At this year’s Engineering Design Show, held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, igus showcased its latest drylin linear guide systems, as well as cable management and energy supply solutions. Design engineers from around the UK visited the stand to see a number of exciting demonstrations and even made their acquaintance with RoboThespian, a life-sized humanoid robot. As Matthew Aldridge, managing director of igus, explains: “iglidur J bearings are used in every part of RoboThespian that pivots and moves – including the knuckles.” This high-performance engineering plastic is self-lubricating and maintenance free, and provides the perfect combination of wear resistance at low to medium loads and optimum coefficients of friction. Lightweight energy chains were hard at work supporting motor cables on a PCB de-paneling machine. “These energy chains protect and guide the cables during movement and ensure a minimum radius is maintained,” explains Justin Leonard, director. Another advantage of igus energy chains is that they have a very long life, which helps avoid machine downtimes. Dean Aylott, xiros product manager, demonstrated a range of different xiros bearings: “These self-lubricating, maintenance free ball bearings are used in a wide range of industries, including food, packaging and pharmaceutical.” These versatile polymer bearings are lightweight, low friction and non-corrosive – they are a cost-effective alternative to the traditional metal lubricated type. To watch the video and see what else igus has on offer, please visit: www.igus.co.uk/Engdesign