Igus Inc. has added domestic standard sizes to its maintenance-free, lubricant-free resin linear bushings from the "Drylin R" series and has begun domestic sales. These sizes correspond to those commonly used in Japanese design environments, allowing for smoother design adaptations and part replacements compared to conventional European standard products. With the introduction of new sizes, there is no longer a need to design around sizes for domestic applications, making it easier to introduce Drylin R as a substitute for existing standard parts. This is particularly relevant for environments that require dust resistance, water resistance, and chemical resistance, addressing the need to replace traditional metal bearings. We will continue to create products that balance global quality with local responsiveness, supporting the manufacturing needs of our Japanese customers. ■ What is Drylin R? Drylin R is a linear bushing that performs linear motion along a shaft, using high-performance resin materials with self-lubricating properties. Its ball-less structure achieves low noise, maintenance-free operation, and high durability.

Igus Inc. has added a product lifespan prediction calculation tool feature to its online 3D printing service. With this service, users can consider products at a total cost predicted for their lifespan, allowing for a more appropriate selection of resin materials. The lifespan prediction is based on data from test results conducted at our research facility, which spans 3,800 square meters. Using 450 testing devices, we conduct 11,000 wear tests annually, and the test results indicate that 3D printed parts made with iglidur can have a lifespan up to 50 times longer compared to those made with other 3D printing materials. We offer over 50 types of iglidur materials for injection molding, in addition to four types of laser sintering materials and ten types of tribo-filaments, as well as the new iglidur i3000 resin for 3D printing, to customers in various industries. Please feel free to contact us if you have any requests.

igus Inc. will be exhibiting at the "26th Japan Manufacturing World Machine Element Technology Exhibition M-Tech Kansai" held at Intex Osaka. We will showcase our new products announced in May for the first time in Japan, as well as a wide range of our main products, including cable protection tubes, movable cables, high-performance polymer plain bearings, linear guides, predictive maintenance systems, and factory automation robots, all utilizing highly durable engineering plastics. We sincerely look forward to your visit.

A new product has been added to the energy chain of igus Inc. (Sumida-ku, Tokyo). The E4Q series is a globally proven energy chain that accommodates long strokes with a free span running specification and is suitable for high storage weight applications. The new E4Q.64L series has now been added as a new series. When the size of the E4Q is too large, using the E4Q.64L allows for a size reduction, which can reduce costs by up to 20%.

Igus Inc. will sponsor the Student Formula Japan Competition 2023, which will be held from Monday, August 21, and will have a booth at the event venue. This competition is an event where students compete in their overall manufacturing capabilities with racing cars that they have conceived, designed, and built themselves. As a sponsor, Igus will not only have a booth in the exhibition space at the event venue but will also support the competition by providing parts free of charge to approximately 30 student teams. At the exhibition booth, you can see various engineering plastic functional components used by major automobile manufacturers around the world, including German cars. Igus will have its booth from Thursday, August 31, to Saturday, September 2.

Igus Inc. has added two new materials for the Ksiros A500 radial deep groove ball bearings: zirconium oxide ceramic balls and Ksiros Dur F500 cage material. This allows us to offer customers even more options for lubrication-free ball bearings designed for high-temperature environments. In the chemical and semiconductor industries, mechanical components like ball bearings are frequently replaced, and there is always a risk of system downtime.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) showcased components made from recycled materials and recyclable parts for bicycle manufacturers at the Eurobike 2023 exhibition held in Frankfurt, Germany, in June. Last year, Igus announced the fully plastic bicycle "igus:bike," and at Eurobike 2023, they added a product line made of high-performance plastics for bicycle manufacturers. Specifically, there are products such as frames and cranksets, and regarding handlebars, mass production is set to begin soon, with plans for them to be adopted by Advanced's bicycle, Reco.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has developed the iglidur TX3 sliding bearing for high loads, featuring a braided structure. Composed of high-strength fiber-reinforced resin, it can be used under harsh conditions with loads exceeding 80 MPa, where stability is difficult to achieve with thermoplastic materials. It has particularly high performance within the same series and is suitable for demanding operating environments. Additionally, the solid lubricant incorporated into the bearing's sliding surface enables operation without lubrication, achieving a high coefficient of friction.

Our company has developed a "Machine Heat Recovery System (MHRS)" that utilizes the heat from cooling water used in injection molding machines for heating industrial factories. To make this technology, which achieves savings on gas costs and reductions in CO2 emissions, accessible to everyone, we provide detailed information online for free. This groundbreaking technology enables cost reduction and contributes to environmental protection. Our product directs heated cooling water flowing through the cooling circuit directly to a fan heater, depending on heating requirements. At the same time, it prevents overheating of the machinery. Additionally, since heat is extracted while passing through the fan heater, the cooling demand at the cooling tower decreases, resulting in reduced power needed for cooling.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) announced 190 products and digital services in its new proposals for 2023. In digital services, it is developing innovative services utilizing technologies such as the metaverse, augmented reality, and AI. It provides tools and services that make it easy to select suitable motion plastics that help reduce costs and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality and reducing plastic waste.

