Custom Cables for Ventilation Systems
Hägele, the agricultural machinery specialist, relies on individually coloured automotive cables from HELU for the electrical equipment of its Cleanfix cooling systems for combustion engines. They can be identified quickly and unambiguously during assembly, and they ensure reliable and durable operation even under the harshest operating conditions.
When off-highway machines such as tractors, combine harvesters, wheel loaders, forestry machinery, or construction equipment perform heavy-duty work under harsh conditions, it is often the smallest particles that cause them the most trouble, as dust, chaff, wood shavings, or abrasive stone residues stubbornly accumulate in every gap and crevice. This includes the radiator. If this becomes blocked at some point, cooling performance declines. In the worst case, this can bring the engine and the entire machine to a standstill, resulting in significant costs due to downtime and repairs.
Hägele tackles this challenge directly. Founded in 1958 and based in Schorndorf in Southern Germany, the company is an internationally active supplier of reversible fans for combustion engines. First introduced in 1998 and marketed under the Cleanfix brand name, these fans feature one decisive advantage: the direction of the airflow can be reversed at the touch of a button, allowing the radiator to be cleaned automatically within seconds, as contaminants are simply blown outwards. This not only reduces maintenance requirements and prevents costly downtime, but it also significantly lowers the machine’s fuel consumption. "Our calculations show that the cost of purchasing a Cleanfix fan can be recouped within the first year", reports Marketing Manager Gideon Flor.
This innovative idea proved extremely successful for Hägele, as the patent was awarded a gold medal in 1999 at AGRITECHNICA, the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery. With this innovation and its commitment to continuous improvement, the company has now grown to around 180 employees worldwide and produces approximately 20,000 fans per year. “We are not only a partner to developers and OEMs, but we also offer our products for retrofitting in existing machines,” Flor explains.
Electrical equipment – extreme conditions
The cables are cut to length, assembled, and prepared on site for installation in the control unit.
To adapt the airflow and cooling performance to the specific operating conditions, the angle of the fan blades can be adjusted. For this principle to function reliably in everyday operation, not only must the mechanics withstand high loads, but the electrical connection technology is also a critical factor for success. Hägele fans are equipped with comprehensive control, regulation, and sensor technology that executes and monitors every movement with precision. It is connected via cables in a wide range of lengths and colours, each tailored specifically to the respective engine installation space and allowing for unambiguous identification during assembly.
The conditions in which Cleanfix fans are used are extremely demanding. In its own highly specialised test chambers, the company ensures that every component used meets the most stringent quality requirements. “Our ventilation systems must withstand ambient temperatures of around –30 to +40 °C during typical operation,” explains Design Engineer Medet Bozkurt. “Since the fan is usually installed close to the engine, even temperatures exceeding 100 °C are commonplace.” In sectors such as mining, additional requirements come into play, such as restrictions on flammable materials, as sparks may be generated when rock is removed. “Therefore, we pay very close attention to which cables and assemblies we use,” emphasises Bozkurt. For many years, the company has relied on HELU as a steady and dependable partner.
Tailored in function and colour
Well-coordinated team: Medet Bozkurt (left), Design Engineer at Hägele, and Timon Nonner, Area Sales Manager at HELU.
For the control units of the Cleanfix fans, cables are not simply a connection but an integral part of the overall system. Therefore, the cable assemblies are designed so that they can be routed cleanly through housings and fixed securely, without making installation unnecessarily difficult. Visual appearance and clear identification also play an important role, as visible assemblies should match the product’s colour scheme or the OEM design. At the same time, Hägele uses defined colours as an internal coding system to clearly distinguish cable functions, especially during assembly.
Hägele specifically uses special automotive cables based on the LiYöY11Y types in two- and three-core variations with different cross sections, as well as the FLRYWYW type in a three-core variant with a cross section of 0.5 mm². They are cut to length, assembled, and prepared in house for installation in the control unit. The manufacturer’s current annual requirement amounts to around 43 kilometres of cable length, distributed across the various combinations. “It is crucial that we supply high-quality cables that can be adapted to the various Cleanfix variants with repeatable precision during assembly and with clean documentation, including the colour and labelling specifications required by Hägele and the respective OEMs,” explains Timon Nonner, Area Sales Manager at HELU. “This is how assembly processes remain streamlined, clear identification is maintained, and any modifications can be implemented quickly.”
Close proximity and easy accessibility
In their partnership with HELU, regional proximity also plays a role: the Hemmingen location can be reached from Hägele’s headquarters in around 40 minutes. Additionally, the initial contact arose through a development consultation, which enabled a shared understanding of requirements, installation situations, and technical details to be established at an early stage.
In day-to-day cooperation, Hägele particularly values the immediate availability of a dedicated contact—especially when things need to move quickly—as well as the ability to resolve technical questions pragmatically and in a solution-oriented manner. “For me, one of HELU’s major advantages is that the sales team not only sells but is technically proficient and keeps both the people and the operation as a whole in view,” praises Purchaser Marc Philipp Schönfeld. “The project and procurement processes are also clearly structured, and deliveries are always fast and punctual.”
On the path to becoming a system supplier
Hägele is working consistently to further expand its system expertise. Improvements gleaned from experience contribute to the continuous development of their product portfolio. “When we develop a new version—whether with different sensor technology or for a specific installation situation—we need partners who think along with us, react quickly, and find solutions. This works extremely well with HELU,” says Medet Bozkurt with satisfaction. “That is why they will remain our first choice when it comes to electrical connection technology.”
You can find this article as well as many more exciting stories in our issue of POWER #19. Take a look now!
ABOUT HÄGELE:
Founded in 1958 in Göppingen in Southern Germany and now based in nearby Schorndorf, Hägele GmbH is an international innovation and technology leader in reversible fans for combustion engines. These are used primarily in what are known as off-highway applications— that is, in vehicles and machines that operate off paved roads and in rough terrain. The company has three development and production sites as well as a network of sales partners in more than 25 countries.
Learn more at cleanfix.org