Energy chains from igus give the "rowing tricycle" safe riding enjoyment

Rowing is considered a strenuous, but healthy and effective sport. However, if no suitable body of water is available, only going to the gym or buying a stationary training device for your living room is an option. The RowTrike of the Portuguese engineering company Solien changes that. The action of the three-wheeled device is comparable to the original rowing motion on water, but the trike moves forward, instead of backwards as with a rowing boat. Moreover, the RowTrike can be manoeuvered like a bicycle to the left and right and thus travel on straight roads in the city as well as on winding country roads.

Small igus e-chain masters great demands

The hydraulic brake cables and electric cables of the RowTrike are reliably guided between the two mobile elements with a stroke of 600 millimetres. The device uses two 76 link long igus energy chains of the E2 micro series, and perform 80 "rowing strokes" per minute. The plastic chains are free of corrosion and lubricants, and are excellent for use even in rain, dirt and grime. The reliable energy guidance is ensured by the shock-absorbing property even when driving on a bumpy terrain.

Use of motion plastics in the sports and fitness sector

From lubrication-free plain bearings in suspension forks of mountain bikes and linear guide systems in weights machines up to energy chain systems in crosstrainers and ergometers, igus products are known for their versatile use in the sports sector. They make the operation of the sports equipment silent, vibration-free as well as maintenance-free.

The RowTrike in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4BtLkiMLSY

For more information please visit: http://www.igus.in/energychains

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.

igus presents New Tribo-Filament: Chemical-resistant components from the 3D printer

The motion plastics specialist igus has expanded its range of wear-resistant Tribo-Filaments for 3D printing with the chemical-resistant iglidur C210 and now offers a total of six materials using the FDM method. Prototypes and small batches for even more applications - for example in contact with aggressive cleaning agents - can be implemented with this new solution.

The 3D printing is poised to revolutionise industrial production in future years. Here, the additive manufacturing always contains two different things, precise 3D printers and high-performance materials. The latter must comply with the special requirements of melting and shrinkage processes in 3D printing and in doing so, must not lose their characteristic material properties. The filaments of the motion plastics specialist igus are designed for friction and wear – components printed from these materials are up to 50 times more abrasion-resistant than standard plastics used for the 3D printing.

Specialist for the pharmaceutical and food industry

With iglidur C210, igus now offers a new material as Tribo-Filament, which is extremely resistant to chemicals. It withstands a large number of acids and solvents. The Tribo-Filament made of iglidur C210 is resistant even against hydrogen peroxide, which is frequently used as a bleach and disinfectant. In addition, the material is characterised by high wear resistance, which ensures a long service life for the printed component. It also proves to be tough against high temperatures. The Tribo-Filament can withstand application temperatures up to 180°C in the short term and up to 100°C in the long term. The material is available with a diameter of 1.75 or 3 millimetres and can therefore be used in commercial 3D printers for the FDM process. The filament made of iglidur C210 is suitable for a range of industries and applications, especially for hygienically sensitive areas such as in the pharmaceutical and food industry, where components often come into contact with aggressive cleaning agents.

Already six Tribo-Filaments are available

Besides the new material made of iglidur C210, igus has five other filaments in the range, which can be used to print components. According to requirements, each material has its own benefits for light processing (iglidur I150-PF), an extremely high strength (iglidur I180-PF) or high application temperatures coupled with the best wear resistance (iglidur J260 PF). All Tribo-Filaments from igus have significantly lower coefficients of friction than conventional 3D printing materials. Due to their abrasion resistance, they are particularly suitable for dynamic applications. Tribo-Filaments can be obtained as a filament material, or alternatively as an already finished, ready-to-install printed component from the igus 3D printing service. On the website three simple steps are sufficient, from configuration to order. Prototypes or special parts for small batch production can be produced easily, quickly and at a low cost. With the different Tribo-Filaments and their respective special properties, users can take full advantage of the 3D printing. More economical material and lower energy consumption as well as a quick production open up enormous savings potential.

For more details please visit: http://www.igus.in/wpck/15341/3D_Priting_Material_Startpage?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® Spherical 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.

Linear axes variable width and length from igus based on the modular principle

With the new drylin ZLW modular kit the motion plastics specialist igus offers even more versatility and designing freedom for design engineers - widths, rail distances and materials of the ready-to-install axes can be assembled according to your requirement. Thus, high-performance linear axes can be implemented at a low price.

