Monday 29 July 2013

Igus introduces Quick-install hose packages for the robot industry

The "Triflex R" robot accessory package from the German energy chain expert, igus GmbH, Cologne, includes well over 200 components. From large welding to small palletizing robots, every application is covered.

Corrugated hoses can kink and tear. That is why igus developed the 3D energy chain "Triflex R" for robot producers and users. It is available in three designs. The first is a closed version to protect the cables on rough applications, such as welding spatters, chips, and dirt. The second is the "Easy" version in which the cables are simply pressed into the chain by hand, finally an easy to handle and install "Light" version is available.

Guiding the cables around difficult geometries.
The multi-dimensional, movable robot chain can have its length adjusted at any time thanks to its modular construction. It can be either shortened or lengthened at any place. It achieves its high tensile strength using the “ball and socket” joint. The individual elements are not connected to each other using extra steel cables similar, but with a simple connection like a trailer tow bar. This ball and socket design ensures mobility in every direction. It is possible to turn about +/- 10° per link in the chain. This makes it much easier to guide the cables around difficult geometries.

No tangles, no stress with cables
In addition, there is a defined freedom of movement in all three dimensions. The bending radius is the same in every direction, which also reduces stress on the chain itself, as well as the cables, and hoses. In addition, the use of spring-rod modules generates a directed pre-tension. This makes it possible to create a system where the chain is suspended and doesn’t get caught up in the working area. igus also offers a "Triflex RS" set specially for robot applications with limited installation space. This version guides the energy chain parallel to the robot arm to save space. It can be mounted directly on all attachment points on the robot. Finally, protectors, quick attachment systems, and attachment modules for nearly any robot complete the wide product range.
 Picture PM1510-01: igus
No tangles, no cable stress: "Triflex R" hose package from igus GmbH, Cologne, Germany for all applications in the robot industry.


 Picture PM1510-02: igus
Extremely fast exchanges of cables: "Triflex R" energy chain, shown here in the "Easy" version. The cables are simply pressed into the chain by hand and are always accessible from the outside. This reduces maintenance and overhaul work and reduces the downtime of the robot.

 Picture PM1510-03: igus
New bolt connection ("C version"). Here the links of the chain are connected using a spherical plain bearing for form fitting power transmission.

Picture PM1510-04: igus
Also new: additional connections ("B version") for up to four times as much radius stability. The ball and socket connection was altered for this design.

Cables are easily accessible
igus presented two central innovations for its "Easy" version at the "Automatica" Exhibition. The "Easy" version allows the cables and hoses – which are simply pressed into the energy chain – to be easily visible and accessible from the outside. This makes it possible to very quickly replace individual cables or the entire hose/cable package if service is needed. This solution shortens the time needed for maintenance and overhauls and thus reduces the downtime for the robot.

New: 50 percent higher tensile strength
Firstly, the "Easy Triflex R" is now available in size 125 with a pinned connection (the so-called "C version"). This permits simple installation and removal of the links in the chain. The connection of the links of the chain is made using a spherical plain bearing – spherical cap and locking pin – which ensures form fitting power transmission. The linear tensile force absorption has been increased to 4,000 N. The energychain can now compensate for even greater torsion forces.

New: four times as stable
Secondly, the "Easy Triflex R" is now available with a further improved attachment system (the so-called "B version"). This provides up to four times as much radius stability so that even higher forces can be absorbed for complicated and restricted movements of the robot arm while still protecting the cables. The ball and socket connection was altered in the design for extremely rough applications with high accelerations and very high speeds. The quadruple increase in the bending radius stability has been demonstrated in numerous company tests at the igus-Technicum Center in Cologne.

About igus India:
igus® operations in India started in the year 1998 with head quarters in Bangalore. igus offers widest range of products that includes polymer bearings, igubal® PillowBlock Bearings, DryLin® linear bearings & guide systems enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Igus “Guidelok” Offers Total chip protection for machine tools

Metal chips are a problem for long travels and for when energy chains need to be used for gliding applications. Now the designers from igus have developed a horizontal upper run guiding system called “Guidelok”. This new energy chain solution is ideal for longer travels up to 50 m and unsupported travel in the machining industry.

The new system carries the upper run of the energy chain on a swivelling roller bracket which moves away from the moving radius guaranteeing an unhindered ride. Guided in a lightweight aluminium trough, the energy chain passes through the roller brackets first. The roller bracket then moves out again behind the radius. Afterwards the upper energy chain run is supported on the roller brackets. Due to this construction no debris can settle between the sliding surfaces of the upper run and lower run of the energy chain.

With less material and energy, almost no wear.
Along with the main benefit of protecting cables and hoses against chips and debris, this design offers a number of other advantages. The enormous improvement of the free-supporting length allows users to choose a smaller energy chain for the given length, saving material and overall costs. Secondly – by using a smaller and unsupported energy chain the required drive force reduces. Thirdly upper run and lower run of the new “Guidelok” are separated from each other. This minimizes friction and wear, which increases the lifetime once again.
 Picture PM2209-01: igus GmbH, Cologne
New energy chain “Guidelok” for chip areas -from igus Gmbh, Cologne. Up to 50 m long unsupported travels are now possible. So no debris and chips can settle between upper run and lower run of the chain.


 Picture PM2209-02: igus GmbH, Cologne
The energy chain passes the swivelling roller brackets (left), moves in and behind the radius then out again (middle). Then the upper run sets down again, and is supported by the brackets (right).

