| |
| Application:
Air slide table on industrial feeder |
| Bearing:
DryLin N |
Development
of a new product:
The air slide table was designed to fit under an industrial
feeder. It can drop batch counts of paper products on
demand into containers or onto conveyor systems.
Considerations
were:
• reliability for continuous 24-hour operation
• space restrictions: the height is limited
to 2 inches to mount underneath the feeder
• light weight to accommodate cycles of up to
60 per minute |
 |
| |
| Application:
Automated Cutting Machine |
| Bearing:
igubal |
Problem:
This
application is for a safety feature on an automated
cutting machine that stops the machine when the yellow
paddles encounter an obstruction. Prior to using the
igubal spherical bearing, the machine employed a method
of applying pressure that had to collapse to stop
the machine.
Solution:
The spherical bearing provides angular misalignment
and eliminates maintenance. |
 |
|
|
| |
| Application:
Automatic product feeder |
| Bearing:
DryLin N |
| Problem:
An automatic product feeder has eight lanes of product
being fed to blister sealing machine. Parts were mis-feeding
and jamming in the product chute. The product feeder
had so many problems that the customer had to load
by hand. Because the application involves food, other
linear bearing solutions could not be used. The environment
had to be absolutely maintenance free due of FDA regulations.
Solution:
A gated product chute was added using a DryLin N low
profile linear guide. DryLin N was chosen for its
compact size, short lead time and low cost, as well
as its lubrication-free properties. The system has
been installed at the customer plant and is working
flawlessly. |
|
|
|
| Application:
Automated top tray loader |
| Bearing:
DryLin R, DryLin W |
Development
of a new product:
The automated top tray loader is used to pack round
sand paper sheets. It’s an integration of a tray
former, tray feeder and tray loader. Considerations
included high speed and abrasion. |
| |
| Application:
Auxiliary crank on outdoor table umbrella |
| Bearing:
iglide M250 |
Problem:
This unique umbrella design has built-in screen sides
that can be raised and lowered by turning an integral
crank. When lowered, the screen sides are weighted to
secure them on breezy days. A conventional umbrella
crank is not designed to lift the required weight and
only allows for a small amount of cord to wind around
the crank axle.
Several problems were alleviated by using plastic bearings:
• Due to a “tackle” type mechanism
in each rib of the frame that amplifies the lifting
action of the crank, the force required to lift the
screen sides and weights is doubled.
• An extremely high degree of force is exerted
on the rotating crank in an upward direction.
• Space limitations
• Cost sensitivity to keep it at an affordable
price Solution:
Two iglide M250 plain bearings are used in the assembly.
• The plastic compound supports the unequal
and high force applied by the cord as it is wound
around the crankshaft, lifting the screen sides and
weights.
• The plastic requires no oil, keeping it neat
and clean
• The performance of plastic is not hindered
by the extreme hot and dry cold and wet temperature
changes. |
|
|
| Application:
Basketball shooting device for wheelchair |
| Bearing:
DryLin T, DryLin R and igubal |
Problem:
A group of students developed a device to enable a child
with Cerebral Palsy to participate in a basketball game
with friends. The basketball shooter attaches to her
wheelchair and is pushbutton activated. Igus iglide
bearings are used in the shot mechanism. Specifically,
igubal pillow blocks are used to hold the shaft that
wraps aircraft wire and enables the shot mechanism to
be pulled back. The radial load is 250 lbs. and the
bearings deliver low-friction to enable minimal energy
to be wasted when transferring energy from the motor
to potential energy stored in the pullback spring. When
the motor and clutch are disengaged, the low-friction
enables the shaft to freely spin at large angular velocities.
Solution:
The
DryLin linear guide system delivers a convenient, low
friction ability to engage and disengage the mechanical
clutch. With the flange pillow blocks from igus, minimal
energy is lost to friction and minimal angular misalignment
occurs as the shaft accelerates vertically. |
|
| |
| Application:
Boat motor lift and inner mast furling |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
The company developed a mechanism to effortlessly
lift a heavy outboard motor up and down a sailboat transom
so that anyone would be able to perform the action while
still monitoring heavy bow traffic. Various solutions
were examined, but were too expensive, didn’t
rotate properly or produced too much noise. The company
then looked to build an electrically operated vertical
lift. The
company chose wheels (iglide J bearings) that would
rotate when subjected to the torque pressure of the
offset motor, and used tires to eliminate friction
between the wheel and the aluminum tracks. Using iglide
J enabled the wheel assemblies to rotate freely with
no noise.
