Posted to News on 27th Jan 2022, 08:57
Covering all angles with new igus bevel gears
High-performance plastics hailed as cost-effective and maintenance-free alternative
Bevel gears made of high-performance plastics iguform S270 and igutek P360 are a cost-effective and maintenance-free alternative to metallic gears, states igus.
“Bevel gears transfer drive forces at a 90° angle. igus has now developed bevel gears made of two abrasion-resistant and durable high-performance plastics, especially suitable for simple applications. The gears are lightweight and cost-effective, and completely free of external lubrication, reducing maintenance time and costs.”
Driving force
Gears are used as drive elements in a huge range of applications, from actuators to e-bikes to locking systems. When forces need to be transmitted around the corner, bevel gears are often used. Bevel gears have many industrial applications: they help adopt format adjustments in the food industry at a 90° angle, reject parcels in logistics and make assembly lines more flexible and quickly adaptable in the automotive industry.
igus has developed bevel gears made of two high-performance plastics especially for use with low and medium loads. "With iguform S270 and igutek P360, we have two materials that have already proven themselves in the gear market and are now also available as bevel gears," says Robert Day, gear specialist at igus UK. iguform S270 is characterised by a low coefficient of friction and low moisture absorption.
Alternatively, bevel gears made of igutek P360 have very high wear resistance and toughness, which makes the drive elements shock resistant. Bevel gears made of these tribologically optimised plastics are popular with users, because they are inexpensive, lightweight and, unlike metallic bevel gears, do not require external lubricants. This reduces maintenance intervals on machines and systems, and increases hygiene and cleanliness.
Series-produced customised special parts, in-house
"With the help of simulation tools and data from our in-house 3,800m² test laboratory, we can advise customers individually and help them choose the right material and the right gear geometry, from prototypes to series production," adds Day.
All bevel gears are available in six gear ratios, plus seven modules for power transmission. If the standard dimensions do not fit, igus can custom-make almost any motion plastic product variant, it adds, with over 800 injection moulding machines and its own tool shop in Cologne.
"With the help of our new master-forming system for gears, we can produce customer-specific special parts cost effectively as a series within a few weeks," Day explains.