Igus has developed the energy chain damage detection system "i.Sense EC.B" equipped with a new resin wire sensor. This system monitors the condition of energy chains longer than 35 meters, which previously required two sensors, using just one sensor. It ensures safe cable guidance even in harsh outdoor applications with large cranes and long strokes. Real-time condition data is collected across the entire running unit, helping to avoid unexpected machine stoppages and costs.

Igus has developed the new 'PRT-04 Micro' in the lightweight and compact iglide® rotary table bearing PRT-04 series. While maintaining excellent performance for high loads, this product achieves further weight reduction and space-saving. The combination of aluminum rings and high-performance polymer sliding components ensures excellent wear coefficients and a long service life. It can be used without lubrication, making it unaffected by external environments such as dirt and moisture. Materials can be selected in other types according to customer requirements.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has developed a compact version of its cable shipping and storage solution called the "Chainflex Case S." This new case achieves a 50% reduction in space compared to the conventional Chainflex Case M, making it ideal for thin cables. The compact design makes transportation and storage even easier, while also reducing costs. Cables can be pulled directly from the case for use, making it easy to carry on-site.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has demonstrated the very high wear resistance and reliability of its energy supply system for clean rooms, the e-skin flat series, through its own testing. In manufacturing processes such as displays and semiconductors, even small particles that are not visible to the naked eye can have a serious impact on electronic components. Therefore, it is crucial to establish an environment that meets the highest standards of clean rooms, and all system components must meet strict requirements. We have developed the e-skin flat, a high-performance plastic cable guide system with excellent wear resistance, to comply with the stringent Class 1 clean room standards as defined by ISO 14644-1 (which allows no more than 10 particles of 0.1μm in 1m3 of air). After continuous use for about a year and a half, with 60 million cycles of back-and-forth movement, it was confirmed that the system maintained the highest level of clean room cleanliness, ISO Class 1, after operating for over 100 minutes in a clean room testing facility.

Igus has incorporated new gamification methods and features into the configuration tool for orthogonal robots (gantry robots), further enhancing usability. With this online configurator, revamped using the game engine "Unity," it is possible to easily and intuitively configure low-cost custom gantries. All gantry systems utilize Igus's unique self-lubricating polymer, ensuring maintenance-free and clean operation.

igus Inc. has established a "Low-Cost Automation Center (LCA)" at its Tokyo headquarters. This center provides a space for companies looking to advance automation at low costs to see robots in action and view samples of robot components. Four types of actual machines are on display: "Delta Robot" (parallel link robot), "Gantry" (Cartesian robot), "RoboLink" (articulated robot arm), and "DryLin 7th Axis" (the 7th axis drive for robots), allowing visitors to confirm their actual operation. Additionally, samples of dry gears and linear actuators can also be handled and examined. For more details, please refer to the related materials below.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has developed a drylin T miniature guide carriage using the new material iglidur E3 for the sliding part. This sliding part, which excels in friction and wear characteristics, has improved the friction coefficient by 40%, and the design standard's 2:1 rule has been expanded to 3:1, achieving an increase in design flexibility for linear guides. It is available in three sizes (widths of 20mm, 27mm, and 32mm) and can be used in applications ranging from pharmaceutical research equipment to jig manufacturing.

The igus modular robotic arm "RoboLink" has won the Automation System Division Award at the "indexPro Award 2022" hosted by Index Pro Co., Ltd. This product is a lightweight multi-joint robotic arm equipped with joints optimized for friction characteristics using our high-performance resin. It has a maximum of 5 degrees of freedom, a maximum range of motion of 790mm, and a maximum payload of 3kg. It can be used as an assembled product, and you can also choose whether to include encoders and control systems according to your application. It is a solution that achieves maintenance-free operation and long lifespan for applications such as palletizing, pick and place, and testing equipment. For more details, please refer to the related materials below.

igus Inc. will be exhibiting at 'SEMICON JAPAN 2022' held at Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Center). This exhibition is an international event that covers manufacturing technologies, equipment, and materials in the semiconductor industry, as well as SMART applications such as vehicles and IoT devices. At our booth, we plan to showcase a large demonstration unit where you can see our products for clean rooms in action. You will be able to observe the smooth and quiet movement of products like the "Energy Chain e-skin flat" and "Energy Chain e-skin," which guide cables for the manufacturing of displays, semiconductors, and LCD/LED panels with low wear and reliability. We sincerely look forward to your visit.