“Enter
igus bearings. The result was spectacular…sailing
anyone?” said the owner of the company.
The
mast of a sailboat must be lowered and removed at
the end of each voyage. Large boats have systems in
which the sail is rolled inside the mast, which also
enables sailors to unfurl only as much sail as necessary
for the current weather conditions. However, this
is very high in cost and can be more expensive than
the sailboat itself.
While
similar in design to the high-end systems, the system
developed by the company is much less costly due to
the bearing arrangement for the internal furling tube.
A
rotating tube was placed in two plastic doughnuts
however any resistance, (dirt, dust etc.) would translate
the force pulling out the sail to a force causing
the tube to bend in toward the slot partially up the
mast. The more force placed trying to un-jam it, the
more locked it became. Sever lubrication was the only
solution.
The
company enlarged the holes and inserted two iglide
bearings to fit loosely in the doughnuts. Now all
the pressure applied when pulling out the sail is
applied to rotating the tube and it won’t lock.
“The
system works flawlessly and with a bonus feature,"
the owner said. "As far as we can see, no maintenance
is ever needed. Our IMF main sail furling system [with
iglide bearings] is the major reason why buyers choose
a our product over the competition." |
|
| |
| Application:
Clipless bicycle pedals for use in road cycling and
racing |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
The
company makes a clipless bike pedal. Ball and needle
bearing only allow for rotational movement. Freedom
of movement is vital to prevent injury. Iglide J is
lightweight and provides both linear and rotational
movement. No lubrication makes cleaning and maintenance
easy. |
|
| |
| Application:
Commercial appliance (dough mixer) |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Problem:
New 60-quart mixer to replace the existing machine included
several enhancements, most notably a swing out bowl.
The bowl enables customers to access the end product
easier by clearing the head of the machine. A loading
pin was used to secure the bowl while mixing. To release,
a lever is pressed and the bowl is free to move out.
The locking mechanism is an important part of the design
because it allows the bowl to swing in and out and needs
to be functional for the mixer to work. The
mixer encounters high contamination (flour, sugar
and other baking materials) which could work its way
into the latch and cause it to stick.
Solution:
Iglide J is plastic, so therefore contamination resistant
and chemical resistant. The bearing is also slotted
to allow the baking ingredients to flow through the
design. Warranty calls and service problems are reduced
as a result. |
 |
| |
| |
| Application:
Commercial lawn equipment |
| Bearing:
igubal |
Problem:
The company designs and builds truck mounted custom
spray systems for lawn and tree care companies. The
customer required mechanical agitation inside the
spray tanks. This required belt driving the agitator
shafts from a sheave on the back of the pump shaft.
Also needed to be easily engaged and disengaged when
necessary.
Space was limited and ensuring alignment was difficult.
The challenge was to design a belt tensioner that
would be inexpensive, fit the space restriction, compensate
for alignment and be able to withstand the tough chemical
environment.
Solution:
"Igus
to the rescue!" Company President
With igubal spherical bearings the tensioner rotates
on the agitator shaft itself. The spherical bearing
solved alignment issues, eliminated the space problem
and are maintenace-free. They should outlast the machine. |
 |
| |
| |
| Application:
Crane sensor |
| Bearing:
iglide L280 |
Problem:
These sensors are used to prevent the blocks of a crane
from contacting one another. They are used worldwide,
in every type of environmental condition. It is a safety
device and therefore must be failsafe and extremely
rugged.
Previously,
the switch was rigidly mounted to the crane boom tip.
Depending on the angle of the sensing cable and cast-steel
weight relative to the switch body misalignment would
occur and could potentially hinder the function of
the switch. A switch with a metal or Teflon-coated
bearing was too costly and required too much maintenance.
Solution:
The new design uses shoulder bolts as shafts and permits
two degrees of rotational freedom to the assembly.
