igus’ new DryLin R linear bearings save up to $36,000 a year

Worldwide manufacturer and distributor of plastic plain bearings, Igus (www.igus.com), has unveiled the new DryLin R linear bearings in its series of chemisorptions and physisorption analysers.

Igus said the plastic bearings will replace the re-circulating ball bearings, which need frequent re-calibration and maintenance. As a result, the DryLin R linear bearings can save up to US$36,000 per year.

Specifically utilised in the analyzer’s elevator unit, DryLin R linear bearings helps facilitate the up and down motion of both the furnace and cooling bath during the sample analysis control. It is also corrosion-resistant and self-lubricating, making it an ideal choice for barren environment where the analysers are being used.

Meanwhile, the company’s comprehensive line of DryLin R linear bearings as well as its guide systems, do not need external grease or oils, becoming an important feature for medical laboratories and helps keep the environment free from any contaminants.

Igus noted that its products are also necessary in determining the physical characteristics of solid and powder materials in areas like nanotechnology, cosmetics, polymer science and pharmacology. The chemisorptions and physisorption analyzers are designed to bring reliable and consistent determinations related to pore structure, active metals and surface area for R&D applications and quality controls.

Furthermore, the company will showcase this wide range of products at booth 234 in the upcoming SLAS 2012 conference and exhibition hosted by the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening. The event will be held at the San Diego Convention Center in California from 4 to 8 February 2012, with the exhibition hall open from 6 to 7 February 2012.

igus DryLin spindle-lift tables offer lower costs for linear guide systems

igus (www.igus.com) has announced the latest addition to its portfolio of spindle-lift tables in DryLin linear guide systems, the DryLin SLW and DryLin HTSP.

A compact, flat linear table that features a spindle drive, DryLin SLW can provide utmost torsional strength at a height of more than one and one-eighth inches. This low-clearance design is suitable for tight space restrictions and opens the door to a vast array of applications. It is the first spindle-lift table offered with the new DryLin W linear guide system, which is a low-cost, compact, modular and easy to install solution.

DryLin HTSP is a plastic spindle lift table from the range of DryLin R linear bearings that is equipped with plastic slides and crossbars, making it the company’s first plastic spindle-lift table offered at a low cost. It is corrosion-free, lightweight and lubrication-free. Its stroke can be adjusted either through a servo motor or manually. Weight can be reduced by an aluminum spindle and carbon shaft with the table. To achieve lower cost, Igus used high-performance polymers in building the spindle table.

Both products are suitable for use in textile and packaging industries. The company’s linear guide systems are a good replacement for re-circulating ball bearings mainly due to their oil-free, maintenance free and self-lubricating operation. Thus, contaminants will not thrive in DryLin. This effectively prevents shaft damage and performance degradation. Aside from offering a low coefficient of friction, DryLin bearing and guide systems are also wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant.

DryLin HTSP and SLW spindle-lift tables are also available in various sizes.

A member of the iglide suite of plastic bearings, the DryLin family also features DryLin T linear slides, DryLin R linear plain bearings, Quadroslide preassembled slide units, DryLin N micro slides and DryLin S anodized aluminum shafting.

Energy Chain: Longer service life in 100 percent humidity levels

A manufacturer of various types of industrial lifting equipment uses Energy Chain^® cable carriers from igus^® on a line of gantry cranes predominantly used in paper mills.  The cable carriers replaced expensive festoon systems, which were failing as a result of corrosion.

An Energy Chain System^® is mounted horizontally on each machine where it guides and protects more than 250 feet of power cables.  The cable carriers deliver a longer service life than the festoons in the dirty, wet environment.  Temperatures peak at 125 degrees Fahrenheit and are accompanied by 100 percent humidity levels.

The Energy Chains^® feature snap-open crossbars to facilitate quick and easy access to cables.  The lids can be opened using a screwdriver or simply by hand.  In addition, the Energy Chains offer adequate protection, in contrast to the festoon systems, which left cables whipping and swinging around uncontrollably.  They have reduced downtime and eliminated corrosion problems.

igus delivers the cable carriers as ReadyChain^®: a pre-assembled, out-of-the-box system complete with Energy Chain cable carriers, igus’ Chainflex^® continuous-flex cables, connectors, and other accessories.  ReadyChain saves time and has eliminated storage costs.

Igus
www.igus.com

Sliding Slewing Ring Bearings Used in Welding Machine

A developer and manufacturer of custom-made equipment for the fabricating industry uses sliding slewing ring bearings from igus® for rotary motion on an ultrasonic welding machine.

iglide® PRT slewing ring bearings facilitate movement on both the X and Y axis of the machine, which enables the welding gun to achieve numerous degrees of freedom. This means a variety of different welding jobs can be performed. The slewing ring bearings replaced a system of metal shafts and flange bearings that required time-consuming assembly and maintenance.

