Rescuing plastics from incineration and integrating them into a circular economy: the unique “Chainge” program for recycling technical plastics won first place for igus in the “Going Circular” competition held by the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The igus:bike, made entirely from recycled plastic, also made it to the finals.
Things are heating up, especially in battery production for the automotive industry. Machines and systems have to withstand temperatures above 100°C and aggressive chemicals. For more machine reliability and less maintenance, igus has developed the lubrication-free xiros A500 deep groove ball bearing specifically for chemical and temperature resistance. To offer customers even more solutions, igus is adding two new materials to its range of ball bearings for high-temperature use. Users now also have access to the xirodur F500 cage material and balls made of zirconium oxide.
Engineers from igus are now using a simple technology for heat recovery. It heats industrial factories with the waste coolant water from machines, saving on gas costs and CO2 emissions. igus is making the technology available online, with all the details available to other industrial companies. If all injection moulders worldwide were to use the technology, over 14 million tons of CO2 and over seven billion cubic metres of gas could be saved.
Cleaning with chemicals is a daily occurrence for machines in the food processing industry. Even the smallest blind spot can collect moisture and can lead to contamination within the machine. More and more operators are therefore designing parts with an emphasis on Hygienic Design. igus is a member of the EHEDG and has developed the first linear guide system, based on the Hygienic Design guidelines. Using FDA-compliant materials such as the high-performance polymer iglidur A160, high-alloy stainless steel and a washable interior of the carriage ensures the hygienic design is adhered to.
In applications with loads of more than 80Mpa, plain bearings made of thermoplastic materials can be pushing their limits. igus has expanded the existing range of standard plain bearings with the new igutex fibre wound plain bearing series. The series displays its strength in heavy-duty areas such as construction machinery or hoists. The latest development in the product family is the material igutex TX3. It offers an even higher running performance with high dynamic forces than previous igutex bearings.