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With the new readychain rolling rack the motion plastics specialist igus shows how even heavy, harnessed e-chainsystems can be unreeled by just one person allowing assembly time and costs to be significantly reduced. The complete solution can be used for energy chain systems up to 100 metres in length, for example for gantry cranes.

With the xiros S180 ball bearings, the Cologne-based motion plastics specialist is launching a new series of polymer ball bearings on the market and will present them at the 2015 Motek. The universal bearings have a very low wear, are FDA compliant, have twice the service life compared to the all-rounder xiros B180, and are available at the same price.

The motion plastics specialist igus has developed a lightweight and cost-effective concept for the automatic retraction of energy chains allowing further advances in robotics. Besides carrying energy, data and media cables, industrial robots nowadays also frequently carry supply hosesfor rivets or screws. The new triflex RSE system prevents looping of the energy chain, allowing these materials to be safely supplied to the end of the robot arm.

With high-performance plastics and additive manufacturing, two modern technologies which combined promise maximum freedom in construction and high abrasion resistance meet. In the igus test laboratory, tribological filaments of iglidur material J260 went up against conventional 3D print filaments (ABS) and injection-molded parts of the same igus material. Intensive linear and rotating test runs were carried out and evaluated in the in-house test laboratory on hardened, ground shafts of both steel and stainless steel over a period of several months. Because additive manufacturing with lubricant- and maintenance-free high-performance plastics is still a comparatively young field, the material experts at igus GmbH encountered an open-ended experiment.

The holding forces of the separators are now 130 per cent greater than those of the usual locking separators of the E4.1 series. The motion plastics specialist has thus supplemented its extensive product range of safe, low-maintenance and energy-efficient systems in the offshore area, enabling customers to improve the technical performance of their systems and considerably reduce their costs.

Five different materials for drive nuts to enable the right product for any application. This includes nuts for trapezoidal and high helix thread, in cylindrical design or with various flange options. The matching lead screws that users can combine to the desired length is also offered by igus in steel, stainless steel or aluminium. Thus adjustments of all kinds can be easily made. Of most interest to the machine tool industry are the materials iglidur W300 and iglidur J350 and the low cost material iglidur R.

The motion plastics specialist has added two new versions of the cable reel for energy chains to its range with maximum extension lengths from 2 to 25 metres. From stage to marine applications – the e-spool mini and e-spool power can be routed in all directions in varied application areas. Energy, media or fibre optic data cables can be guided together in one system, with continuous end-to-end connection as the space-saving e-spool from igus does not require a slip ring.

The motion plastics specialist igus have been offering a material for the extremes for many years - iglidur X. Pressure, heat, cold, moisture or acids – is no big deal for iglidur X. As part of the igus standard range campaign that covers 113 dimensions, more are being added to the existing 312 catalogue dimensions. All standard sizes of the plain bearing material are thus available from igus within 24 hours.

In machinery and equipment construction, as well as in medical and automotive industries, corrugated hoses are an integral part of the energy supply system. At the Hannover Messe, the Cologne-based igus GmbH presents an entirely new idea: the e-skin. This easy-to-open hose can self-supporting contrast to comparable products, and can even be used in the clean room for short unsupported lengths. Existing corrugated hose systems can obtain a more defined movement with the new snap-on e-shell.

The trip is over and "iglidur on tour" has become history. And in what a manner! The orange convertible travelled for over a year and covered more than 100,000 kilometres in four continents. It crossed dusty deserts and visited megacities, braved cold and wet, negotiated potholes in India as well as icy roads in Norway. The mission of the small car: to demonstrate the resilience of the lubrication-free and maintenance-free plain bearings from the motion plastics specialists, igus. Now the Cologne company is drafting a résumé of the one-year journey.