Record low cost and sustainability: igus' new slewing ring bearings

The igus iglidur PRT series has added a new ready-to-fit, low-cost slewing ring bearing made from high performance engineering plastics recycled granules.

The igus iglidur PRT slewing ring bearing series now features a new economical slewing ring bearing with a minimalist design - PRT-05-15-PC, which is cost-effective, compact, lightweight and ready-to-assemble. This new bearing is not only affordable, but also very environmentally friendly. It is made from recycled pellets of high-performance engineering plastics with a content of up to 97 per cent.

From packaging machines to assembly lines to operating tables, slewing ring bearings are used in a wide variety of motion applications that rotate around a fixed axis. However, ordinary slewing ring bearings are often too large and expensive for the low load bearing points commonly found in equipment such as furniture or displays. As a result, metal ball bearings are often used in such applications. The problem, however, is that ball bearings typically take up a lot of mounting space and are more complicated to assemble because they often require a fit. In addition, they require frequent maintenance, as such bearings need to be continuously lubricated to ensure proper operation at all times." To avoid these problems, igus decided to develop a new ready-to-fit, low-cost slewing ring bearing product." Marc Trenkler, Product Manager for igus iglidur PRT, said, "Because until now it was almost difficult to find easy-to-mount and relatively inexpensive slewing ring bearings on the market.

Minimalist design makes the new bearings small in mounting space, light in weight and low in cost

The design of the new low-cost slewing ring bearing follows the principle of minimalism." Our goal was to develop a lightweight, compact and ready-to-use bearing, for which the bearing has as few components as possible." The PRT-05-15-PC consists of only an inner ring and an outer ring, which slide against each other and in which no balls are used. The bearing is manufactured using a low-cost injection moulding process, with the manufacturing material being 100% lightweight, high-performance engineering plastics, which are completely metal-free. It has a diameter of 100 mm, is only 10 mm high and weighs 72 grams. Thanks to this minimalist design, the new low-cost slewing ring is not only compact and lightweight, it is also very easy to install." All that is required is to assemble the inner and outer rings together using a clamp bearing. And as a result, the cost of the bearing is very low." Trenkler said.

The new low-cost slewing ring bearing is made from recycled pellets containing up to 97 per cent recycled plastic

The PRT-05-15-PC is not only affordable, it is also very environmentally friendly. It is made from recycled pellets of high-performance engineering plastics iglidur M260 and iglidur P4 with a content of up to 97 per cent. These materials are obtained from recycled plastics (e.g. from the production of sprues) after reprocessing. In this way, valuable waste plastics are saved and re-entered into the sustainable circular economy instead of being incinerated directly. igus high-performance engineering plastics incorporate a large number of solid lubricant particles, which are released during operation, allowing parts to run low-friction dry without external lubrication and contributing to environmental protection, which is a major advantage. Every year, millions of tonnes of lubricants are released into the environment worldwide, causing serious pollution. In addition to these advantages, the new PRT bearings are extremely durable and are particularly suitable for outdoor use. Moreover, these engineering plastic bearings are also less prone to corrosion and resistant to contamination by grease and dirt. As a result, they do not have to be replaced as often." To a certain extent, the PRT-05-15-PC bearings also contribute to the EU's sustainability strategy." Trenkler said. The strategy calls for Europe to achieve economic development while planning to be the first in the world to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.