA-compliant circuits. ChatMRO's cable selection guides recommend FBP for any multi-product facility where cross-contamination risk exists.
What is the maximum ambient temperature for DRIVEFLEX® cables, and how does temperature affect VFD cable life?
DRIVEFLEX® cables are rated for continuous operation at 60°C ambient (industrial standard per IEC 60811-2-1), with short-term excursions to 80°C. Each 10°C increase in ambient temperature roughly halves the insulation's service life; operating a DRIVEFLEX® cable at 70°C ambient (e.g., in an undersized conduit or a hot machine-room corner) reduces expected life from 15 years to ~7 years. For applications with ambient >60°C, use LUTZE's high-temperature DRIVEFLEX® variants (rated to 90°C); install the cable in ventilated conduit or trays to maximize air circulation; and monitor cable surface temperature monthly with an IR thermometer. ChatMRO's thermal-management guides include conduit sizing and routing recommendations to keep VFD cable temperatures within specification.