Can a yaw cable loop clear nearby parts at one heading but foul them elsewhere?

The short answer

Yes. A cable loop moves in three dimensions, and its sag and curvature can change with yaw angle. Clearance at one heading cannot establish clearance throughout the permitted movement. A small-wind rotary interface needs a full moving-envelope assessment for the actual cable support arrangement.

Include more than the cable centreline

The relevant envelope includes cable diameter, connectors, restraints and any protection or conduit that moves with it. Contact can occur against an edge, bracket or rotating component even where the nominal centreline looks clear in one drawing view. Gravity can pull a loop into different shapes, while attachment orientation changes the route as yaw progresses. A top-view sketch alone can miss those effects.

Review deformation and snagging together

A route can remain within a bend-radius limit yet rub or catch on a neighboring feature. Adding slack to relieve tension can enlarge the sag envelope and create another conflict. Conversely, tying the cable closer to a structure can reduce free length and increase local twisting. These are coupled geometry choices, so a local clearance fix needs the complete motion and cable-capability assessment.

Request an envelope-specific routing drawing

Ask the supplier to show the loop and nearby parts at the controlling angular positions, including permitted sag, bend and torsion conditions. Igus cable-routing guidance supports checking space and cable-specific movement constraints; it does not establish MARSTON routing. Use the manufacturer’s approved verification method rather than moving an uncertain assembly past suspected fouling. The acceptance decision is whether the installed cable path stays supported, within its motion ratings and clear of harmful contact over the entire authorized yaw range. Connectors or cable guards can be the largest moving features. Including only the cable jacket diameter in a clearance model may therefore miss the actual controlling object as the loop changes orientation during permitted yaw.