Regardless of the angle of the crane boom, the sensing
cable of the switch always pulls straight through
the switch body with no opportunity for misalignment.
“Igus
bearings permit maintenance-free operation—no
need for greasing, and long life—at a low cost,
and they operate in all the environmental conditions
that our switches operate in. It’s a perfect
match.”
|
|
| |
| Application:
Data Storage |
| Bearing:
DryLin W |
Development
of a new product:
The company uses plastic linear slides on an automated
entry/exit port for tapes which load into an automated
tape backup library. Originally looking at linear ball
bearings, it was determined that they were too costly
and that when the bearing blocks fall off the end of
the rail, it would ruin the bearings. A cheaper bearing
was sought: one that would not bind and that was designed
so that the bearing blocks could extend off the end
of the rail for assembly purposes.
The round
rails of DryLin W work very well. DryLin W frees up
an axis of rotation so that the bearings won’t
bind even if the sheet metal mounting bracket does
not align exactly square. The bearing blocks can slide
off the end of the rail with no damage. With no extra
friction, the motor has ample torque to handle the
load. DryLin W has a low clearance, costs much less
than a linear ball bearing and is simple to assemble.
It can easily handle the 30-pound load and secures
the entry/exit port in line for high accuracy.
“The
plastic bearings enabled the design group to meet
the cost and reliability goals for the entry/exit
port design.” |
 |
| |
| Application:
Electromagnetic voice coil |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Problem:
The system uses an electromagnetic driver (voice coil)
to generate air pressure using a piston and cylinder.
A low friction and low inertia linear slide system was
needed to control component movement.
Solution:
Iglide J provides a low friction and light weight solution
with less maintenance, especially regarding lubrication. |
 |
| |
| Application:
Expandable bumper assembly |
| Bearing:
iglide L280 |
Development
of a new product:
The tool is exposed to a highly corrosive wash down
of de-ionized water. Plastic bearings are located at
both ends of the alignment tubes providing better bearing
surface contact. |
|
| |
| Application:
Fitness equipment (3 machines) |
| Bearing:
iglide L280, igubal |
With
igus iglide plastic bearings and igubal rod ends, the
company was able to save at least $15,000 year in manufacturing
costs and significantly reduce assembly time.
Problem #1:
Rotational bearings were needed for the chain
idler on an all body exerciser. The machine has a drive
train consisting of a set of upper and lower pedal cranks
for arms and legs. The pedal cranks are connected and
drive a resistive load via a roller chain. To
ensure alignment between the sprockets, the axial
location was adjusted and it varied from machine to
machine. This increased assembly time and made field
service difficult. If the sprockets ran out it caused
a dynamically varying chain line during operation
resulting in excessive noise and possible chain derailment.
Solution:
Using iglide L280 bearings in the chain idler enables
both axial and rotational movement of the idler. This
ability eliminates the need for time consuming alignment
during assembly. The result is faster assembly, easier
service, quieter operation and elimination of chain
derailment.
Problem #2:
Also used on the exerciser are 4 iglide L28
sleeve bearings to adjust the crank arms on the upper
body portion of the exerciser. The previous design
required a high level of precision which could not
be machined, so hand matching had to be done to mate
the crank arm bars to their appropriate dovetail slots.
Any slight dent or misalignment due to an impact adversely
affected the performance of the adjustment feature.
Maintenance
was extremely difficult and adjustment locking slots
in the back of the crank reduced the strength of the
crank arms causing frequent failure in high-load applications.
Solution:
The solution was to design parallel guide
rods which provide a torsion-resistant linear motion.
Iglide L280 bearings were used in pairs spaced apart
for each rod to provide low friction linear motion,
durability and minimal clearance between bearing and
rod.
Low
clearance provides rigidity, noise is minimized and
the steel rods are less susceptible to damage. Machining
enables any crank arm to fit any hub and eliminates
the need to hand match.
Problem
#3:
A
third application on a brand new exercise machine
entailed a dynamically variable-length crank arm for
use on an exercise bicycle. It varies during a cycle
according to the position of the user’s foot
via a cam and follower arrangement.
