Four times the excitement: for the first time, the manus award, a joint initiative by igus, a motion plastics specialist, recognises four contestants. The prize showcases fascinating, creative uses of plain bearings. The tenth gold manus award goes to Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG for its PowerBully. Silver goes to a radio-controlled, battery-driven felling wedge. Bronze goes to a sun protection facade system with a shape memory alloy. The first-ever green manus was awarded for a sustainable project. It went to an intelligent solar-powered rubbish bin from Finland.
In order to be able to move linear bearings on shafts with high precision, igus has now developed the W360CM series. The new polymer linear bearings consist of an aluminium housing and a thin liner, which ensure smooth and quiet operation combined with high rigidity. The bearings have hardly any clearance and allow precise movements. Thanks to the use of iglidur W360 high-performance polymers, the user does not need external lubrication. The dimensions of the new series match metallic ball bushings, so that they can be easily converted 1:1.
The “Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Solution” of startup Mura Technology promises the conversion of plastic back to oil in just 25 minutes. In order for entry into a sustainable circular economy to succeed, globally active industrial companies such as igus are supporting the development of this technology. Dow Chemical, the world’s second largest chemical company, is now another partner on board.
More new products, product extensions and digital offerings than ever before: the 2021 “igus Motion Plastics Show” is opening digitally. Visitors can look forward to 168 innovations from all departments – from telescopic robot tube packages to dry-running ball bearings with 21 times the standard service life to large scale 3D printing.
Especially for heavy-duty applications in the construction machinery or agricultural industry, igus now has the new tribo-material iglidur TX2 in its product range, which works without lubrication. Because even small excavators still need 50 litres of lubricant every year. The wound plain bearing bushings withstand very strong forces and increase wear resistance by a factor of 3.5 in load ranges with more than 100 MPa surface pressure.