Igus

Igus^® is on a mission to disrupt the manufacturing space with its proprietary motion plastics. Its functionally advanced polymer components and assemblies are long-lasting and self-lubricating in nature, designed to improve the operations of industrial machinery and equipment. The tribologically-optimized motion plastics are tested and proven to enable dry-running and maintenance-free operation, which makes them ideal for mechanical gears.

In a market replete with expensive engineered plastics, igus’ innovative motion plastics emerge as a game-changer, focusing on maximizing a machine’s flexibility for increased functionality. They make machine changeover processes efficient and allow for format adjustments in an affordable way.

“At igus we believe, we can improve what moves with our motion plastics. We are one of the very few companies that walk the extra mile to understand how polymers behave in industrial applications,” says John Nebbia, packaging industry manager at igus.

igus’ has four main product lines––e-chain^® cable carrier systems, chainflex^® continuous-flex cables, iglide^® self-lubricating bearings, and drylin^® linear bearings and guides. All its custom parts, such as gears, lead screw nuts, and bushings, use high-performance, reinforced polymers that make them ideal for high forces and edge loads.

It also offers a wide range of services, including 3D printing services (SLS &FDM) to deliver exceptional wear-resistant parts, subtractive manufacturing services to produce prototypes, and injection-molded technology for customized components with long service life.

igus follows a step-by-step methodology to provide services to its clients. Its sales experts visit clients’ facilities and ask relevant questions to gain deeper insights into their applications and operations. igus uses its online resources and calculation tools to inform clients about the lifespan of their machinery, predict and plan maintenance, and quickly make the right product recommendations per their applications.

With an inventory of over 28000 products in its Rhode Island facility, it ships and delivers orders quickly. Backed by a factory-trained sales team, igus ensures that 97 percent of its orders are shipped within 24 hours. Its sales engineers are available in every major metropolitan area across North America, serving as local support for customers and vendors to address their concerns.

“What differentiates us is our ability to provide elite customer service. Delivering our products and services with short lead times, we have positioned ourselves as the easiest company to work with in the industry,” says Nebbia.

igus’ components are used in a range of industries, including food and beverages packaging, automotive manufacturing, aerospace, and offshore equipment. In one instance, igus helped a beer canning company that was facing issues with one of their conveyor belts due to the misalignment of guard rails. Manually unscrewing different parts of the belt and aligning them for properly carrying beer cans was time-consuming and tedious. igus’ technical sales team analyzed the problem, gathered the information on the application, and informed the number of gear modules needed and how to integrate them into their system.

The team provided the client with its Apiro^® modular robotic gearbox system and synchronized the rack and pinion style elements to precisely control the width of the conveyor lanes. This low-cost automation solution helped the client ensure complete control over the conveyor guide rails, allowing for the safe and precise movement of cans.

Crafting numerous customer success stories, igus continues to carve a niche in the marketplace and establish a strong reputation with its robust motion plastics.