A
previous prototype optimized a costly, custom-made
single row linear follower bearing, but it was prone
to failure with constant misalignment, flexing and
noise. Resizing the design proved to be too costly.
The key was to identify a sufficiently durable, rigid
and tooling free design.
Solution:
A
design was created consisting of a crank arm block
with a set of igus L280 sleeve bearings sliding linearly
along a pair of parallel steel rods It also incorporates
an igubal spherical bearing engaging a steel pin attached
to the crank arm block. The crank arms are now sufficiently
rigid and misalignment due to bike frame and assembly
inaccuracies, as well as user loading, is compensated
for without inducing extreme stresses into the machine
and crank mechanism as occurred with the earlier prototypes.
|
|
| |
| Application:
Folding rocking chair |
| Bearing:
iglide A200 |
Development
of a new product:
The rockers on a folding rocking chair are connected
to legs with dowels inserted through the legs and into
the rockers. Folding and unfolding of the chair causes
wood-to-wood wear on the dowels. Excessive wear will
cause the dowels to eventually fail. Iglide A200 flange
bearings isolate the connector dowels from the chair
leg, thus eliminating the possibility of wear. They
also act as a spacer between the outside of the chair
leg and the inside of the rocker and thus preventing
another point of wear. |
 |
| |
| Application:
Front fork of motorcycle |
| Bearing:
iglide L280 |
| Problem:
Replaced unsealed needle bearings which were subject
to corrosion and torsional loads. The needle bearings
required service or replacement every few years.
Solution:
The iglide plastic bearing requires no maintenance
and after more than 3 years there is no evidence of
wear, which results in overall lower costs. |
 |
|
 |
| |
| Application:
Hydraulic and pneumatic pump and motor |
| Bearing:
iglide D |
Development
of a new product:
This new approach improves the operation of hydraulic
and pneumatic pumps and motors. The company sought to
implement a cost effective or simple method of construction.
Employ positive displacement of gases or fluids. Use
rotary translations of forces exerted by fluids/gases
or the exertion of forces upon them in a rotary fashion.
They also needed provisions to meter a pressurized gas
for expansion with optimum efficiency.
Iglide
bearings provide an effective solution at a relatively
low cost.
|
|
| |
| Application:
Image setter cutter assembly |
| Bearing:
DryLin N |
Problem:
Needed to replace a steel linear bearing with
a re-circulating ball carriage, which was mounted to
an expensive base plate. Periodic cleaning and lubrication
was required at each customer site. This machine exposes
film used to produce printing-press plates. One plate
in a printing press applies each color to the printed
paper creating images for publications, books and newspapers.
This specific Image setter is used for newspapers and
must be fast and reliable. It cuts thousands of pieces
of film each year.
Considerations are:
• Reliability
• Cost
• Maintenance
Solution:
Results after using DryLin N:
•
Reduced costs by 50%
• Achieved the flexibility needed to make the
guide integral to the rest of the components used in
the cutter assembly.
• The design flexibility is a result of eliminating
the costly base plate and mounting sensors, a motor,
pulley and handles directly to the guide without brackets.
• Elimination of lubrication and maintenance after
delivery to customer. |
|
| |
| Application:
Integrated circuits testing facility |
| Bearing:
iglide G300 |
Problem:
The
company manufactures Probers and Manipulators used on
a test cell for testing integrated circuits. The bearings
are used as part of a cable management system that supports
and contains a large bundle of cables that rotate through
an 180 degree arc on a mechanical system. The bundle
attaches the test head to the manipulator.
Considerations:
• Cables must be supported while being able to
twist around an axis running through the center of the
cable bundle.
• The main cable management structure needs to
enable rotation between it and the these head and between
itself and the manipulator
• Adequate adjustability/play to compensate for
tolerances and the possible misalignment of the hinge
rotation axis and the main pivot point of the cable
management.
• Lubrication-free for clean room environment
Solution:
iglide bearings are employed at various points
along the cable management structure. They provide rotation,
axial play for misalignment and tolerances, and can
support large moment and radial loads. |
|
|
| Application:
Laser engraving machine |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
The bearing is used in a rotating thrust load application
on the end of a lead screw use in a table rail assembly.