Ready to install, maintenance-free and lubricant-free linear guides are becoming more popular in machine and plant manufacturing. "Off the shelf" solutions that fit exactly to the construction requirements of the user are uncommon To simplify product selection for design engineers, the motion plastics specialist igus has developed a construction kit for its drylin ZLW axes, with which the customers can individually assemble their own solutions. In this modular system, width, rail distances and length of the axes can be adapted quickly and easily. Due to the low profile of the toothed belt axes, even small installation spaces are sufficient for this. In addition, users can order the cross beams, rails and carriages made of aluminium or stainless steel. The latter is of particular interest for applications in the food industry, due to the majority of components being made from stainless steel, this is a unique when considering standard 'off the shelf' items.  A maximum service life is possible in combination with liners made of iglidur E7. The linear guides can be supplied with the igus motor or connected to the customer's which enables a variable motor integration to the right and left of the axis by means of solid and hollow shafts.

Now even higher loads and more dynamic applications are possible

Due to the new installation size ZLW-20, loads up to 75 kg can be lifted, with maximum stroke lengths of up to 3,000 millimetres. The wide drive belt also permits high speeds of more than 5 m/s depending on the load. The polyurethane toothed belt with steel cable reinforcement is set centrally on the carriage at the required belt tension. An underwater application is also possible with a special belt. Grooved ball bearings ensure a robust support and greater energy efficiency. A quiet running and a long service life even in continuous operation make the ready to install solutions interesting for numerous applications, such as the most varied handling tasks in the food or laboratory technology. Due to the open design, the linear axes are easy to clean and also insensitive to dirt.

For more details please visit: http://www.igus.in/wpck/2370/drylin_zlw?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 etc. which enable them to serve the whole industrial establishments in India from a small work shop to huge industrial establishments.

Flexible design, secure guidance: modern office furniture with e-chains from igus

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With the e-chain ZF14 from igus, cables are guided securely and unobtrusively on furniture. (Source: igus GmbH)

The workplace ambience is changing and with it furniture design. Today, modern office furniture is characterised by flexibility and increasing electrification. For these applications, the motion plastics specialist igus provides the ZF14 energy chain, with cables guided safely and unobtrusively on the furniture.

Desks whose heights can be adjusted by pressing a button, worktops that automatically move forward and backward, cabinets that extend a presentation display electrically – office furniture is increasingly being geared to the individual needs of their users. Simultaneously, the electrified furniture should fit harmoniously into the design of the room without disturbing cable clutters. One solution is a guidance system that allows cables and connectors to be bundled and routed safely. With the energy chain ZF14, igus has designed an energy chain for these applications in the office furniture industry.

Guide energy and data safely

The e-chain ZF14 integrates into modern furniture design and is fixed by means of mounting brackets that simply attach to the furniture. Mounting brackets can be either screwed on or bonded, thanks to the large smooth surface on the bottom The e-chain is then simply clipped in, small barbs on the mounting bracket snap onto the crossbar of the chain and ensure a secure hold. Thanks to the easy chain principle, the insertion of cables by hand is very easy, even when the energy chain is already installed on the furniture. The ZF14 is very cable-friendly in use because it has very smooth inner contours. In this way the cables are still securely guided, even after many years. The colour of the chain can be individually selected for major projects and can be based on the design of each piece of furniture. The development of ZF14 owes much to the specific requests of customers: thus, at present several thousand desks by American and European manufacturers of office furniture are being equipped with the ZF14.

A video on the ZF14 can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/988KLxXmgf0

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® Spherical 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.

Logistics 4.0: Failsafe and fast routing of data and energy with igus

Reliable guiding of data, energy and media at 6 m/s and up to 100 metres in length in the most confined spaces – this achievement, designed as a complete and compact energy supply system, belongs to the advanced micro flizz from the Cologne-based motion plastics specialist igus. It consists of a plastic energy chain, flexible chainflex cables for movements with very tight bending radii and an aluminium housing. At the 2016 Logimat, Hall 3, Stand C51, igus presents the space-saving micro flizz MF10, which can be used, for example, for longitudinal travels in storage and retrieval machines.

Many bus bars are used today in the material handling industry. However, they have the disadvantage that they are only used for energy transmission. The micro flizz from igus is therefore the better alternative to supply energy, data and media at the same time, up to 100 metres horizontally. The energy chain made of plastic, which moves in a guide channel made of anodised extruded aluminium profile, has a built-in "side wing". This holds the chain firmly in the pre-tensioned position at all times in a special groove in the upper and lower part of the channel. The wings swing out automatically when the chain bends in the radius. Together with plastic springs on the crossbars of the e-chain, they provide a soft and quiet rolling, because the upper run of the chain does not rest on the lower run. This means the friction, wear, energy consumption and noise development are reduced significantly. A rolling carriage at the end of the chain acts here as a moving end. Using a counter-running arrangement, even two e-chains can run simultaneously in a guide channel in order to move still more cables.

