Plain bearing
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.
In the food industry, machine components have to meet very high hygiene requirements so as not to pose a safety risk. Since 2019, the motion plastics specialist igus has been offering igubal Food Contact (FC), a special spherical bearing system made from high-performance polymers that comply with FDA and EU 10/2011 for direct contact with food. The company is now expanding this product range with a new double joint. Interested parties who would like to see the advantages and quality of the igubal FC series for themselves in advance can now order a new free sample box.
Stressed automotive designers and
buyers can breathe a sigh of relief. If they needed an injection mould for a special component suitable for series production and resistant to wear at short notice, they previously had to wait up to six weeks. Time that igus has now reduced to just seven days – with a service called FastLine. With the iglidur designer, customers can quickly order the tribo-optimised plain bearing. In just four steps, the required part is configured online and ordered from igus.
A clean cityscape is what many large cities around the world long for. To bring that dream a little closer, Finbin, a Finnish company, has developed an intelligent rubbish bin. It features a solar-powered press that increases the amount of rubbish it can absorb by a factor of six. The lubrication-free igus plain bearings in use ensure a long service life of the bin. This project won the green manus award in 2021.
In practice, it is not easy to cost-effectively produce clearance-free multi-link hinges for spoiler kinematics and soft-top and hinge systems. Frequently only roughly punched holes with a limited amount of fine cuts in the guides combined with cold extrusion rivets require costly bearing recalibration. With its plain bearings made of tribologically optimised plastics, such as the new electrically conductive iglidur F300 material, igus offers a technically better solution that costs less. In the e-coating process, the bearing recalibrates itself and also prevents corrosion.
Hygienically designed slewing ring bearings have been scarce on the market. Manufacturers of special machines for hygiene-sensitive areas therefore often have to design additional covers. However, igus is now changing all that – with a hygienically designed iglidur PRT slewing ring bearing that enables quick, residue-free cleaning during use. This slewing ring bearing can remain permanently installed in an application with food contact, saving the user the effort of developing a suitable cover.
A wide, angular frame made of plastic, black wheels with Y-spokes: The futuristic look of the bike designed by mtrl, a Dutch bicycle developer, with motion plastics from igus has won the prestigious German Design Award 2023. The award brings an important step in realising the sustainability vision of a bicycle production with post-consumer-waste recycled plastic for urban mobility.
igus is taking another step towards sustainable plastic production: The company uses xirodur B180 high-performance plastic residue from injection moulding production to produce an ECO version of the proven xiros deep groove ball bearing. The recycled version has almost the same technical specifications and load limits.
Robust, corrosion-free, chemical-resistant and lightweight – the automotive industry places high demands on plain bearings, for everything from engine compartments to windscreen wipers. Since many bearing materials reach their limits here, igus, the Cologne-based plastics specialist, is launching an alternative: plain bearings made from iglidur H5, the new high-performance plastic.
How much CO2 is released into the atmosphere as a result of a plastic bearing’s production? For the first time, igus, the motion plastics specialist, is publishing precise CO2 footprints for a large number of its lubrication-free, maintenance-free iglidur polymer plain bearings. Users can use these values as Scope 3 emissions in CO2 accounting for climate-neutral products.