The rail assembly is driven by a servo motor and timing
belt in a laser engraving machine for raising and
lowering a laser cutting table. The table is raised
or lowered to focus the laser on the surface of the
object to be engraved or cut. Replaced application
used a machined aluminum rail with a ball bearing
to support the lead screw. The design is very expensive
for a low-cost machine.
After
building a prototype and testing several materials
iglide J flange bearing was selected. The combination
of iglide J and replacing the machined parts with
sheet metal led to an overall savings of more than
50% per assembly. |
| |
| Application:
Medical Device |
| Bearing:
DryLin T, N and R |
Development
of a new product:
The company developed a machine to perform noninvasive
treatment of plantar fascia discomfort. The requirements
were accuracy, space limitations and longevity of
components.
|
 |
| |
| Application:
Medical Device |
| Bearing:
iglide G300 |
Problem:
A
plain bearing was being used in an automatic decanting
centrifuge, which is a medical device that separates
components of a patient's blood and concentrates those
components for further use during surgery. Swinging
buckets called trunnions, installed on a rotating rotor
automatically separate various blood proteins. The buckets
swing under centrifugation to align themselves with
the forces.
Early
designs used a metal bearing and stainless steel shaft.
The bearings would gall and bind, creating a squeaking
noise. This caused undesirable ambient conditions
particularly because this is used in a medical environment
where minimal noise and disruption is paramount. The
noise was also indicative of future mechanical problems.
The
immediate solution was to lubricate the bearings with
oil. The company had to ship pen-sized lubricating
tubes to all existing customers along with instructions
on how to apply the lubricant to alleviate the problem.
This was a significant expense and it solved one problem,
but created new ones. The process was messy and the
oil attracted dust and dirt to the axle area.
Solution:
The permanent, ideal solution was to replace the metal
bearings with iglide G300 plastic bearings. Immediately,
costs were significantly reduced. The iglide bearings
only require standard machining tolerances, while
the metal required precise machining and reaming.
Iglide also provides a lateral bearing surface in
addition to the rotational.
The
company was able to reduce costs by 93%!!!! Assembly
time has been cut by 10 minutes. Maintenance, which
had to be grudgingly performed by the customer, is
completely eliminated.
"The
hidden cost was the biggest, the fact that we no longer
had customers calling to say that their machine was
making a weird noise was invaluable. ... Iglide bearings
are a design engineer’s dream component: They
solved a problem AND they cost less!" Company
Mechanical Engineer |
|
| |
| Application:
Plumbers bit sharpening machine |
| Bearing:
DryLin R |
Development
of a new product:
Grit and steel particles from the sharpening operation
jammed up the bearings after a few hours of operation.
“These
bearings have been in service for more than 2 years
now with ZERO call for service.” |
 |
| |
| Application:
Press loading trays |
| Bearing:
DryLin N |
Development
of a new product:
The
new press loading trays required more room for new tray
loading handler. Also high volume, each tray slides
in and out every 7 minutes, 20 hours per day with a
250 pound maximum load.
After 1.5 years no maintenance. |
 |
| |
| Application:
Recumbent tricycle (steering and headset) |
| Bearing:
iglide J and igubal rod ends |
Problem:
Traditional
metal bearings were used on the first version of the
trike. The company changed to igus igubal rod ends
based on their lighter weight and better dampening
qualities. iglide J plastic plain bearings replaced
ball bearings on the headset for a self-aligning front
wheel with smooth and frictionless movement.
Solution:
Two
igubal rod ends are used on the direct steering component
of the tricycle. Each bearing connects one of the
two front spindles (or steering knuckles) to a tie
rod. The handle bars used to steer the trike are attached
directly on the spindles. This provides lighter, cleaner
and more reliable steering for the rider because there
are fewer moving parts than with conventional indirect
steering.
“The
igubal bearings do a much better job of absorbing
vibration from wheel to arms," said the company
President. "We also can use a really large rod
end without increasing the weight too much. This in
turn enables us to use a stiffer rod which produces
better wheel alignment.”
