Customer application examples of 3D printed parts

More than 5000 active customers worldwide reduce costs with wear-resistant 3D printing solutions

From piano keys to parts for old tractors, igus® has been manufacturing 3D printed parts for customer for years now. No longer do we have to allow machines and parts to become obsolete, we can now recreate components that are no longer manufactured. We can also now look at a worn part and try and re-create it in 3D materials and it becomes a moveable part. 
Have a look at the various applications below. 

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Examples of 3D printed Applications

3D printed gears in the roof-mounted water cannon of an airport fire-extinguishing vehicle For repairing the roof-mounted water cannons of airport fire-extinguishing vehicles, the maintenance technicians of Fraport AG found cost-effective replacement parts in the form of printed gears made of iglidur® I3 that met the high load-capacity requirements.
Gears in the fire-extinguishing vehicle
The gears printed in 3D in the stepper motor help swivel the searchlight. Standby GmbH needed suitable durable gears for the small stepper motors in its newly developed searchlight mounted on emergency vehicle roofs. The wear-resistant 3D-printed gears made of iglidur® i3 have proved to be the most suitable for this purpose.
Gears in the searchlight
The blood sample is taken from the patient and placed in the device. High concentrations of the protein troponin in the blood indicate possible heart attack. To measure concentrations precisely, a stepper motor rotor has to achieve an angular displacement of less than 0.1 degrees. 3D-printed gears made of iglidur® i3 play a decisive role here.
Gears for a blood-testing device
The microscope camera 3D-printed clamps from iglidur® i151 ensure precise microscope camera panning for real-time recording of the electrical micro-component printing process.
Clamps for the microscope camera
The illusion of the floating object can be achieved with two linear movements and one rotation. A 3D printed gear improved tolerances and ensured smooth "floating" within a window display.

 
3D printed gear for a shop window
Special mounting bracket made of igumid P190 using the filament extrusion process to attach the energy chain of the 3D printer to the rail guide With igumid® P190, a special mounting bracket for the igus® energy chains could be produced, which enables a more compact design of the large-format 3D printer and therefore saves space and money.
 
More about the mounting bracket for energy chains
A device manufactured from iglidur I190 in 3D printing so that the rails rest at right angles on the profile saw's working surface. <A device was manufactured from iglidur® i190 in 3D printing so that drylin rails will rest at right angles on a profile saw's working surface. An optimal solution for precise cutting of large orders. 
 
Profile saw device
3D printed sliders in rope-free lift The complex special slider was urgently needed on the construction site in the Thyssenkrupp testing tower. Despite the complexity of the structture, the igus® 3D printing service was able to deliver the part within 48 hours 
Special sliders in rope-free lift
A bevel gear drive made of iglidur I3 keeps to a precise schedule in the dispensers for personally packaged medications. A complex bevel gear was required for the drive unit of a dispenser. The dosing unit's small installation space meant that only 3D printed components could be used, as they were able to meet the complex geometry and requirements.
Bevel gear drive in a medicine dispenser
Device to compensate for the Earth's rotation in order to allow long exposures for astrophotography. To allow long exposures in astrophotography, a device with a gear and motor was developed to counteract the Earth's rotation. The gear made of iglidur® I150 ensures precision and stability.
 
More about the gear printed in 3D
3D printed finger joints in therapeutic use Light, filigree and resilient - The Technische Hochschule Zurich (ETHZ university) uses finger joints made of iglidur® I6 for the speedy manufacture of tailor-made hand exoskeletons.
 
Finger joints in an exoskeleton
Plain bearings made of iglidur J2 were produced significantly more cost-effectively and faster in the print2mold process than with ordinary injection moulding. For an AI-controlled waste separation system, ZenRobotics needed plain bearings with a special geometry.With the print2mold process, the parts were produced quickly & cost-effectively.
 
P2M plain bearings in a waste sorting robot
Rocket module for measuring the movement and position of objects in space With igus® components, it was possible to develop an ejection mechanism that helps to collect real data on the movement and position of objects in space and removes space debris.
 
More about 3D printed components in space
The ball bearings made of iglidur I150 minimize steering inaccuracy on the 3D-printed &quot;Chameleon&quot; vehicle. The steering system of the 3D-printed vehicle had too much clearance and quickly became inaccurate. Ball bearings made of the iglidur® I150 tribo-filament ensured precise, stable device rotation.
 
Ball bearings for a 3D printed vehicle
3D printed lead screw in a fully automatic coffee machine The Project team of the Maschinenbauschule (School of Mechanical Engineering) in Ansbach were convinced  of the 3D printed component made of iglidur® totally in terms of its quality, stability, strength and dimensional accuracy.
Lead screw in a fully automated coffee machine
3D printed components for rear wings To ensure easy and sustained adjustment of an innovative rear spoiler, parts made of tribologically optimised iglidur® polymers are used at the support points on the wing so that low-friction and maintenance-free adjustment is possible.
Component for a rear wing
For a small ball bearing cage series, the injection moulding tool was produced using 3D printing. The costs were reduced by a factor of 50, and the tool was ready for use within three days. For a small ball bearing cage series, the injection moulding tool was produced using 3D printing. The costs were reduced by a factor of 50 and the tool was ready for use within three days.
 
