High-performance plastic machine elements for motion applications: energy chains, plain bearings, linear technology and 3D-printed wear parts.
igus GmbH
CologneNew on Amplifa
About igus
igus GmbH, headquartered in Cologne, develops and produces machine elements for motion applications made from high-performance plastics (motion plastics). The portfolio includes energy chains and cable carriers, highly flexible cables, plain bearings, linear technology, lead screw technology and additively manufactured wear parts made from lubrication-free tribo materials such as iglidur. Production methods include injection molding, 3D printing (DLP, SLS, FDM/multi-material printing) and CNC machining of iglidur semi-finished products; in 2021, more than 200,000 abrasion-resistant parts were 3D printed in Cologne, in quantities from 1 to 10,000 units. For the electronics and semiconductor industry, igus offers ESD-certified systems, such as the ready-to-connect triflex TRE ESD cable carrier tested by Fraunhofer IPA and made from igumid ESD. Products are extensively tested in the company's own test laboratory and can be simulated and configured online. The family-owned company with around 3,800 employees is represented in 35 countries and serves customers from automation, robotics, the electrical industry and mechanical engineering.
- Site
- Cologne
- Processes
- Injection molding, Extrusion, 3D printing / DLP printing, SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), FDM printing / multi-material printing, CNC machining (turning and milling of plastic semi-finished products)
- Materials
- igumid ESD, iglidur i3000-PR, iglidur I8-ESD, iglidur I150, iglidur I180, TPE (THERMOLAST M), Polycarbonate (flame-retardant, SIMORAIL), Arboblend (bio-based material)
- Certificates
- Fraunhofer IPA testing (ESD), ISO 4-5 cleanroom (TRC ESD, optional)
- Industries
- Automation technology, Robotics, Electronics and semiconductor industry, Mechanical engineering, Battery component manufacturing, SME/Automated guided vehicles
- 01
Material development (tribo polymers)
- 02
Injection molding / 3D printing / CNC machining of semi-finished products
- 03
Assembly (readychain)
- 04
Testing in in-house test laboratory
- 05
Online configuration and shipping
Materials & Processes
igumid ESD
Electrically conductive high-performance plastic for ESD-certified energy chains such as triflex TRE ESD.
iglidur i3000-PR
Tribo resin for DLP 3D printing of small, precise wear parts with long service life.
iglidur I8-ESD
ESD-capable SLS powder with twice the abrasion resistance of sintered PA12.
iglidur I150
Tribo filament for multi-material printing of intelligent wear parts with sensor technology.
iglidur I180
Tribo filament for intelligent 3D-printed wear parts using the FDM process.
PA12 (sintered)
Standard sintering material used as a reference material in the SLS process.
Locations
Cologne
DEHeadquarters, production and 3D printing service
- Lot size
- Quantities from 1 to 10,000 (3D printing)
- Materials
- iglidur tribo polymers, igumid ESD
- DLP 3D printers (resolution 0.035 mm)
- SLS systems
- FDM/multi-material printers
- 3,800 m² test laboratory
Parts
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injection moldingPlastics | – | – | – | – | TPE |
| ExtrusionPlastics | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| 3D printing / DLP printingAdditive | Resolution 0.035 mm | – | – | Quantity 1 – 10,000 | iglidur i3000-PR (3D printing resin) |
| SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)Additive | – | – | – | Quantity 1 | iglidur I8-ESD |
| FDM printing / multi-material printingAdditive | – | – | – | – | iglidur I150, iglidur I180 |
| CNC machining (turning and milling of plastic semi-finished products)Machining | – | – | – | – | iglidur semi-finished products |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edge trimming system | Hellweg Maschinenbau R 200/20 Servo | – | 200 mm working width, cutting thicknesses up to 20 mm | – | – |
| Granulator | Hellweg Maschinenbau MDSi 340/150 Smart Control | – | Drive power 1.5–4 kW, grinding capacity 10–80 kg/h | – | – |
| Wet cutting mill | Hellweg Maschinenbau MDSGi 1500/600 | – | – | 2023 | – |
| Injection molding machine (all-electric) | Sumitomo (SHI) Demag IntElect2 S | – | – | – | Technikum Erwes Reifenberg |
| DLP 3D printer | igus | – | Resolution 0.035 mm | – | Cologne |
Quality
Products are extensively tested in the company's own 3,800 m² test laboratory to enable predictions of service life in various application scenarios. ESD systems such as triflex TRE ESD have been tested and certified for electrical conductivity by Fraunhofer IPA; a dry cleanroom certification (ISO class 4-5) is available as an option.
| Evidence | Cologne |
|---|---|
| Fraunhofer IPA testing (ESD) | |
| ISO 4-5 cleanroom (TRC ESD, optional) |
History
- 2021
More than 200,000 abrasion-resistant parts produced by 3D printing, in quantities from 1 to 10,000.
- 2025
Introduction of the first ready-to-connect, ESD-certified cable carrier triflex TRE ESD, presented at Automatica in Munich.