igus introduces smart plastics: Intelligent linear guide increases safety against failure and reduces costs

With the smart plastics igus has developed intelligent machine components, which monitor themselves during the operation. An early warning system consisting of sensors and digital communication thereby expands the world's largest modular system for lubrication-free and maintenance-free linear guides. The smart drylin guide is easy to retrofit and increases the customer's safety against failure.

Digitised and networked process sequences in drive technology promise a high potential for reducing machine downtimes, particularly when combined with high-performance plastics for the motion. The smart plastics from igus combine both and expand the customer's ability to provide predictive maintenance. Through continuous measurements and the calculations using the parameters of the system as well as the thousands of test data from the igus test laboratory, it is possible to also reliably predict the smooth functioning of the smart plastics in the future while in real operation. Part of this comprehensive range is the intelligent drylin linear guide, which can be very easily retrofitted.

Smart linear guide makes maintenance easy

To make the products "smart", the dry operating drylin bearings are equipped with sensors and a special module, the isense DL.W. This constantly monitors the abrasion of the dirt-resistant and dust-repellent plain bearings and determines the wear limit by which a bearing must be replaced. The status data are passed on via wireless to the user, who is able to intervene at the right time from anywhere. The isense DL.W as a lightweight and robust plastic element is ideally suitable for retrofitting as well as for a variety of moving applications in which linear guides are used, from the packaging machine to the machine tool. Furthermore, the icom module, which collects, processes and relays the data, serves as a central communication unit. The user can take over the monitoring with the terminal device of his choice and can thus always carry out maintenance, repair and replacement at the optimum moment. Because, if maintenance work has been carried out after rigid intervals, the new smart plastics can be used to determine the individual remaining service life of the component and always the best maintenance date. Particularly in the case of the long-lasting components made of Tribo polymers, the full utilisation of the online computable life cycle pays off.

The intelligent drylin guide is part of the overall range of intelligent products, including the intelligent energy chain and intelligent cable. For interested customers, igus has launched a pilot tester programme.

You can find more information on it at: http://www.igus.in/wpck/16723/N16_01_51?playlistid=90

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® Linear Motion Bearings , Plain Bearings and Bushing Accessories etc. which enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

Everything from a single source: Industrially harnessed energy chain systems from igus

At igus the name "readychain" stands for pre-assembled tailor-made energy chain systems. With the new readychain Basic, Standard, Standard Plus and Premium, the motion plastics specialist now has four options in its product range, which delivers everything to customers from a single source, from the simple combination of an e-chain and cable up to fully harnessed and assembled energy chain systems. This is not only convenient but also saves operating costs.

igus offers reliable, tested energy chains and cables for moving applications as well ready harnessed complete systems. Especially for long travel distances and highly filled multi-axis systems, they not only save time in harnessing and assembly but also offer predictable costs to customers. All moving components were developed, tested and coordinated in igus' own test laboratory. With readychain, customers receive a complete reliable pre-assembled system from a single source, directly from the manufacturer and with a guarantee. At the same time, the number of suppliers and orders can be reduced by up to 75 percent, while storage and process costs are avoided.

One order, one invoice, one delivery

igus project managers accompany the readychain systems through all phases of the project. While doing so the interfaces, delivery status, assembly process and effort of the customer are just as important as the product itself. In the igus factory, the readychains are manufactured industrially on an area of 3,000 square metres with state-of-the-art production technology and specialised employees – from simple to complex systems with individually specified cables, hoses, plug connectors, internal separators, mounting brackets and attachments. "We are industrialising manual work," explains Christian Stremlau, head of the readychain and readycable business unit at igus. "Because throughput, quality and price have become more important." Depending on the degree of harnessing the customer can choose between un-harnessed chainflexcables (readychain Basic) or pre-assembled readycable cables (readychain standard) for use in e-chains. This is also available as a ready-to-install multi-axis system with sheet metal, which reduces the plug-in points and optimises the connection interfaces (readychain Standard Plus).

The user has access to the comprehensive readycable range with over 4,000 different drive cables in seven quality classes. "The pre-harnessed cables, including connectors, are custom-made in the desired length with centimetre precision, as is now normal for the industry," Stremlau adds. "At igus, therefore, there is no minimum quantity surcharge." For further cost savings and at the same time high convenience for the customer, igus offers to undertake the delivery and assembly of the fully harnessed energy chain system directly on the machine (readychain Premium). A precisely fitting transport frame known as the "readychain rack" ensures a secure and fast mounting of the module on site, so that it can be put into operation immediately in a machine tool via plug & play. For product and service, the customer receives only a single order number per product group. igus manufactures the readychains in twelve factories across the globe and delivers them virtually worldwide, thanks to the sophisticated logistics, within one to ten days on the guaranteed deadline.

You can get an insight into the readychain harnessing at igus in the video at http://www.igus.in/readychains?C=IN&L=en

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® Linear Motion Bearings , Plain Bearings and Bushing Accessories, Cable Harness etc. which enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

igus Introduces Servo Cables with the World's Smallest Bend Radius

At the 2016 SPS IPC Drives, igus presented its new CF29 servo cable series – one of several new high-end cable families for continuous motion in e-chains with an outer jacket made of halogen-free TPE. This product range extension offers completely new possibilities for energy supply to drives, for users with very tough requirements such as ambient temperatures or small installation space.

A core structure optimised for motion combined with a gusset-filling extruded TPE inner jacket that provides even more stability as well as a highly flexible TPE outer jacket are the features of the new CF29 chainflex servo cable series. The high-end series is suitable for the smallest bending factors for servo cables down to 6.8xd and is therefore unique on the market. The new series offers a guaranteed solution in a temperature range of -35°C so can be even used for moving applications in deep-freeze warehouses. This is made possible by the igus halogen-free TPE outer jacket material, which offers an almost unlimited resistance to oil. This has been used for other chainflex cable series for years. In order to offer its customers an even better selection, igus is now expanding its high-end range with this new servo cable and an additional series for data and bus cables.

Even more choices – guaranteed to last

All cables were successfully tested in a climatic test chamber with real-world mechanical loads and temperatures, within the 2,750-square-metre-large test laboratory at igus. This allows the cable manufacturer to guarantee a service life of 36 months for all cables. And this applies even for cables for the highest dynamics and the most complicated movements. The chainflex service life calculator (www.igus.com/chainflex_servicelifecalculator) helps you to make the ideal selection, and gives you the expected service life of each cable in double strokes after entering the respective application parameters. This allows customers to choose the cable that works reliably in their applications – without having to spend too much.

For more details please visit: http://www.igus.in/Shop/Category/300739/Servo%20cables

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® Linear Motion Bearings , Plain Bearings and Bushing Accessories, Cable Chains etc. which enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.