Injection mould for ball bearing cage
Split prototype plain bearing made of iglidur I3 A plain bearing broke in a WAREMA Sonnenschutztechnik GmbH moving rack, causing a delay in production. 3D printed prototypes made of iglidur® I3 facilitated a new split plain bearing design that allowed faster replacement.
Prototype plain bearings from the 3D printer
Glide pad adapter clips for the transition between glide pad and glide bar To make the igus® energy chains more durable, adapter clips for the transition between glide pad and chain were developed. The adapters made of iglidur® I6 were printed and tested together with the 3D printing team. Conclusion: "Comparable to injection moulding."
Glide pad adapter clip for igus energy chains
3D-printed mechanical clockwork made of iglidur I150 filament Using the tribologically optimised iglidur® I150 filament, components in the movement that are exposed to particularly high mechanical load were able to achieve a longer service life and a more regular escapement rate than parts made of conventional PLA.
3D printed mechanical clockwork
3D printed replacement parts in a grand piano A classic grand piano has been given new hammers made of iglidur® I3. Pianists who have tested it say it's "like swapping an Austin Seven for a Ferrari".

 
Piano string hammers
3D printed gear in a tractor "That works like a well-oiled machine - only better!" The broken gear of a tractor used by igus® was reverse-engineered and printed within a few hours.
 
Gear in a tractor
3D printed bearing in a pram Replacing the regular plastic plain bearing with a 3D printed parts in iglidur® I3 means that the pram no longer has to be lubricated & now runs smoothly.
 
Plain bearing in a pram
Replacement gears made of iglidur I3 for an e-bike planetary gearbox Because the manufacturer was unable to supply spare parts for his e-bike's gearbox, the customer had igus® print gears made of iglidur® I3. The result is improved performance and complete satisfaction.
More about replacement gears in an e-bike gearbox
3D printed reverse thread roller in a winding machine 50% cost reduction, delivery in a few days, improved sliding properties & longer service life. Replacement part made of iglidur® I3 improves the machine and reduces costs at Conti Tech Schlauch GmbH.
 
Cross-threaded shaft in a winding machine
Gas ring with 3D printed components The cost-effective and fast manufacture of small volumes of abrasion-resistant special parts persuaded the company Kempf to use sliding elements made of iglidu® I3 in its 'Darios' accelerator ring.
Special sliders in the steering wheel accelerator ring
Vintage speedometer Even after it had been in use for more than 2,000 miles in a vintage car, the customer was unable to detect any signs of wear on the replicated intermediate shaft with toothed gear made of iglidur® I6.
Vintage speedometer
3D printed pinions in a racing car A Robust pinion with special dimensions was delivered in less than 72 hours from igus®. iglidur® I6 is used in a racing car as a chain tensioner in the chain drive.
 
Pinions for a racing car motor
3D printing prototyping for electrical vehicles "A high degree of flexibility & fast delivery times are crucial when it comes to prototype construction. It is qualities that we like about the igus® online configurator to select required  gears. " Easelink founder Hermann Stockinger
Gears in an e-car charging station
3D printed sliding plates in mowing machines Replacement parts made of iglidur® I180 are 15 times more cost-effective than the special metal sliders previously used by the customer and can be delivered within a few days.
 
Sliding plates for water mowing machines
3D printed sprockets The standard metal pinion generates a lot of noise when in use. After two months of use in two wheels, the replacement part made of iglidur® I3 has reduced the noise output considerably.
Sprockets for e-bikes
3D printed gripper By changing from aluminium to 3D printing with iglidur® polymers for the production of grippers, Carecos Kosmetik GmbH was able to reduce costs by up to 85% and manufacturing time by up to 70%.
Grippers for packaging
"DriCoMaTe" drive-in Corona station by BoKa Automatisierung GmbH For a fully automated drive-in Corona testing station, a robot arm gripper was required and was eventually made of iglidur® I3 with laser sintering. This ultimately reduces the load and stress on medical staff.
Grippers for the Corona testing station
3D printed bearings in a camera dolly An urgently needed replacement bearing for a camera dolly was 3D printed and delivered to our happy customer within only a few hours.


 
Special bearings for a camera dolly
For me, it was a perfect example of how Industry 4.0 works. It took just three weeks to move from the task to the real-world solution to a highly customised design problem, and only two hours were on the computer. A customer needed a new rudder bearing for his sailboat.  "For me, it was a perfect example of how Industry 4.0 works. It took three weeks to move from the task to the real-world solution to a highly customised design problem, and only two hours were on the computer."
More about the 3D printed rudder bearing
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