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SG(EN)
Individual 3D printed plain bearings

No machine failure: wear-resistant polymers with predictable service life


► Tested: Up to 50 times more wear-resistant than commonly used 3D printing materials
► No machine downtime: Predictable service life
► Fast manufacture: Ready to ship in 1 to 3 days
► No minimum order quantity and no tool costs: Efficient ordering and shipping for up to 10,000 pieces

Free CAD configurator for plain bearings

3D-printed plain bearing CAD configurator

Design guide for the 3D printing service

Design guide for polymer plain bearings

Service life calculator for plain bearings

Calculate service life of 3D printed bushings

Customer application examples

3D printed plain bearings in use


3D-printed plain bearings under testing: up to 50 times the abrasion-resistance of ordinary plastic

Wear test: pivoting

3D-printed bushings in a wear test

Test parameters:

  • Surface pressure: 20MPa
  • Surface speed: 0.01m/s
  • Pivoting angle 60°
  • Duration: 4 weeks
Shaft materials: 304 SS
Long service life for 3D printed bearings, plain bearings, pivoting

      Y-axis: Service life [h]

     X-axis: Materials under test

     1. PA12 (SLS 3D printing)
     2. PA12 + glass balls (SLS 3D printing)
     3. iglidur I3 (SLS 3D printing)
         ► Up to ten times the service life
     4. iglidur W300 (injection moulding)
     
     
     
3D-printed bushings, plain bearings, wear test Test result:
In the pivot wear test, the tribological properties of plain bearings made of iglidur 3D printing plastics lead to up  to  50 times the abrasion resistance of bearings made of standard 3D printing materials and to values comparable to injection moulded bearings. 

Short linear stroke: 3D printed plain bearings, as wear-resistant as injection-moulded parts

Wear test for 3D printed plain bearings

Test parameters:

  • Surface pressure: 1MPa
  • Surface speed: 0.3m/s 
  • Stroke: 5mm
  • Duration: one week
Shaft materials:
■ CF53/1.1213: hardened steel
■ V2A/1.4301: stainless steel
Linear wear test for 3D printed plain bearings      Y-axis: wear rate [μm/km]

     
X-axis: materials under testing

     1. ABS (FDM 3D printing)
     2. iglidur J260 (FDM 3D printing)
     3. iglidur J260 (injection moulding)
3D printed plain bearings and short linear stroke Test result:
plain bearings made of the wear-resistant polymer iglidur J260 have similar good wear rates, irrespective of the manufacturing method. In the test, injection-moulded plain bearings and 3D printed plain bearings were tested with the same load and surface speed. 
In addition, this test shows that, with our iglidur 3D printing materials , coefficient of friction and abrasive wear are a lot lower  than with standard ABS materials thanks to tribological properties.

3D printed plain bearings: as long-lasting and robust as injection-moulded bearings, also in the pivoting/heavy-duty test

3D printed bushing in the pivoting/heavy-duty test

Test parameter:

  • Surface pressure: 10, 20 and 45MPa
  • Surface speed: 0.01m/s
  • Pivoting angle: 60°
  • Duration: 1 week
3D printed bearing under heavy-duty testing      Y-axis: wear rate [μm/km]

     X-axis: materials under testing

     1. iglidur I3 (SLS 3D printing)
     2. iglidur I180 (FDM 3D printing)
     3. iglidur G (injection moulding)
     4. iglidur W300 (injection moulding)
Plastic bushings from the 3D printer in the heavy-duty test Test result:
this heavy duty test shows that 3D printed plain bearings (produced with the SLS printing method) can withstand loads of up to 45 MPa surface pressure. Abrasive wear and  tribological properties are just as good as those of plain bearings made with the injection-moulding method. Plain bearings with a diameter and length of 20mm were tested, i.e. the 3D printed plain bearing was loaded with 1,800kg. The test results show that plain bearings made of wear-resistant iglidur polymers are also suitable for heavy-duty applications.  

2 times better coefficient of friction than PA12

Laser sintering, plain bearings, test of coefficient of friction

Test parameters:

  • Surface pressure: 1MPa
  • Surface speed: 0.1m/s
Shaft material: Cf53
3D printed bushing, low coefficient of friction      Y = coefficient of friction [-]
     X = operating time [h]


     1. PA12 (SLS 3D printing)
     2. iglidur I3 (SLS 3D printing)
 
3D printed plastic bushing with low friction Test result:
The tribological properties of iglidur I3 are twice as good in the test as those of the standard PA12 SLS plastic. This is because iglidur materials contain solid lubricants, which lower the coefficients of friction and significantly extend component service life. Plastics with low friction are especially useful when motors are to be designed, for example, since the drive forces needed are only half as high because friction is fifty per cent lower.

Polymer gear wear tests

3D printing wear tests

iglidur polymers are more wear-resistant than PLA, ABS and other materials and manufacturing processes
Information about 3D printing at igus

Why 3D printing at igus?

Further information about
  • our materials
  • additive processes
  • Services and support
igus 3D printing news

3D printing news

Innovations in the field of industrial 3D printing. New products and services for additive manufacturing with wear-resistant polymers.

Consulting

I look forward to answering your questions

Photo
Zhao Ming Luo

Product Manager

Write e-mail

Shipping and consultation

In person:

Monday to Friday from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.

Online:

24h


The terms "igus", "Apiro", "chainflex", "CFRIP", "conprotect", "CTD", "drylin", "dry-tech", "dryspin", "easy chain", "e-chain", "e-chain systems", "e-ketten", "e-kettensysteme", "e-skin", "e-spool", "flizz", "ibow", "igear", "iglidur", "igubal", "igutex", "kineKIT", "manus", "motion plastics", "pikchain", "readychain", "readycable", "ReBeL", "speedigus", "triflex", "robolink", "xirodur", and "xiros" are legally protected trademarks of the igus® GmbH/ Cologne in the Federal Republic of Germany and where applicable in some foreign countries.

igus® GmbH points out that it does not sell any products of the companies Allen Bradley, B&R, Baumüller, Beckhoff, Lahr, Control Techniques, Danaher Motion, ELAU, FAGOR, FANUC, Festo, Heidenhain, Jetter, Lenze, LinMot, LTi DRiVES, Mitsubishi, NUM,Parker, Bosch Rexroth, SEW, Siemens, Stöber and all other drive manufacturers mention on this website. The products offered by igus® are those of igus® GmbH