What is iglidur®?

iglidur materials are materials developed by igus and are made of high-performance polymers that are characterised by their special properties: their special composition makes them extremely wear-resistant, robust and self-lubricating. Their service life can be determined exactly. In addition, each iglidur material has individual properties and strengths that make it suitable for special applications.

What are iglidur materials made of?

All iglidur materials consist of three components: base polymers, fibres and fillers, solid lubricants. As it is not possible for one universal material to fulfil all tasks equally well, there are different iglidur materials. Each has a different composition of the three components and a different application area.

Base polymers

iglidur base polymers The base polymers are responsible for the iglidur materials' wear resistance. They ensure that the lubricants are not subjected to a surface pressure that is too high.  

Fibres and fillers

iglidur base polymers with fibres These components strengthen the materials so that they withstand high forces or edge loads and can be used continuously.  

Solid lubricants

iglidur base polymers with fibres and solid lubricants They lubricate components made of iglidur materials independently and prevent friction. They are distributed in the entire material in the form of microscopic particles.

How does self-lubrication work?

Millions of the solid lubricants are embedded in tiny chambers in the solid, usually fibre-reinforced material. From these chambers, the material releases infinitesimal amounts of solid lubricants during movement. This is sufficient to satisfactorily lubricate the immediate surrounding area.

What's more, they help reduce the coefficient of friction of the iglidur materials. They are not indispensable for the bearings' function, but have a supporting effect. Since they are embedded in the tiny chambers, they cannot be forced out.

Thanks to self-lubrication, maintenance can be reduced to a minimum wherever iglidur materials are used. The incorporated solid lubricants make regular relubrication unnecessary, and dirt or dust cannot stick to the bearing.
Base polymer with fibres and solid lubricants, magnified 200 times, dyed Base polymer with fibres and solid lubricants, magnified 200 times, dyed
Test in the test lab and igus online tool

Predictable service life

iglidur® materials have been tested thousands of times under realistic conditions and have proven their worth millions of times in many different applications. The data obtained from the tests flows into the free igus online tool, with which the service life can be exactly predicted, e.g. for plain bearings, bar stock and slewing ring bearings made of iglidur materials.
Online tools for service life prediction

Specifications of our iglidur materials

Surface Speed

Surface Speed

What is the maximum recommended surface speed for iglidur materials?
Surface speed of iglidur materials
Load and surface pressure

Load limits

Find out what load limits we recommend for our iglidur materials.
Load limits of iglidur materials
Coefficient of friction

Coefficient of friction

Depending on their material composition, our iglidur materials have different coefficients of friction.
Coefficient of friction of iglidur materials
Wear resistance

Wear resistance

Here you can find out what wear rates iglidur materials show under different influences.
Wear resistance of iglidur materials
Permitted temperatures

Permitted temperatures

The permissible temperatures for iglidur materials are often underestimated.
Permissible temperatures for iglidur materials
Tolerances

Assembly instructions

A list of things to consider when assembling iglidur plain bearings.
This must be taken into account during assembly

Wear test: how does iglidur perform compared to other plastics?

Test parameters:

  • Rotation
  • Speed v = 0.3m/s
  • Load p = 1N/mm²
  • Shaft material: V2A
The result shows that the different base polymers achieve very different lifetimes. iglidur® achieves a comparatively high value as a compound based on one of the base polymers also tested.
iglidur wear compared with other plastics
Comparison of plain bearings

iglidur plain bearings compared to metal, sintered and needle bearings

Find out how iglidur plain bearings compare to metal, sintered and needle bearings, and learn about their advantages and disadvantages.
Comparison of different types of plain bearings

Contact us now for a consultation

Personal consultation with igus salesperson Our employees are happy to advise you via phone, e-mail or in a personal meeting. Simply choose your preferred means of contact.

Sample box - iglidur plain bearings

iglidur improves sample box The sample box contains 39 plain bearings made of different materials. With the included templates, you can find the suitable material without problems.
Order now for free!

All materials in detail

Test tube with granules You can find details on the different material categories and their properties in our material overview.
Go to the materials overview