The
iglide plastic bearings cost less, eliminate frame
machining, increase vibration dampening and add friction
for increased steering control. |
|
| |
| Application:
Reel mower |
| Bearing:
iglide G300 |
Development
of a new product:
This is a new design for a single point adjustment in
the reel mower. The adjuster rod and knob must thread
through a pivot mounted to the frame. This pivoting
piece must hold its axial position and be able to have
smooth uninhibited rotation.
Vibrations caused by the rotating wheel needed dampening
and the bearing needed to be corrosion resistant to
combat the harsh fertilizers and moisture from dew on
the grass. Grass clippings also create a very corrosive
environment. Must be oil-free so oil will not drip on
freshly cut grass. The
flange design enabled the pivot to be tightened to
the frame, to ensure a snug fit and control of the
rotation. Iglide is lubrication-free, and completely
resistant to corrosion. |
|
| |
| Application:
Robotic arm on autosampler |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
This is a new design of an autosampler and cell autolid
for a new differential scanning calorimeter. The autosampler
provides reliable, unattended operation of the machine,
even with the use of cooling accessories. The 50 sample,
5 reference pan carousel tray enables research and analytical
laboratories to run samples around the clock.
Iglide
J bearings are used in a vertical drive assembly which
provides the vertical and rotational motion for robotic
arms on the automsampler. Considerations included:
•
tight space restrictions
• low cost
• lubrication-free to eliminate maintenance
and the messiness associated with lubricants.
• high accuracy and precision (repeatability)
for the placement of the sample pans and also for
accurate, repeatable motion
• light weight to minimize rotational inertia
• robust simple design with a minimum 10-year
product life
“The
igus iglide J series bearings were a perfect solution
for the bearings needed in the autosampler vertical
drive assembly. … The low coefficient of friction
and dry running operation meet our no-lubrication
criteria. We needed a bearing that would last indefinitely
with little wear. With eight bearings we save approximately
$24,000 per year. Our life testing has proven that
they will sustain more than 750,000 cycles which is
equivalent to 75 years of operation.”
“The
iglide J bearings have helped to improve the accuracy
and precision of the autosampler over the previous
style. The autosampler consistently maintains positional
accuracy and repeatability to less than .008”
with no drift or loss of accuracy over time.”
-- Company P.E.
|
|
| |
| Application:
Router drawer glides |
| Bearing:
DryLin N |
Problem:
The engineer developed a routing machine mounted vertically
to go up and down and cut dovetail grooves in wood in
which a key would be placed to hold the joint together.
Originally designed with ball bearings, they would seize
up due to the sawdust emitted from the router.
Solution:
DryLin N is thin enough to allow for the limited length
of the router bit shank. and will not clog up with
the saw dust. Also, there is no play allowing for
complete alignment.
|
|
| |
| Application:
Rowing oar |
| Bearing:
iglide G |
Development
of a new product:
The bearing is used to enable an oar handle to be loaded
symmetrically. To pivot a handle under the load and
performance requirements of Olympic level rowing, the
bearing must be lightweight, weatherproof and low cost. |
 |
| |
| Application:
Seed meter to drop seeds |
| Bearing:
DryLin N |
Development
of a new product:
A seed meter on a monosem row unit is used to drop seeds
at selected times. It required maintaining a .04 clearance
between the slides and slide plate for the vacuum to
work properly. DryLin N provides free travel and maintains
the necessary clearance. |
 |
| |
| Application:
Shock absorbers |
| Bearing:
Iglide G300 |
Problem:
Needed
to increase the amount of side load
the shock
absorbers could handle, especially in rotary applications.
But there was no direct support for the piston rod.
They could only handle 30% of their maximum energy capacity.
Clearance between the bearing and rod caused the piston
rod to wear unevenly on the seals resulting in premature
failure.
Solution:
A
specially sized bearing was developed to fit into the
existing bearing without compromising wall thickness.
The iglide G300 provides sufficient support to the piston
rod to enable the shock to handle upwards of 70% of
its maximum energy capacity. |
 |
|
| Application:
Sit-ski for paraplegic cross-country skiers |
| Bearing:
iglide and igubal |
Development
of a new product:
The plastic bearings are used in the articulation of
a sit-ski, a seat that is rigidly fixed to a pair of
skis for use by paraplegic cross-country skiers. To
improve their skiing ability, a 3-dimensional mechanism
was designed which adjusts the height of the seat, advances
one ski differentially, twists the skis and tips the
seat with only the application of a force from the ski
poles.
