One-step loading and unloading of igus linear slides

Motion plastics specialist igus has launched a new linear slider with a snap-on design that can be easily loaded and unloaded in seconds.

Linear systems are ubiquitous in everyday life and are used in building technology, mechanical engineering, industrial handling systems, measuring and testing technology and camera technology. The principle is more or less the same: components such as control panels are mounted on sliders and moved on linear guides by means of guiding systems or rolling guides. However, dismantling the slider has always been a problem. Often tools are required and it is generally only possible to remove them from both ends of the guide, which is very cumbersome, and only if the installation space is large enough. For this reason, the tractor manufacturer wanted igus to offer an alternative. They asked that the new slider help the operator to move the touch display to the optimum viewing position; and that the slider could be easily and safely removed in one step after the work was completed. In addition, the new sliders were to be easily and safely stored, as well as protected against theft, moisture and cold. ‘To meet the needs of our users, we developed this easy-to-load linear slider carriage-to-go, which can be easily removed from any position on the linear guide without tools and in one step.’ Michael Hornung, product manager for drylin linear drive technology at igus, says, ‘This is a major innovation in the field of linear technology that saves a great deal of time and can open up completely new areas of application.’

The new drylin snap-on slider can be easily removed from the guideway in just one step. The whole operation is very simple and time-saving. (Source: igus GmbH)

Easy handling, fast loading and unloading

The new snap-on slider moves on the double rail with the help of four lubrication-free and maintenance-free high-performance engineering plastic plain bearings, which are very easy to load and unload. To remove the slider, the user simply pulls the lever at the bottom of the slider, after which the two bearings open by means of a spring mechanism and the user can then turn the slider to remove it from the rail. Installation of the slider is also very simple. Users simply place the slider on the upper section of the rail and snap it onto the lower section. ‘The whole operation is very simple and the mounting of the slider is therefore very reliable and easy.’ Hornung adds. An initial pilot run of the new product revealed a favourable response from customers, including users in the fields of camera systems and measurement and test technology. With the new slider, users can mount camera systems and evaluation devices on linear guides faster than ever before. The product is currently under development and is expected to be available in spring 2022.

The product range of the drylin W series has been further expanded

The new snap-on slider belongs to the drylin W series from igus. At present, the range includes more than 50 different types of linear guide slides, and even more if other design elements are taken into account. All these slides have in common the use of high-performance engineering plastics for the slide bearings, so that they are highly accurate and smooth-running, and because no lubricants are added, they can be cleaned quickly and thoroughly.