igus UK Limited

igus has announced it has fitted its 1,000th ship-to-shore (STS) crane with an energy chain system. For these long travels, rolling energy chains (rol e-chains) are used to maximise service life, while minimising drive power. They can also be combined with the new isense modules to measure the movement and wear of the energy chain system – this enables the replacement date for components to be predicted during ongoing operation and fail-safe operation is therefore enhanced.

  When it comes down to 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, you would like to think you’ve seen it all. However igus have produced a video which includes 5 things you would never have guessed were 3D printed.

Helping a team of students meet the demanding requirements of a smart drill measuring system used to fix bone fractures, the iglidur plain bearings from igus have the ability that the project needs. The combination of rotary drive and axial vibration required the use of high-quality plain bearings not only to implement freedom of movement in the axial direction, but also to achieve the most accurate signals possible at high vibration frequencies.

Held in the Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre, this year’s Subsea Expo will see igus showcasing its vast range of products and systems for subsea applications, at the event taking place from the 7-9th February. Visitors to the stand (stand 105) will see the giant E4 energy chain that can withstand exposure to ice, wind, storms, salt water, oil and drilling mud. It can also bear heavy loads and features easy-to-remove crossbars so cables and hoses can be added or replaced quickly.

The the iglidur H1 material has been added to igus’ knife edge roller range for conveyor applications for higher travel speeds, thus expanding its range to include a total of four materials. Plastic knife edge rollers are used wherever smooth, lubricant-free transfer of transported goods onto downstream conveyors is desired.

Taking place from 9th-13th April at the NEC in Birmingham, this year’s MACH exhibition will see igus showcasing a wide range of cost-effective, lightweight and maintenance-free bearings and cable management systems for a variety of engineering applications. Developed to combine the advantages of the E2/000 and E4.1 energy chains in one product range, the E4.1L ‘lean’ features interior clip in slotted separators that provide up to an 80% assembly time saving.

  At this year’s Southern Manufacturing, 6-8th February at FIVE, Farnborough, igus will showcase a wide range of cost-effective, lightweight and maintenance-free bearings and cable management systems for a variety of engineering applications.

A cost-effective alternative to igus' standard drylin ZLW linear guides for simple positioning and adjustment task has been introduced. Available ready-to-install, the drylin ZLW eco is suitable for applications where a high degree of positioning accuracy and the ability to handle high loads and speeds are not key requirements. A typical application would be in a vending machine for dispensing packaged food or drink bottles.

igus has announced a call for entries for the vector award 2018. Now in its sixth year, the biennial event recognises the innovative use of energy chain systems in numerous applications, from handling energy and data safely on the arm of an industrial robot to an outdoor camera system that films high-speed track events without interruption and vibration.

An exclusive strain relief system for energy chains has been introduced by igus, the E4.1L, which replaces the cable tie-wraps that are commonly used in industry. Cables and hoses are simply inserted into a honeycomb, called the CFU, and then closed. Compared to cable tie-wraps or other strain relief solutions, the engineer can save about 80% assembly and engineering time.

Working on the Hyperloop technology, a team from the University of Edinburgh are receiving engineer support and engineering-grade plastic bearings through igus’ YES (Young Engineers Support) programme. HypED is a cross-disciplinary team of engineers, scientists and others (including members of the Business School, the College of Art and the School of Informatics) at the university, working on a concept and prototype for a Hyperloop pod, as well as a business case for Hyperloop in the UK.

As everything in today’s society becomes more modern, practical and stylish so is office furniture. As the furniture in our offices becomes more multi-functional to meet requirements of a flexible work place, igus has a very handy product to securely manage moving cables for power and data. The company now offers a furniture sector, which is a new cable management system, called the furniture-chain.

A North Wales robot-building team is being aided by igus’ engineering support and engineering-grade plastic bearings through the company’s YES (Young Engineers Support) programme, established to foster and support design ideas of young people with a passion for engineering. Designed by 10-year old team captain, April, the pink, sparkly and very formidable GlitterBomb robot has competed in the BBC’s iconic Robot Wars, as well as paid regular visits to schools and other venues to help inspire young people to study STEM subjects.

The introduction of an adaptable drylin W carriage for linear guides with different radii, has been announced by igus, and now with this tool it is possible for designers to create a guide system that goes smoothly into a curve from a straight line. This opens up numerous options in industry, ranging from office furniture to stage equipment and even in the driver cabs of agricultural and commercial vehicles.

A system for testing has been commissioned by igus in its own test laboratory, especially for testing high loads in machine applications found in the agricultural or construction industries. The front loader, which moves 24/7, is located outdoors and therefore exposed to all the elements. This enables igus to compare different bearing combinations in order to find the best products for the respective heavy-duty application.

The newly-expanded premises have been formally opened by Northampton-based high-tech manufacturing company igus. The engineering support facility has almost doubled in size from 672sqm to 1,000sqm with the creation of a new upper floor that will accommodate a sales and technical support team, while freeing up ground-floor space for the engineering team to meet demand for fully assembled products.

Ever since the first banknotes were created and recorded in the 7th century over in China they have been made from cotton paper.Paper money did not really catch on in Europe, however, until nearly a thousand years later. It was first widely used in the UK in 1759, when gold shortages caused by the Seven Years War forced the Bank of England to issue £10 notes for the first time. The first £5 notes followed about 20 years later at the start of the French Revolution. More recently, the Bank has begun switching to a special polymer that promises to be more durable and cleaner than paper.

The 3D print range from motion plastics specialist igus, has been expanded with a new selective laser sintering (SLS) material that is particularly suitable for the additive manufacture of gear wheels. Characterised by a wear resistance of at least six times that of standard materials, the iglidur i6 material is well-suited for printing wear resistant parts, such as gears, offering a particularly long service life.

The Manufacturing Management Show, which will take place at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 22nd-23rd November, will see igus demonstrate a range of automation solutions for a range of applications. Additionally, visitors to stand G14 will be able to observe a demonstration of the robolink D system.

  A heavy duty version of the popular drylin ZLW range of toothed belt linear guides has been introduced by igus. With a maximum stoke length of up to 3m, the new drylin ZLW-20 can handle an axial load of up to 75kg and a radial load capacity of up to 300kg.