Igus Inc. is calling for entries for the "Manus Award," a contest for case studies using igus plastic bearings. Now in its 11th edition, the Manus Award is a contest that recognizes innovative applications of plastic bearings in industrial uses. All igus bearing products, from series products to custom products, are eligible, and any entry with at least one prototype will be considered for judging. Awards will be given for outstanding cases in terms of technology and cost, as well as creativity, with gold, silver, and bronze Manus Awards. Additionally, a Green Manus Award will be presented for projects that excel in sustainability. The submission deadline is February 10, 2023. Winners will be honored at Hannover Messe 2023.

Igus Inc. (Sumida Ward, Tokyo) will be exhibiting at the "JIMTOF2022 31st Japan International Machine Tool Fair" held at Tokyo Big Sight. At this exhibition, we plan to showcase the plastic bicycle "igus:bike," which was announced in May of this year. We sincerely look forward to your visit.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has developed an easy-to-install carriage equipped with a clip mechanism. The new carriage allows for quick installation and removal on the rail, significantly reducing time and effort while accommodating limited spaces. Using high-performance polymer for the sliding parts ensures high precision and smooth operation, achieving a lubrication-free and maintenance-free usage.

Igus' German headquarters has acquired a majority stake in the innovative company Commonplace Robotics in the robotics industry to expand its low-cost automation business. By combining the company's intuitive software with igus' high-performance polymer movable parts, we will achieve simple solutions in automation. For more details, please refer to the related materials below.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has added stainless steel guide rollers for ESD protection to its lineup of lubrication-free and maintenance-free Kseries guide rollers. These serve as a cost-effective alternative to static electricity prevention brushes and expensive special designs. They can be installed immediately, with sizes available in an outer diameter of 30mm and shaft diameters of 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm. The length of the stainless steel tube can be specified in millimeters from 100 to 1000mm according to your desired length.

Igus has developed the "Drylin ZLW toothed belt driven linear actuator" using FDA-compliant materials and based on hygiene design guidelines. Thanks to its unique high-performance polymer technology, it achieves easy cleaning and is lubrication-free and maintenance-free. This significantly contributes to reducing downtime and costs, which are challenges in cleaning food machinery. The end support and carriage are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel, and the bearing part of the carriage that runs on the rail is made of iglidur A160, a high-performance polymer suitable for food contact, allowing for lubrication-free low-friction operation.

Igus Inc. will be exhibiting at the "31st Japan International Machine Tool Fair JIMTOF2022," held at the Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Center). ■ Highlights ■ "Do you want to reduce working time?" "Do you want to decrease the number of parts?" "Do you want to minimize wasted space?" ... Do you have such concerns around machine tools? Igus offers solutions to these issues with maintenance-free, long-lasting machine components. We will showcase a variety of products, including durable cable protection tubes and movable cables that can be safely used in moving and twisting parts, linear guides that operate with sliding motion without the need for lubricants, and predictive maintenance systems that forecast maintenance timing to prevent downtime. We will also introduce new proposed products announced this spring. Please be sure to stop by our booth. We sincerely look forward to your visit.

Igus Inc. will be exhibiting at the M-Tech Kansai Mechanical Components Technology Exhibition. This exhibition showcases mechanical components such as motors, bearings, screws, and springs, as well as processing technologies like cutting and pressing, and surface treatment. ■ Highlights ■ [For those struggling with maintenance, cost-cutting, and weight reduction of machinery and equipment!] ♦Maintenance-free♦Can be used without lubrication♦A wide range of long-lasting mechanical components will be on display. New proposal products from 2022 are also scheduled for their first domestic exhibition! We sincerely look forward to your visit.

Igus (headquartered in Germany) has added the medium load bearings 'Iglidur M210 and M260' to its lineup of sliding bearings. This high-performance polymer product is very easy to replace with thick metal bearings. It enables lubrication-free and maintenance-free bearing operation, significantly contributing to reducing working hours and costs under harsh operating conditions in construction and agricultural machinery.

Igus holds the Vector Award, which honors innovative use cases of energy chains, every two years. The 8th Vector Award in 2022 received 233 submissions from 36 countries around the world. After multiple selection processes, the following four cases were awarded the Vector Award. 【Awarded Cases】 ■ Vector Gold Award: HUNGEXPO Multipurpose Hall / Gepber Szinpad Ltd. (Hungary) ■ Vector Silver Award: Lighting System for Grass Cultivation at a Soccer Stadium / Rhenac GreenTec GmbH (Germany) ■ Vector Bronze Award: Energy Chain / Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. (India) ■ Green Vector Award: Economic Irrigation System / Dercks Gartenbau GmbH (Germany) For more details about the contest, the award ceremony, and the submitted cases, please refer to the attached materials and related links.

Igus has added four new materials to its lineup of round bars. Two of them, iglidur AC500, which is suitable for high-temperature environments, and iglidur A250, which is elastic, are aimed at the food industry. Iglidur H3 excels in chemical resistance, while iglidur E achieves a long service life when combined with aluminum shafts. With the expanded lineup, the material options for machining prototypes and special parts that are lubrication-free and maintenance-free have increased.