The
pivot points were exposed to difficult conditions:
vibration, random forces, high impact and cold, wet
snow. The mechanism consists of two parallelograms
ganged together by a four-bar linkage. The legs were
connected to the seat using plain bearings. The 3-dimensial
mechanism has 23 pivots of which 9 are iglide plain
plastic bearings and the remainder use igubal spherical
rod ends. Plastic bearings are also used on the quick
release tie downs, the device that locks the skis
to the seat.
“The
lightweight and self-lubricating properties, as well
as the ability to operate in cold, wet conditions,
made iglide and igubal an ideal choice for this class
of outdoor sports equipment.”
|
|
| |
| Application:
Sliding fixture track |
| Bearing:
DryLin W |
Problem:
The fixture secures aluminum slider windows while the
sliding tracks are snapped into place. The linear guide
needed to deliver low friction and allow multiple window
sixes to be captured in the fixture and held in place
while the sliders are secured. The action is repeated
hundreds of times per day. The replaced solution used
a pipe as a cross member with another pipe, larger in
diameter but shorter in length used as the sliding member.
The pipes were polished and coated with grease to reduce
friction. The grease had to be reapplied weekly and
it would transfer to the windows, which then had to
be cleaned before shipment. It was also heavy and difficult
to maneuver.
Solution:
Both the DryLin linear guide system and a ball bearing
system were reviewed. DryLin W was the clear choice
when considering pressure, velocity, cycle times and
environmental conditions. DryLin W costs less than a
ball bearing system and is easier to install. |
 |
| |
| Application:
Snowboard type apparatus |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
This is a new invention of a device for alpine snow
descending. It is ridden similarly to a snow board,
but uses two skis to engage the snow rather than a single
board. Its aim is to improve performance while reducing
fatigue of the skier. Iglide J bearings are used in
the control linkage for axially controlled motions.
It needed to be small and lightweight, yet strong enough
to handle the rigorous abuse of skiing and the harsh,
cold, wet conditions.
To enable
the skis to follow the contours of the terrain, additional
degrees of freedom are required. Igubal spherical
bearings enable the PedSled to maintain the parallel
function while still allowing for non-parallel alignment
of the skis.
Benefits
if iglide and igubal are:
• ability to withstand the wet environment
• low profile provides ample room to use a large
diameter aluminum tube while still delivering enough
stiffness and strength.
• lightweight to maximize maneuverability
• low-cost to enable a competitive price point
in the marketplace |
|
| |
| Application:
Stock Feeding Device |
| Bearing:
DryLin T |
Problem:
The
device feeds stock in the form of phenolic disks with
various diameters and thickness at high speed into a
punch press for processing. It runs at a variable speed,
with approximately 150 cycles per minutes as a maximum
speed. The machine has only 400 milliseconds to get
the job done each cycle and the motion profile involves
very extreme acceleration and deceleration.
With
a linear ball bearing installed, current fluctuations
occurred during acceleration and caused noise produced
by the carriage. The high acceleration rates caused
the balls in the carriage to skid instead of roll,
resulting in premature failure. In order to fix the
problem, cycle times were reduced and material flows
were slowed, disappointing the end user.
The
guide was also experiencing dust contamination from
the sever, abrasive dust produced by handling the
stock, causing it to fail after 25,000 cycles.
Solution:
By
replacing the ball slide with a DryLin T linear guide
with plastic slides, the process speed has been increased
over the original design specifications, boasting
shorter cycle times and faster material flow. Long
service life is assured, with more than 500,000 cycles
on the system and no wear. Maintenance costs are reduced
by more than 90%. No lubrication is required and it’s
and completely resistant to dirt and dust. There is
also a significant reduction in noise.
|
|
| |
| Application:
Stopper-gate module on automated cake decorator |
| Bearing:
iglide L280 and igubal |
| Development
of a new product:
A stopper-gate module on an automated cake decorating
system stops and centers the cake. Two indexing 1”
belts feed the cakes while the stopper-gate assembly
stops the cakes in front of the icing and decorating
machines.
