Go Zero Lubrication: The Clean Revolution in Industry with Frictionless Plastics

Lubricants are as integral to industrial operations as morning coffee, with an annual global expenditure of $240 billion. Additionally, studies show significantly higher maintenance personnel costs. Despite this, inadequate lubrication leads to $750 billion in machinery downtime annually. igus now leverages 60 years of motion plastics expertise, along with vast data from tests and applications, in an AI that guides users to frictionless movements in their facilities. From excavators to water turbines, solutions are already in place and proven. A study from RWTH Aachen underscores the urgency of the issue. At Hannover Messe 2024, the plastics specialist presents 247 new products, demonstrating how anyone can achieve “Zero Lubrication.”

While a lubrication-free world isn’t typically discussed among key innovations of the future, a RWTH Aachen study provides evidence of the positive impact of frictionless plastics on the economic and environmental sustainability of businesses. An example from a globally recognized beer bottler in the study reveals that implementing lubrication-free polymer bearings across all conveyor belts at its 160 sites could save the company six million euros annually in lubricant and personnel costs, while also reducing CO2 emissions by 28,814 kg annually. At Hannover Messe 2024, igus showcases hundreds of proven applications that run completely without lubrication for as long as the machines are designed to operate—and often even longer. Continuous product innovations expand industry possibilities, whether in linear guides, rollers, gears, or transmissions.

AI Powers the Clean Revolution

“igus, make my excavator lubrication-free!” The igusGO app prototype, first unveiled last year, now achieves this in its new version. Users can access proven solutions across various areas in their excavators and 600 other applications via voice, photo, or text. If they can’t find their application, they can request it via AI chat in the app, receiving a guaranteed response. The AI draws on data from millions of igus product applications over decades, providing functions to calculate product lifespan based on hundreds of thousands of lab test results, making igus the largest of its kind worldwide. “It’s overwhelming to see the role the AI plays now,” says Tobias Vogel, Managing Director of Bearings and Linear Technology at igus. “Suddenly, we can turn all the ‘Zero Lubrication’ evidence from the past decades into a secure and easy tool for everyone in the industry.” Also new to the igusGO app is the lubricant savings calculation, provided when selecting a bearing or gear, for instance. Another new feature is the AI service “Next Best Catalogue Part.” If a customer uploads a custom bearing, say for a lubrication-free installation in a bicycle, as a CAD file, the AI automatically suggests the catalogue part closest to the custom part. By using the catalogue part, the customer not only saves costs but also benefits from quick delivery times. To enhance functional safety, igus now extends its 4-year warranty for chainflex cables to all other motion plastics products, supported by online lifetime calculations.

247 Innovations for Zero Lubrication

igus is introducing 247 innovations at Hannover Messe 2024, many aligned with the theme “Go Zero Lubrication.” It offers high-load bearings for construction machinery, cranes, or agricultural machinery in three additional product lines, all tested and proven in practice. One of these is based on recycled igus plastics from production waste. PTFE- and PFAS-free materials for bearings and linear bearings, as well as a new turntable bearing made of 50% wood and 50% high-performance plastic, are crucial elements for genuine sustainability. New split igubal flange bearings reduce the replacement time of lubricated ball bearings, for example in conveyor belts, by up to 80%. New 3D printing materials and sliding foils combine lubrication-free operation with explosion protection (“ESD capability”). Similarly, a new series of linear systems in Hygienic Design combines food suitability with “Zero Lubrication.” For intelligent condition monitoring, a wear sensor for spherical bearings now complements the existing smart plastics solutions for bearing technology. As a final example of innovations, a completely new Evoloid gear unit is showcased. Operating with an 18:1 ratio in a single stage for electric drives, it requires less space, costs 70% less than metallic variants, and uses no greases or oils. “We look forward to engaging with users at Hannover Messe, where they can experience and try out everything firsthand,” says Tobias Vogel. “We’re confident that we can already avoid at least 10% of global lubrication costs today. And the ‘Zero Lubrication’ journey continues—we have much more in development.”

For more information, please visit: https://presse.igus.de