PRT slewing ring bearings do not require lubrication and so are unaffected by the welding dust produced by the machine and will not seize, unlike other bearing systems can. The unit comes as a ready-to-install solution, so the manufacturer saves both time and money during the design and assembly process.

The iglide PRT range uses low-friction polymer sliding elements in place of ball bearings. These sliding elements are made from an igus-developed, low-cost, high-performance polymer called iglide J, which is completely lubrication- and maintenance-free. iglide PRT slewing ring bearings are suitable for all environments; in particular, semiconductor and cleanroom applications, assembly lines, production facilities and robots.

PRT slewing ring bearings are an off-the-shelf, low-cost solution. All the housing components are made from aluminum (except style 02 – which has wear-resistant iglide J head rings) and all the surfaces parallel to the iglide J sliding elements are hard anodized with stainless steel fasteners. Stainless steel and geared versions are also available upon request.

igus
www.igus.com

The Wide World of Cable Carriers

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – igus® announced the results of its worldwide cable carrier competition at this year’s Hanover show. The winners were awarded their prizes during a reception at the igus booth.

There were around 80 entries for the first Vector Awards two years ago, which was only open to European entrants. In contrast, this year more than 110 entries were submitted from all over the world: from China, India, Korea, and Singapore, to the USA, Canada and Brazil, and right across Europe.

The gold award and €5,000 prize money went to the Czech power supplier CEZ Group for the longest travel in the world ever to be accomplished with a plastic cable carrier: 2,018 feet in a lignite-fired power plant in Tušimice. A heavy-duty roller cable carrier system from igus’ 5050 RHD series is installed on the conveyer unit of the lignite excavator, which operates in extremely demanding conditions. Roller cable carriers, developed by igus for long distances, have been in use around the world for more than ten years.

CEZ Group says the robust system – which is also equipped with igus’ Chainflex® continuous-flex cables – makes a significant contribution to operational safety. System downtimes caused by cable breakage, for example, have been reduced to zero compared with before.

The jury awarded the silver Vector Award to the National Mineral Development Corp. Ltd. (NMDC) in Hyderabad, India. The state company belongs to the Ministry of Steel and carries out exploration work, among other things.

NMDC use a 61-feet long plastic cable carrier system with a rearward bending radius (RBR) on a bucket-wheel reclaimer in a steel mine. The reclaimer can rotate by +/- 180 degrees, while operating in an area that is difficult to access. The loads the cable carrier must withstand are enormous: the cables in the cable carrier alone weigh over 36 pounds per foot.

The heavy steel chain used previously in this application was damaged after just two years. According to NMDC, the igus cable-carrier system has been running reliably and with little maintenance and no downtime since its installation.

The bronze Vector Award and €1,000 prize money went to Rene Petsch, a design engineer from Deckel Maho Seebach GmbH. In this application, a traveling column milling machine underwent advanced development to make it more accurate, adaptable and economical than its predecessor. The rigid machine bed made from composite mineral and the symmetrical traveling column were to ensure improved precision.

To keep the design space compact, the Y and Z-axes of the machine use just one cable carrier: System E4.1 from igus. The E4.1 system ensures higher lateral stability, which was necessary due to the high lateral acceleration through the X-axis of 26 feet per second². The cable carrier was attached in an upright position with the run bent in at one side.

All the cable carriers applications submitted can be found on the competition website at www.vector-award.com. Video content is also available for certain entries.

The Vector competition was run in conjunction with the German Central Association for Electrical Engineering and Industry (ZVEI), the tooling laboratory (WZL) of the RWTH Aachen and TÜV Rhineland. The Vector Award is under the patronage of the Industrial Automation sector of the Hanover show.

igus
www.igus.com

New Videos Explain Features and Benefits of Linear Guides

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – igus® has two new videos highlighting the latest additions to its range of DryLin® W linear guide systems. The videos explain the features and benefits of the new products and demonstrate how they are assembled and how they operate.

The most recently added video demonstrates how igus’ DryLin WJRM hybrid linear bearing combines both rolling and sliding movements in order to reduce the driving force of a machine-guard door. The viewer is able to see exactly how a sliding-sleeve bearing and a polymer roller work together to give DryLin WJRM its unique characteristics.

The second video is about igus’ DryLin W adjustable linear bearings. It demonstrates how to manually adjust the clearance of the linear guide with a new ‘turn-to-fit’ hand clamp.

