Topteaser
The mobility industry is in transition. In addition to the electrification of vehicle fleets, regulatory requirements for the materials used are increasingly coming into focus. How can commercial vehicles be made more sustainable, more economical and future-proof? igus will provide answers to this question at IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026 in Hanover. The plastics specialist will be presenting innovative solutions made from high-performance plastics that combine sustainability, cost-effectiveness and technical performance. They help companies meet potential PFAS regulation and the challenges of expanding modern charging infrastructure.
Every gramme saved counts in aviation. Even slight weight reductions can reduce fuel consumption, increase reach and raise payload. Manufacturers of cargo aircraft are therefore continuously looking for ways to save weight, even with the smallest components. These include the ball transfer units over which containers slide on the cargo hold floor. While standard market solutions often use comparatively heavy solid balls, igus is launching an alternative with its new xiros series ball transfer units. The hollow balls reduce weight by up to 49 per cent. They also work without lubrication, which decreases daily maintenance.
Whether for shore power supply of ships or charging infrastructure for heavy vehicles and machinery: there is a demand for robust systems that reliably transmit high amounts of power while remaining flexible in their application. To offer customers even more targeted individual system solutions for demanding applications in shore power supply, charging infrastructure and other specialised industrial sectors in future, igus will acquire Krott Electronic GmbH on 1st October 2026. The company from Stolberg specialises in tailor-made connection technology for industrial niche applications.
Design engineers working on machine tools are familiar with the problem: if they want to use larger hoses as part of a modernisation project, this often requires the costly replacement of the energy chain. At the AMB trade show in Stuttgart, igus is presenting an alternative: extender crossbar clips that can be retrofitted and that increase the inner height of energy chains from the E2.1, E4QL and E4.1L series by up to 200 per cent.
Design engineers from all over the world can now apply for the igus manus award 2027. A jury of experts awards prizes to applications in which lubrication-free polymer plain bearings from igus increase cost-effectiveness and improve the environmental footprint. The winners can win prize money of up to €5,000. The competition will take place for the 13th time in 2027. During the last competition in 2025, more than 600 users submitted their projects.
Today, industrial robots operate at ever higher speeds, with complex motion profiles and in increasingly confined spaces. Robot cables must not only allow for extremely small bend radii, but also reliably withstand millions of torsional movements. To meet these demanding requirements, igus has developed its proven CFROBOT8.PLUS range of robot cables and is now expanding it to include a new DeviceNet cable for applications involving ±360°/m torsion.
Anyone with a swimming pool in their garden will, in future, be able to use it not only for swimming in the summer, but also to generate electricity. The Austrian company SKYVOLUTION Energy GmbH has developed a retractable pool enclosure with integrated photovoltaic modules for this purpose. The system combines protection, design and sustainable energy generation in one solution. However, integrating the solar panels presented its challenges: the cables had to be guided through the moving structure in a very confined space and in an environment exposed to moisture and chlorine vapours. igus provided the ideal solution with compact and robust energy chains, including a version specially customised for this application.
It is every boat owner’s nightmare: algae, mussels and barnacles that have to be removed from the hull before every season. In future, a remote-controlled diving robot named KeelCrab by the Italian company Aeffe will make the stowaways easier to remove. However, for the little crawler to work permanently underwater, the developers had to solve a challenge with the drive. The bearing of the drive rollers with lubrication-free polymer plain bearings from igus plays a key role.
The train’s running late, the tickets have been left on the kitchen table, the child has forgotten its teddy: there are plenty of reasons for missing your flight. The factors at work behind the scenes of airport operations are less well-known: for example, automated passenger boarding bridges that transport passengers from the terminal to the aircraft. Here, a multitude of cables have to follow complex 3D movements whilst docking with the aircraft. A fault with one of the cables can delay the boarding process. To minimise this risk, the German company REEL relies on energy chains from igus.
Easy cleaning of machines and systems is crucial in the food industry. However, the carriages of many linear guides are difficult to disassemble. To reduce downtime, igus has developed a new drylin W linear guide with a polymer carriage that can be removed for cleaning without tools. The system is the first linear guide in the world to receive EHEDG certification, giving it official approval for food technology.