From fibre optic cable to pneumatic hose

The modular design of this complete system allows easy adaption to different applications, and the filling of the energy chain can be varied.  Thus, for example, even fibre optic cables from the chainflex product range with transmission rates of more than 10 GBit/s can be routed without any problems. As on all other cables, igus also warrants a 36-month service life guarantee. Also, pneumatic hoses, as used in storage and retrieval vehicles with pneumatic grippers, can be integrated in the micro flizz. Even travel speeds of up to 6 m/s and accelerations of up to 50 m/s² are reliably free of trouble and maintenance, and loads up to 50 kilograms can be carried by the moving end. A virtually wear-free operation was observed in an igus in-house test with over one million double strokes, or a covered distance of 6,000 kilometres. A winner of the iF Design Award, the system is also characterised by easy installation. With the universal 3 T-groove mounting bracket, the connection is quick and user-friendly, and is exemplary in storage and retrieval systems.

For more details please visit: http://www.igus.in/Chainflex

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

New machine building standard for energy chains: Quieter, longer lasting, easier assembly

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The new quiet igus E2.1 can be opened with a screwdriver or the new matching chain opener that is supplied for free with each initial order. (Source: igus GmbH)

At the 2016 Hannover Messe igus presents E2.1, a new generation of its two-piece energy chain. Based on continuous development and new customer requirements, the original series has been significantly improved. Compared to the previous version, the E2.1 offers revolutionary innovations to significantly improve the service life of customer applications.

For over 15 years the motion plastics specialist igus has had the E2/000 energy chain series in its product range, which combines a versatile and lightweight assembly with strength and has become the standard chain in machinery construction for wood and metal processing worldwide. The E2.1 is a new energy chain in the range that also consists of two pieces: a chain link and a crossbar. This can be opened on the outer radius on both sides with a screwdriver or the new chain opener which is supplied for free with every initial order, and opened out or even completely removed subsequently. The crossbars can easily be closed again by hand. By means of a screwdriver, this new generation allows the crossbars to be opened from the side of the chain link, which is advantageous in pre-assembled chains and areas with restricted access. Another constructive advancement on the E2.1 is the 'brake' on the stop dog of the chain links. This ensures a very quiet chain travel with lower vibration and noise. Compared to the previous generation the E2.1 is quieter by around 50 percent.

Design for maximum service life

The new E2.1 series has a very cable-friendly interior which adds more space for the same outer dimensions when compared to the E2/000. "For example, this can be an advantage in machine tools, because often very little space is available here," explains Harald Nehring, authorised officer for e-chain systems at igus. In keeping with the design of the interior of the chain igus provides separators with rounded edges for a long service life of hoses and cables. For a precise mounting of the separators an integrated grid system is provided on the crossbars. At the Hannover Messe igus is showing the new E2.1 with an interior height of 38 millimetres and an inner width of 65 millimetres. Other options and a version that snap's open along the inner radius will also be developed in the following months.

For more information please visit: http://www.igus.in/energychains?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® Spherical 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.

Modular corrugated tube from igus gains the top cleanroom classification

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Upper and lower parts of the ultra-light e-skin join together immediately to make a sealed, cleanroom-compatible and unsupported energy supply system (source: igus GmbH).

With the e-skin, igus has developed a modular corrugated tube which is not only extremely easy to open, but unlike comparable energy supply products, also provides an unsupported operation in the smallest installation spaces. Now the motion plastics specialist has won the strict IPA ISO Class 1 certification for the product, this gives customers maximum safety for applications in cleanroom environments.

Absolute air purity is essential in many industries, especially in production, in the medical and pharmaceutical technology, semiconductor industry, aerospace technology, nano technology and measurement technology. Any contamination in cleanroom conditions has a direct damaging impact on products and processes and costs a lot of money. The e-skin from igus is used in the area of energy supply and provides a safe, robust and flexible supply of systems with data, media and energy without generating airborne particles above the narrow limit, which can contaminate the room.

Enclosed structures and abrasion resistance for clean production

Design and material of the e-skin have enabled the acquisition of the IPA ISO Class 1 certification through the Fraunhofer Institute. The corrugated tube is made up of tribologically optimised, abrasion-resistant plastic and its separable upper and lower shells can be easily put together by a "zipper" to a fully enclosed tube, which is highly dust-proof and water-resistant. This simultaneously guarantees its cleanroom suitability as well as a quick filling and maintenance of the cables. The assembly-friendly

e-skin is also extremely light and ideal for small installation spaces, for instance in pick & place applications.  Due to the stiffness of the material, the rib profile and a defined direction of motion, it is even applicable for short unsupported distances, unlike other corrugated hoses. Interior separation is also available as an option.

For more information please visit: http://www.igus.in/wpck/15724/N16_01_10?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® Spherical 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.