It’s done: after a long period of development work, the igus:bike, a bicycle made of 92 per cent plastic with a high share of recycled content, has gone into series production. The Dutch development partner MTRL is currently producing the first 100 units together with igus. At the same time, the plastics specialist is building its own production line at the Cologne site to increase production capacity to 10,000 units over the next two years. This brings the companies one step closer to their sustainability vision of transferring plastic waste to a circular economy and using it for the urban mobility of the future.
3D-printed polymer components will be able to resist much higher temperatures in future – in the engine compartment of a car, for example. While commercially available SLS printing materials threaten to deform at over 80°C, the new powdery material iglidur i230 from igus can withstand a long-term application temperature of 110°C. Furthermore, it is free of PTFE and around 80% more wear-resistant than the classic PA12.
Like the chemicals of the PFAS family, certain polytetrafluoroethylene compounds – PTFE for short – are considered “forever chemicals” and therefore potentially harmful to the environment, people and animals. The European Union is therefore working on a ban on the substances. With the “PFAS-free” seal, igus demonstrates that their own chainflex cables are free of the chemicals and already offer customers operational safety in the event of a ban.
Enter dimensions, determine application parameters, find plain bearings – simple! This is how the new igus online shop for polymer plain bearings now works. Whether catalogue part or special bearing, customers receive a transparent overview of all plain bearings that are suitable for their application. Convenient filters such as price, delivery time and service life help with the selection. Technical drawings and CAD data are available as a free download.
The German economy is weakening and will only recover slowly in 2024, according to the Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research (IMK). The mechanical engineering industry is also feeling the effects. To strengthen competitiveness, organisations will have to focus on automation. Thanks to Low Cost Automation (LCA) and the RBTX robotics marketplace from igus, companies of all sizes can find a complete solution that suits their requirements and budget – from as little as €2,000. The plastics company is now honouring the projects with the fastest return on investment (ROI) with the ROIBOT Award for the third time. Users can now apply to win LCA products worth €5,000 in addition to international recognition.