igus exhibits an array of new products at Advanced Engineering Show 2014

On stand, igus will feature one of its latest developments, the tribo-tape; made from self-lubricating, iglidur A160 material. “Thanks to its excellent wear characteristics, the tribo-tape is well-suited for reducing friction in a wide range of applications wherever there are sliding surfaces,” explains Rob Dumayne, director at igus.

Another new product being showcased on igus’ stand is the tribo-filament, a 3D printing material developed specifically for dynamic bearing applications. The filament, which is compatible with conventional ABS 3D printers, which use the FDM method, is up to 50 times more abrasion-resistant than traditional 3D printer materials.

A range of igus’ energy chains will also be available on the company’s stand including the e-cord micro energy chain for the safe guidance of capillary tubes. “Capillary tubes are often routed in miniature hoses, whose diameters measure just a few millimetres and must not be bent in radii of less than 45mm in dynamic applications,” explains Justin Leonard, director at igus. “If this is not adhered to in the design or during operation, the hoses can snap or kink and this leads to a process failure. Permanently secure routing in pre-defined radii poses a technical challenge. This is solved by the e-cord micro which is made of high-performance and elastic tribopolymers.”

Also on show will be the DIN ISO class 1 certified and IPA confirmed CRC (clean room chain) that operates in a leak proof corrugated hose designed to prevent any potential contamination. The design serves to seal the e-chain system completely, as well as the connection bracket and strain relief.

The new E4.1 light e-chain which meets engineers and designers’ need for a strong but light e-chain, will also be present on the stand. It combines the benefits of the E4.1 series’ ruggedness and the E2/000 system’s easy accessibility. A 4-piece light-weight structure, the E4.1 light chain can be fitted with snap-open “extender” crossbars on both sides along the inner and outer radius. This e-chain then offers a large interior-exterior dimension ratio and is therefore perfect for easy filling with large diameter hoses such as for vacuum and extraction.