New miniature linear slide more slidey than ever
August 2022
Motion Control & Drives
Whether in an industrial environment or a coffee machine, in order to maximise the service life of a linear guide and to keep the required drive energy low, it is important to reduce friction and wear as much as possible.
German manufacturer, igus, a motion plastics specialist, has now achieved a breakthrough in tribological plastics with iglidur E3. Its latest development is a sliding material that has a friction coefficient that is up to 40% better and able to open up design flexibility in linear technology and expand the coefficient from the classic 2:1 rule to 3:1.
“Our drylin T miniature linear slide offers extremely smooth running and new design freedom thanks to the newly developed iglidur E3 sliding material,” said Stefan Niermann, head of igus’ Linear and Drive Technology business unit. “Depending on the operating point, this has a friction coefficient of around 0,16 and thus achieves up to 40% less friction compared to the standard igus materials, measured on hard-anodised aluminium, and even less compared to commercially available sliding materials. This also means that manual adjustment requires 40% lower displacement forces. This is an important step towards greater design freedom, as it enables us to expand design leeway for the first time.”
The traditional 2:1 rule, which generally applies to linear plain bearings, states that the distance between the driving force and the fixed bearing should not be more than twice the bearing clearance. Otherwise, an uneven movement sequence could jam the system. The greater the distance between the drive and the guide bearing, the higher the wear and required drive force. igus has now extended this design rule to 3:1, so that the drive can be 50% further away without impairing linear guide movement. At the same time, the required drive forces are reduced by 40%, which means 40% energy savings in electrically driven applications.
The drylin T miniature guide is available in three sizes (09, 12 and 15) and can be used in such applications as laboratory and medical technology, and tool building. It is proven to slide better – without harmful lubricants – and the miniature linear carriage with the new iglidur E3 sliders offers the well-known advantages of igus motion plastics. The solid lubricants incorporated into the material of the high-performance plastics ensure low-noise operation, high resistance to dirt and no need for maintenance.
“Eliminating lubrication is good for saving costs but also the environment. With new material mixing and processing as well as countless tests in the igus test laboratory, igus has further pushed the application limits of motion plastics and created new design freedom in linear technology,” Niermann stated.
Further reading:
Rapid headframe replacement for Canada’s biggest potash mine
Motion Control & Drives
Mammoet has supported Ledcor with the construction of BHP’s new Jansen potash mine.
Read more...
Humanoid robots are moving faster
Motion Control & Drives
A humanoid robot has exceeded the world’s best human half marathon time, offering a glimpse into the industrial potential behind this spectacle.
Read more...
WearCheck strengthens onsite sampling capabilities
Wearcheck
Motion Control & Drives
The precise accuracy of taking an oil sample from a machine component is one of the most critically important steps in the scientific analysis of oil as part of a condition monitoring programme.
Read more...
Enhancing carbon capture drilling efficiency with PowerFlex drives
Rockwell Automation
Motion Control & Drives
To meet the growing demand for carbon capture and storage, Drillmec needed to make drilling ingress points for carbon capture faster, safer and more cost efficient.
Read more...
Investment in training is key for the lubrication industry
Motion Control & Drives
Lubrication management has grown more sophisticated in recent years, yet equipment failure rates linked to lubrication problems remain stubbornly high. The reason for this is that technology can only go so far without the people behind it being properly trained.
Read more...
Konecranes modernises paper roll warehouse with four automated cranes
Motion Control & Drives
Konecranes received a contract from Palm to modernise an automated paper roll warehouse at its Wörth facility in Germany. The project includes the delivery of four automated cranes equipped with vacuum lifters to replace existing units, along with extensive software upgrades and new crane runways.
Read more...
Servo drives for washdown and hygienic environments
Motion Control & Drives
Kollmorgen has expanded the application range of its Kollmorgen Essentials servo drive to include hygienic and washdown environments.
Read more...
Oil analysis is an investment that pays a cost-savings dividend
Wearcheck
Motion Control & Drives
The majority of organisations implementing oil analysis face the challenge of maximising operational cost savings against the pressure to achieve full production and enhance shareholder value. An organisation may, or may not, achieve the intended benefits for several reasons, chief among them being the failure to implement a sound corrective-action strategy.
Read more...
Rollers excel where profits balance on a knife edge
igus
Motion Control & Drives
Polymer component specialist manufacturer, igus has developed a range of lubrication-free long-life knife edge rollers designed to improve the transfer of products between conveyor belts in high-speed production environments.
Read more...
Smart farming
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
Motion Control & Drives
BMG’s Smart Farming agricultural team works closely with farmers throughout southern Africa, assisting them with the selection, installation and operation of new electromechanical systems.
Read more...
printer friendly version