Tech up and cost down – with igus high-performance plastics
We set high standards for ourselves and our products: Improve what moves! Bearing technology, energy supply systems, Low Cost Automation, 3D printing, and smart plastics all have one thing in common: their purpose is to improve technology and reduce costs. Ideally, we can achieve both: Tech up, cost down! To this end, we offer high-performance motion plastics that give you the following advantages:
- Long service life
- No additional lubrication necessary
- Up to 70% lighter than metal products
- Resistant to dirt, chemicals, corrosion, heat, and cold
All motion plastics can be found here
You can rely on our plastic products! We ensure that you can calculate the service life of your part inadvance. Where do we get the data? From our test laboratory, the only one of its kind in the industry, with a floor size of 3,800m² and over 15,000 annual tests. And from our customers, whose requirements and feedback give us valuable development information. In addition, a growing number of our products are available as smart plastics whose material condition can be monitored and any replacement reported in good time.
Bearing and linear technology: lubrication-free and durable
Our materials and bearing and linear technology designs are diverse: From plain, spherical, and ball bearings to slewing rings to gears to linear guides and linear axes, all of which can, for instance, be food grade, high load, or resistant to high temperature, chemicals, and UV. The core of our developments is friction optimisation. All material mixtures are optimised with filler and solid lubricants for low coefficients of friction, no external lubrication necessary. No lubrication intervals or maintenance interruptions. Our technology runs trouble-free for as long as conditions allow. And since our materials are tailored to many conditions, that can be a very long time compared to other materials.
Bearing technology from igus is
- Lubrication-free ✔
- Corrosion-free ✔
- Lightweight ✔
- Easily configured and ordered ✔
Bearing technology from igus can
- reduce costs by up to 89.5% ✔
- Be a technical improvement ✔
- Service life calculation ✔
- Individually projected ✔
Energy supply: reliable chain-cable combination
The best bearing technology cannot show its added value if the machine cannot run because it cannot get any energy. Data, power, and media cables are neuralgic points of a machine where the cause of a failure can often be found. Our energy chains, movement-optimised chainflex cables, and ready-to-connect readycables have been developed to prevent failures and allow long service life. They are available as individual components or complete ready-to-install energy supply systems.
Energy supply systems from igus® are...
- Easily installed ✔
- Space-saving installation ✔
- Quiet operation ✔
- Quickly retrofitted with individual cables ✔
- Robust in wind, weather, dirt and chemicals ✔
Energy supply systems from igus® can...
- reduce purchasing cost by up to 64.7% ✔
- reduce installation time by up to 88% ✔
- reduce weight by up to 48% ✔
- Guide energy, data, air and media in parallel ✔
- Service life calculation along with up to 48 months guarantee ✔
Low Cost Automation:
modular and low-cost
The idea behind our Low Cost Automation was to automate small and large applications in the service sector or large-scale industry as simply and with as little cost as possible. Articulated arm robots, delta robots for pick & place applications, and linear robots for flexible, modular deployment now allow entry into the automated factory concept. And our range of automation solutions continues to grow.
More about Low Cost Automation
3D printing: abrasion-resistant and durable
Print convincing 3D models quickly: To this end, we developed our own 3D print filaments made of abrasion-resistant plastics that last as much as 50 times as long as comparable products. We also support 3D printer design with compact, durable energy chains and linear plain bearing technology that requires no lubrication or maintenance. The design is complemented by our online 3D printing service.
More information about 3D printing
smart plastics: digitally networked
Adding sensors to products such as energy chains, cables, and bearing technology enhances system planning reliability. We call these intelligent products "smart plastics". With condition monitoring or predictive maintenance recommendations, these digitalised products prevent expensive application failures, saving time and money.
More about smart plastics
User reports on our products
Robust plain bearings for cultivators in agriculture
The "Karat 9" from Lemken GmbH und Co. KG in Alpen is an intensive cultivator that can be used to work shallow, medium deep and deep. In the bearing points, Lemken uses our lubrication-free plastic bearings, which require no subsequent lubrication.
Learn more about this application
Modular energy supply for multi-spindle lathes
This DMG Mori multi-spindle lathe's high rotational speeds and tight installation space meant that a guidance for the numerous moving cables was needed. A modular, easy-to-maintain energy chain made of plastic provides the necessary flexibility and safety in cable guidance.
Find out more about this application
Low Cost Automation with "pick and place" robotics for sustainable coffee
To produce sustainable coffee capsules made of wood, a drylin two-axis line robot is used with a D1 dryve control system. The reliable, affordable automated solution helps us fit up to 43 coffee capsules per minute with an exterior circumferential seal of natural rubber.
