Plain bearing
igus experts will use live shows to demonstrate how plastics can permanently reduce costs and improve technical performance
A team of Polish students in Wrocław is developing the transportation of the future. The autonomous speedboat called Solaris is powered exclusively with solar energy. So that the boat can drive easily and maintenance-free over rivers and lakes, the young engineers rely on igus plain bearings made of the high-performance polymer iglidur J in the steering system. The bearings offer the necessary stability, reduce the boat’s weight and ensure lubrication-free use.
In bearing points in the food and packaging industries, temperatures and speeds are frequently high. Ensuring that mechanisms function reliably requires durable plain bearing solutions that can continuously handle friction and heat. Another challenge is electrostatic charges. iglidur AX500 now gives igus, the motion plastics specialist, a new, wear-resistant material for high-temperature applications that also has ESD properties.
Solarmid and iglidur P UV are the names of the two new materials that igus has now developed specifically for pillow blocks in single-axis solar trackers. The new polymer’s durability is showcased particularly well in 2P (two-in-portrait) tracker applications, which subject bearings to direct sunlight for hours at a time. The materials were convincing in real-life testing, exhibiting up to three times the UV-resistance.
igus, a motion plastics specialist, showcases what plastics can do with its first drylin W linear bearing made entirely of tribo-polymers. The linear bearing has been developed specifically for linear movements. At just ten grammes, it is quick to install, vibration-dampening, lubrication-free and ideal for transportable applications. The fact that it is injection moulded makes it very cost-effective. The injection moulding-optimised design also reduces its weight, lowering the necessary linear system drive energy.
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.
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.
iglidur I151 is blue, prints easily, and has an optimal coefficient of friction and wear. The new tribo-filament is a refinement of the easy-to-machine igus iglidur I150 all-rounder filament. Because it is blue, it can be used to manufacture special parts that are optically detectable in the food industry. Food compatibility according to the FDA and to EU Regulation 10/2011 also qualifies the high-performance polymer for use in the food and cosmetics industries.
So that users can get their wear-resistant knife edge roller even faster, igus has expanded its online shop to include the range of iglidur rollers made from high-performance polymers. Included in the new range are knife edge rollers made of the blue material iglidur A250. The new tribo-polymer is particularly characterised by its wear resistance at high belt speeds and fulfils the requirements of FDA and EU conformity at the same time.
Sailboats that lift themselves completely out of the water as if by magic. Sounds like a dream, but it is reality. The iFLY15 sports catamaran from CEC Catamarans GmbH lets the sailor fly over the water. For the automatic flight control system, the developers relied on the lubrication-free, lightweight and corrosion-free igus plain bearing technology. An innovative project that won the silver manus award in 2019. The winners of this year’s award for the best plain bearing technology application were chosen by the jury from over 580 entries on 9 March 2021.