Already in service
Just introduced, the new energy chain system is already used successfully in an industrial application at a German manufacturer of machine tools. A heavy steel chain has just been exchanged with “Guidelok”. Changing the existing system for a gliding energy chain solution was out of the question. Metal chips of a 1 Euro coin size would have settled in the inner radius between upper run and lower run, which could have caused damage. In contrast the new system for long unsupported lengths is ideal for such applications.

The “Guidelok” energy guiding is - designed modular and with few parts, and is optional with or without side troughs - available ex works straight away. The company from Cologne is showing the product at http://www.igus.in/wpck/default.aspx?Pagename=overview_guidelok_hor&C=IN&L=en ; among other things, a movie illustrating the new principle of design. The manufacturer igus can deliver within 24 hrs or at the same day. The program includes more than 70,000 energychain, cable, plug and connector components as well as other accessories.

About igus India:
igus® operations in India started in the year 1998 with head quarters in Bangalore. igus offers widest range of products that includes polymer bearings, igubal®, DryLin® linear bearings & guide systems enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

Friday 12 July 2013

The igus bearings have three times higher lifetime

The polymer specialist from igus, presented last year with the material “iglidur Q2” a high load plainbearing which is more durable by a factor of 2 to 5 in harsh environmental conditions than the other 40 plain bearing materials of the company. Based on this material, the limits of performance of injection-moulded plastic bearings could be once again altered with a clever multi-component system: in comparison with iglidur Q2, the new iglidur Q2E (=enclosed) reaches in igus internal pan tests a higher lifetime by a factor of 3 at a radial load at 180 MPa. For this reason a two-component bearing of 30 mm length and 25 mm diameter can take loads of about 13.7 tons. This is equivalent to the weight of two full-grown bull elephants.

It all comes down to the mixture
The bearings consist of a hard polymer shell and a tribo-optimized core made of iglidur Q2 that is also stable in shape and wear-resistant even under high loads. Similar to an exoskeleton, the shell provides the bearing with high stability and makes for an increased lifetime. In addition to that there is the corrosion and maintenance freedom that can increase the productivity in many applications, especially compared to metallic solutions, because downtimes for service or repair can be renounced. iglidur Q2E is initially available for shaft diameters of 20, 25, 30 and 40 mm.

Even more selection for standards
The plain bearing program of the standard high-load material iglidur Q2 has been increased. Available are now iglidur Q2 bearings for shaft diameters up to 75 mm with and without collar. Especially in the field of agricultural engineering, commercial vehicles, construction machines as well as jig manufacturing and mechanical engineering, iglidur Q2 and Q2E plain bearings prove robustness.
 Picture 01: igus
The new two-component polymer bearing Q2E is suitable for high-load panning applications in harsh environments.

 Picture 02: igus
iglidur Q2E can’t only move elephants. It is also suitable for many applications, where high loads, dirt and humidity are involved.

Picture 03: igus
The standard high-load material iglidur Q2 has been enlarged about other sizes. It is now available for shaft diameters up to 75 mm with and without collar.

About igus India:
igus® operations in India started in the year 1998 with head quarters in Bangalore. igus offers widest range of products that includes polymer bearings, igubal® PillowBlock Bearings, DryLin® linear bearings & guide systems enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

Friday 5 July 2013

Igus Introduces Custom-made lubrication-free piston rings

Polymer bearing expert igus, has been producing customer-specific piston rings, tailor-made in terms of geometry and material, for about ten years. Now, the company is supplying piston rings in a wide standard catalogue range. The clip-type guide rings are used in valves, actuators and lifting components in armatures, the food and drinks industry, chemical and medical technology, to name but a few. The igus piston rings are lubrication free, wear-resistant, have a defined clearance and are dimensionally stable even with edge loads. This makes the “iglidur” piston rings suitable for linear and/or rotary, lifting or pivoting movements.

Clip rather than fiddle
One major advantage – in addition to being lubrication free – is they are fast fitting. The ready-to-fit piston rings are fitted in only one movement, into an undercut machined in a bore or in a groove of a shaft. The “iglidur” piston rings are positioned, clipped and then snap in places. They are increasingly replacing PTFE tapes that have to be punched or cut from raw material in a time-consuming process, then inserted manually in a groove before the piston is then slipped into the bore of the assembly. Moreover, the straightforward handling of the piston rings reduces potential sources of faults – there is no more deformation, and fitting errors are almost eliminated.

Photo 01: igus 
Position, clip, finished: Maintenance-free “iglidur” polymer piston rings from igus GmbH, Cologne, are fitted in one movement. Ready-to-fit, they are increasingly replacing PTFE tape that requires a complex manufacturing process.

Polymer piston rings made of the tribo-optimised universal material “iglidur J” are now available ex stock in 13 dimensions for shaft diameters from 10 to 70 mm. From now, they can be delivered in specific materials and dimensions within 10 days. All “iglidur” materials and standard bearing dimensions are available on the basis of the company’s plain bearing catalogue range. Popular piston ring materials (besides “iglidur J”) are the FDA-approved material “iglidur A180”, “iglidur X” for use in chemicals and high temperatures, the low-cost material “iglidur J4” and “iglidur J350” for applications at over 90°C.

can be delivered in specific materials and dimensions within 10 days. Customers can choose from the whole “iglidur” catalogue range.

Photo 02: igus 
Lubrication-free polymer piston rings made of the universal material “iglidur J” are now available ex stock in 13 dimensions for diameters from 10 to 70 mm. 


About igus India:
igus® operations in India started in the year 1998 with head quarters in Bangalore. igus offers widest range of products that includes polymer bearings, igubal® PillowBlock Bearings, DryLin® linear bearings & guide systems enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.