Jury is convinced: maintenance-free igus polymer plain bearings make portable lightweight microscope durable and fail-safe

A mobile surgical microscope from Prechtl Tech Solutions for structurally weak countries has won the manus plastic bearing competition 2025. A jury of experts recognised the engineers who used lubrication-free polymer bearings and were thus able to increase the reliability of the microscope. Other winners of the competition include a bicycle trailer for parcel delivery, an AI hoe for agriculture and an agrivoltaics system with irrigation and cultivation system. They have all created ecological, economic and social benefits by switching to lubrication-free plain bearings made from high-performance plastics.

To enable doctors in areas with limited infrastructure to treat eye diseases such as cataracts, they receive donated surgical microscopes. The problem is that users on site are often unable to maintain or repair the devices. If, for example, you neglect to relubricate the bearing points in the microscope stand and the worst comes to the worst, the bearings get damaged. The microscopes then often end up unused in the corner. However, the company Prechtl Tech Solutions from Traunstein is not prepared to accept this. The engineers have developed a lightweight surgical microscope that can be assembled within five minutes without tools and also works without access to a power supply. In the joints of the microscope, iglidur G polymer plain bearings from igus ensure maintenance-free and fail-safe dry operation over many years, while at saving weight compared to metal bearings. The risk of contamination is now also reduced. This impressed the jury of the manus award 2025 – including representatives from specialist media, industry, research and business – who presented Prechtl Tech Solutions with the gold manus award 2025 and €5,000 prize money. The experts praised the creative approach in addition to the simple and economical realisation with a high social benefit.

The silver manus 2025 and €2,500 prize money go to zemmi GmbH from Hamburg. The company has built a bicycle semi-trailer with pedal drive that can pull a trailer with a load volume of 4.2m3. The vehicle is thus becoming an alternative to lorries for parcel delivery, which are increasingly blocking roads, especially in metropolitan areas. However, to replace the classic parcel car, the bicycle semi-trailer must operate reliably. The engineers therefore use weather-resistant, robust and lubrication-free iglidur J polymer bearings from igus as an alternative to metal bearings in the overrun device. According to zemmi, the bearings made of self-lubricating high-performance plastics make a significant contribution to the sustainability of the overall system. “The project demonstrates the exceptional durability of igus plain bearings,” says Peter Krug, Professor of Materials in Automotive Engineering and Structural Durability at TH Köln and member of the manus jury 2025. “It’s an exciting vehicle that boasts a sophisticated design. It will come in useful in many cities around the world.”

AI hoe for agriculture: bronze manus for Farm-ING from Austria
The Austrian company Farm-ING received the bronze manus and €1,000 prize money for an intelligent agricultural hoe. Coupled to a tractor, the hoe uses artificial intelligence to specifically remove unwanted weeds. To ensure that the machine is fail-safe, the designers use plain bearings made of high-performance plastic from igus as part of the chopping unit. The lubrication-free bearings are resistant to dirt and also work reliably in dusty field environments, unlike metal bearings, whose lubrication often becomes a dirt magnet. According to Farm-ING, the bearings also reduce the environmental impact and minimise the risk of contamination from leaking lubricants. The jury praised the idea of using artificial intelligence to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture. The iglidur J polymer bearings in the rods have contributed significantly to the reliable operation of the chopper.

Green manus for an agrivoltaics system from the French company TSE

With the green manus and €3,000 prize money, igus recognises projects that are characterised by a particularly sustainable approach. The French company TSE won this category in 2025. The product is an agrivoltaics system for farmers that can be installed at a height of around 5m above agricultural land so that the land can continue to be farmed. Particularly convenient: the system has an integrated irrigation system. To optimise electricity production, up to nine solar modules are attached to a table weighing around 1t, which can be turned to the east and west using geared motors. An enormous load for the mechanics, for which the engineers rely on large igubal pillow block bearings made of high-performance plastic from igus. The jury emphasised the advantage that the absence of lubricants means that there is no risk of escaping lubricants contaminating the ground. Even in harsh environments, the bearings are weather-resistant and require little maintenance.

This year, the manus award ceremonies will take place at the winners’ homes or at the igus branches in the respective countries.

All information about the winners and the manus catalogue with all 613 entries are available at www.igus.eu/manus-award.