Find out more about this application
Maintenance-free grippers from the 3D printer
In order to screw on bottle caps in the packaging industry, maintenance-free plastic grippers were 3D-printed for a customer. The components made of igus filaments brought two advantages. Not only could a cost saving of 85% be achieved, but the special parts could also be delivered 70% faster than usual.
Learn more about this application
smart plastics avoid breakdowns in the automotive industry
This engine plant, belonging to a carmaker in Austria, uses intelligent sensors on the cable guidance system to prevent expensive plant downtime. During operation, the sensors record the wear and tear of the moving energy chains and give an alarm in good time as soon as repair or replacement is required.
Find out more about this application
More information about igus products
New products in 2023
You can find all new 2023 products and digital offers in our interactive catalogue. Discover all 217 new products now.To the interactive catalogue
Successfully in use
In more than 80 countries and more than 50 industries, motion plastics make our customers' everyday life easier and improve their applications.Go to Industry overview
Virtual IMPS trade show
Experience our products at our physical/virtual trade show stand – the igus motion plastics show (IMPS).Go to IMPS
Large test laboratory
Our products undergo more than 15,000 tests a year on 3,800m2 - in the largest test laboratory in the industry. Also your individual application.Go to test laboratory & start the tour
Online tools
Finding suitable products, configuring them, simulating them and making them intelligent, as well as calculating their service life.Go to online tools
Sustainability
During production, in use and at the end of their service life: How sustainable are our high-performance plastics?Find out more now
Certificates & approvals
igus is audited and certified every year. This is how we ensure that each of our products meets our high quality standards.To the certifications
Shipping & delivery times
243,000 products from stock, ready to ship within 24 hours. Order with no minimum order quantity and without minimum order value.More about delivery times
Awards for our products
iF Design Award 2023
iF International Forum Design GmbH sometimes presents the well-known iF Design Award for industrial design. Since 1987, numerous of our products have received awards. In 2023, for example, our drive-chain and our e-tract cable retraction system were awarded.
More award-winning designs of our products
2023 German Design Award
To recognize pioneering architecture, campaigns, and designs, the Rat für Formgebung Service GmbH has launched the German Design Award. Participants are evaluated in one of three disciplines, not only within Germany, but also at an international level. In 2023, our igus:bike received the renowned award in the "Excellent Product Design - Bicycles and E-Bikes" category.
More award-winning designs of our products
Good Design Award 2022
The Good Design Award has been used to honour contemporary designs and innovations for 70 years. Its purpose is to recognise products and industry leaders in design and manufacturing. In 2022 we were awarded for the igus:bike, in previous years for example for our virtual-real booth IMPS and various products.
More award-winning designs of our products
2019 Red Dot Design Award
At the Red Dot Design Awards each year, products are assessed on a test rig in the three disciplines of "Product Design", "Brands & Communication Design", and "Design Concept". The panel of judges use an extensive list of criteria including functionality, degree of innovation, and product effect to determine the winners. Our ReBel articulated arm robot was one of the products to receive the prestigious prize in 2019.
More award-winning designs of our products
manus award
For exceptional plastic bearing applications
vector award
For unique energy chain projectsTo the vector award
ROIBOT award
For clever automation solutionsTo the ROIBOT award
Augmentations for our products
Platforms
- chainge recycling platform for the industrial plastics circular economy
- igus:bike platform for sustainable urban mobility
- kopla fully managed service platform for online configurators
- RBTX platform, the low-cost robotics marketplace
Augmented realities
- iguverse: the igus industrial metaverse in the virtual world
- Augmented reality for a faster construction process
Apps
- Revolutionary igusGO app: Use the AI product search to identify optimisation potential
- App for spare part recognition
THE advantage of our motion plastics: long service life - tested and predictable!
Find out more about our products on this page now
motion plastics product samples
Would you like to experience our products up close, hold them in your hands and literally "grasp" them? We offer you various samples for exactly this purpose, such as the huge motion plastics sample box, a customised sample box and many other product samples.
To the product samples
Catalogues for our motion plastics products
New products 2024
You can find all 247 new products and extensions in our new products journal, as an interactive catalogue or as a PDF.Download new products journal
Product catalogues
Compact catalogues for each of our product areas, including the most important information and a wide range of application examples.To the product catalogues
Everything at a glance
The most important facts and services about igus and our motion plastics products in a compact overview.To the motion plastics brochure