The
previous design was an up and down lift stopper gate
which used a compact square air cylinder with anti-rotation
rods. The design could not withstand the impact and
icing was contaminating the rods. The new design is
a flip flop type of stopper gate which absorbs the
mechanical shock and the plastic bearings can withstand
the corrosive environment caused by the icing.
|
 |
  |
| |
| Application:
Telemark ski binding |
| Bearing:
iglide J and iglide L280 |
| Development
of a new product:
The company manufactures high-end telemark ski bindings
and has been in the business for more than 12 years.
Five years ago they developed a telemark binding that
continually experienced breakage and failure. Using
iglide plastic bearings enabled them to develop a
tough, maintenance-free product. The constraints were:
• Small over-all profile and size. Must fit
into a tight and limited space
• Light weight as telemark skiers are very weight
conscious.
• Must last the life expectancy of the entire
product or be easy to replace
• High tensile strength material that can handle
high impact loads
• Low-moisture absorption to maintain tolerance
in we climate
• Extreme low temperature application
• Easy and quick to install with simple fixtures
and tools
• Can be used for the various shaft materials
being used
• low-cost
The iglide bearings were the only ones that fit every
requirement. The iglide L280 is used in the knuckle
of which there are two per binding set The knuckle
enables the heel of the skier’s boot to raise
and lower with each turn. The iglide J bearings are
used in the rear case with two rear cases per binding
set. Failure while using the product could mean the
risk of health or even death to the user so it is
vitally important the moving parts work.
“The iglide series of bearing have
worked flawlessly for the past three winters and we
have seen no failures at all with the bearing. Hundreds
of skiers are now using the product all over the world
with confidence in large part due to the iglide bearings.”
-- Company President |
|
| |
| Application:
Valve Actuator |
| Bearing:
iglide T500 |
Problem:
Needed to replace a PTFE-lined metal bearing in a ¼
turn rack and pinion valve actuator designed to provide
greater cycle life than competitive products. The bearing
must be able to handle a large number o high load and
high velocity operations. Solution:
“The igus bearings have demonstrated
an ability to outperform PTFE lined metal bearings
used in the same application, providing significantly
more cycle life with minimal wear.” |
|
| |
| Application:
Wastewater screen bar rack cleaner |
| Bearing:
iglide G300 |
Development
of a new product:
A bearing was need for a stainless steel, non-lubricated
pin rack bearing-roller combination. A driven cog wheel
rides up and down the pin rack, to clean a wastewater
screen bar rack. The stainless steel materials are corrosion-free
but would require lubrication. The iglide plastic sleeve
bearing handles the extremely high loading, requires
no maintenance and is completely resistant to corrosion.
|
| |
| Application:
Water-ski handle |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
The first revolving water ski/wakeboard handle. |
 |
 |
| |
| Application:
Water-park attraction |
| Bearing:
iglide Z |
Problem:
Standard sealed ball bearings lasted only 30 days, resulting
in 3-4 changes per season per sled. The high speeds
and high temperatures followed by cool water and corrosion
of chemically treated pool water, decreased performance.
Solution:
“iglide Z flange bearing has successfully
handled this demanding application for a period of
40 days, with no reduction in performance and no signs
of wear." Company President |
 |
| |
| Application:
Wheelchair ramp |
| Bearing:
iglide J |
Development
of a new product:
A wheelchair ramp was designed and installed on the
front entrance door of a low floor bus. It flips up
for storage. It included a bear bearing for the drive
unit, 2 bearings used as pivot points on the ramp and
a sleeve bearing in the chain tensioner.
Considerations were
• exposure to outside street environment
• resistance to dirt
• required lubrication free operations
• plastic bearings lower the maintenance cost
and were lower priced than bronze, piece for piece. |
 |
|
 |
 |
| |
| Application:
Wheelchair suspension |
| Bearing:
DryLin R |
Problem:
Wheelchair suspension designed to enable individuals
with no upper-arm strength to descend from a curb without
incident.
Solution:
DryLin R provides a lightweight, non-corrosive, self-cleaning,
low-cost solution, easy to replace by the end user.
|
 |
| |
