Igus is showing numerous new products at the 2010 Advanced Manufacturing exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham, from 27-28 April 2010. The company, which launches around 80 new products every year, is highlighting new and recently introduced products across several of its ranges.
For example, new belt-driven slides include an opposed belt drive with a pair of carriages that travel in opposite directions along either side of a shared support, and a unit that is designed for immersion in water. Whereas conventional units have a fixed support and a moving carriage that is belt-driven from one end of the support, a new variant is driven from a fixed assembly mounted in place of the usual carriage so that it is the support that moves.
Igus is now offering its Turn-to-Fit option on virtually all of its linear systems. This elegantly simple yet highly effective feature enables the bearing fit to be adjusted - using a standard allen key - to give the desired level of bearing clearance/stiffness. As the allen key is turned, reassuring 'clicks' can be felt.
Another new product on show is a range of piston rings moulded from the company's iglidur material. These are said to be more cost-effective than conventional alternatives, plus they offer the benefits associated with iglidur, such as self-lubrication, low friction and long life. Igus has a range of standard sizes, though most customers are likely to order bespoke sizes.
When Igus first introduced slewing rings with bearing pads made from its iglidur J material, these generated a great deal of interest. Now the company is launching a simplified design that is lighter and more compact.
Igus is finding customers are demanding lighter energy chains that operate more quietly, at higher speeds and with less vibration. In response, the company is making numerous enhancements and additions to its ranges of energy chains. Another trend is towards greater use of smaller multi-axis robots. For this market, Igus is introducing a smaller version of its Triflex tubular energy chain. At the same time, some customers have required larger sizes of Triflex, so Igus has launched new products at this end of the range as well.
Importantly, Igus is introducing a range of cables designed specifically for multi-axis robotics and similar applications where the cables are twisted as well as flexed. Conventional cables and even those designed for use in energy chains do not perform well when twisted. Igus has therefore developed a completely new way of bundling and protecting cables so that they can be reliably twisted through +/-180 degrees over a 1m length - for millions of cycles.
For around 15 years Igus has offered its UK customers an on-site installation service. This is now being promoted more actively, as companies are seeking to outsource more of their manufacturing and maintenance tasks.
Visit the Igus website for more information about all of its products and services.