To watch these videos and more, visit www.igus.com/ApplicationCorner/DL_videos.asp. For more information about DryLin® linear bearings, guides and slide tables, please call 1-888-803-1895 or e-mail sales@igus.com.

igus
www.igus.com

Amish Communities Adopt Plastic Bearings

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – An Ohio-based manufacturer of horse-drawn farming equipment predominately employed by Amish communities uses iglide® plastic plain bearings from igus® on a ‘crumbler’ mechanism; used to crush clods of dirt during the tilling process. The bearings replaced a system of metal shafts and collars that required messy lubricants and frequent maintenance.

iglide G300 bearings are used on each of the crumbler’s eight rolling elements. Grease fittings made the rollers susceptible to dirt build-up, which eventually led to the formation of a thick sludge as the tool sat idle in-between harvests. Fortunately, iglide bearings are lubrication-free and dirt- and dust-resistant and so are ideal for use in this outdoor application. They are also unaffected by rain and any moisture from the soil, thanks to their corrosion-resistant and low moisture absorption properties.

iglide plastic plain bearings are available in 28 different polymers. Every iglide bearing material possesses a number of special features, which makes it suitable for particular applications and requirements. iglide G300 bearings are cost-effective and can be paired with a number of different shafting materials. They are best for rotational and oscillating movements and low to average running speeds. They also possess a low coefficient of friction and high wear-resistance. To request free samples, call 1-888-803-1895, visit www.igus.com/iglide.asp or e-mail sales@igus.com.

igus
www.igus.com

Cable Carrier Competition

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – igus® is running its Vector® competition for a second time to reward challenging applications using cable carrier systems.

The first competition only accepted submissions from European companies, but the contest is open to entrants worldwide this time around. This gives North American cable-carrier users the chance to participate for the first time.

The winners of the Vector awards will be rewarded with cash prizes up to 5,000 Euros at the Hanover Fair from April 19th-23rd 2010, although entrants do not have to be at the awards ceremony to be eligible to win.

Entry forms and additional information can be found at www.vector-award.com. The final date for entries is February 28, 2010.

Cable carriers—also widely known as Energy Chains®, cable tracks, cable chains and drag chains—are the umbilical cord of modern machines and ensure the safe supply of energy, data and other media. Cable carriers are suitable for multi-purpose use in the crane and machine-tool industries, as well as in robotics, cleanrooms, material handling, and more.

igus
www.igus.com

Interconnect Motor Cables for Continuous-flex Applications

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Cable carrier expert, igus®, has developed a line of continuous-flex, interconnect motor cables harnessed in accordance with leading manufacturers, including Siemens, Indramat, Fanuc, and Allen Bradley. As with all Chainflex® cables, these interconnects are ideal for continuous-flexing applications in an Energy Chain® cable carrier.

The cables are available for drive, control, motor and robotic functions and come equipped with different cable connectors, including those with flying leads, adapter plugs and extensions.

igus’ entire line of Chainflex cables can handle tight bending radii in dynamic applications and are tested over millions of cycles in all types of conditions to ensure optimal performance.

igus
www.igus.com

Total Chip Protection for Machine Tools

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Metal chips can cause abrasion and wear in long travel, gliding cable carrier applications. To combat this, igus® has developed a horizontal guiding system called “Guidelok”, which is designed to keep the upper and lower cable carrier runs apart. The new solution is ideal for applications in the machine tool industry up to 164 feet.

Debris and chips can become trapped between a cable carrier’s upper and lower runs as they glide on top of one another. Guidelok’s design keeps the upper and lower runs separate via a spring-loaded roller support, which is pushed back as the cable carrier passes through, before snapping out again after the radius has passed. The upper run rests on the roller support and is not allowed to glide on the lower run.

The system not only works to reduce abrasion and wear caused by trapped chips and debris, but also offers a number of other advantages. The system means the cable carrier can support itself over a longer distance. This enables users to choose a smaller version for the given length, saving overall costs and reducing the required push-/pull driving force. Guidelok keeps the upper and lower runs of the cable carrier separate from one another, which helps to minimize friction and wear and thereby increases service life.

The horizontal Guidelok system is already being used successfully by one machine-tool manufacturer, who replaced a heavy steel chain with this solution. A more traditional solution would have allowed large metal chips to settle in the inner radius between the upper and lower runs of the cable carrier, which could have caused damage. In contrast, the new system is ideal for such applications. Guidelok is also lower cost than most steel chains or sophisticated gliding systems.

New Guidelok is designed to be modular—the side troughs are optional—and is currently available from igus North America with a three week lead time. A movie illustrating the new design can be found at www.igus.com/ApplicationCorner/ec_videos.asp. Alternatively, call 1-800-521-2747 or e-mail sales@igus.com for more information.

igus Inc.
www.igus.com

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