Medical Design Briefs - June 2023 - 14

3D Technology
complications. Injection molding can
require several weeks. An expanded inhouse
toolmaking department enables
delivery of plain bearings in special dimensions
in a few days and at affordable
prices.
The plain bearings in special
sizes are pressed into the bearing location, which enables a reliable and
secure adjustment of the ergometer. (Credit: ergoline GmbH)
the bearing point where they ensure
reliable, safe adjustment even with dynamic
forces of 1.3 tonnes. The bearings
are ideal for ergometers in that
they are lightweight,
corrosion-free,
and resistant to dust and dirt.
Design Challenges
Several design issues arose with the
product. First, Huber sought a plain
bearing to support the adjustment
mechanism for height and tilt. The
company selected igus' iglide P210
bearing, which works well in pivoting
movements on various shaft materials.
The bearing, like all of igus' components,
requires no external lubrication
and thus meets the stringent demands
for the medical field. It is also extremely
durable. Another issue developed
when shaft modifications in the product
resulted in too much clearance
from items that had been selected
from a catalog.
" Since production was about to begin,
we initially decided to turn a small
number of the parts from bar stock,''
Huber says. Volume production, however,
required an even faster solution.
" Six weeks for a regular tool was too
slow for us and continuing to turn
14
bearings from bar stock was too
time-consuming and expensive,'' Huber
says.
The igus service hastened the turnaround
time. " By investing in our tool
shop with its own production line for
round parts that features modern CNC
technology, we were able to produce
specially shaped plain bearings for ergoline
within a very short time,'' says
Benjamin Haupt, technical sales consultant
at igus GmbH.
In CNC, computer instructions
guide mills and lathes that control the
precision of the instruments. The process
enables the development of parts
and components that would usually be
impossible to create manually. The
four-day delivery time at a cost- effective
price surprised Huber. " We had expected
to pay three times as much,'' he
says. " Of course, we were very pleased.
It gives us the possibility to work flexibly
in design. "
Speed Is Essential
The service was created to meet the
needs of manufacturers with high
product demand. Customized parts,
such as plain bearings in unique
shapes, have to be delivered without
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" By investing in our toolmaking department
with its own production line
for round parts with modern CNC
technology, we are now able to respond
even faster to our customers' needs,''
says Stefan Loockmann-Rittich, business
unit manager of iglide at igus
GmbH. " In addition to our large catalog
range of polymer plain bearings,
which are available from stock, we can
produce customized parts costeffectively
in just a few days using the
appropriate injection molding tool. "
Customers can determine whether
injection molding or another production
method is more cost-effective with
the iglide Designer. The online tool allows
the customer to enter the dimensions
of the plain bearing, select the
desired material, and define the quantity.
The program shows an overview of
the manufacturing processes with the
appropriate costs.
Customized and Quick
The German manufacturer of ergometers
is among the growing legion
of manufacturers that want customized
products delivered quickly. While
reducing downtime is still a major focus
for manufacturers, they are also
demanding that suppliers of components
to get materials delivered in record
time. Now more than ever, if a
company is not moving forward, it is
standing still.
" There are different reasons,''
Krause says. " A common one is that
part of a machine is broken down and
it needs to be replaced, so it's imperative
to get the machine running again.
Other reasons include failed sourcing
methods or an expectation of getting
individual parts in a few days. "
Igus' focus on speedy delivery did
not begin with FastLine. It previously
manufactured molds from aluminum
for time-critical developments and later
added in print2mold (3D printing).
" The advantage of FastLine is that
we have a mold that is 100 percent suitable
for series production and is not
limited in the number of shots in injection
molding,'' Krause says.
Medical Design Briefs, June 2023
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Medical Design Briefs - June 2023

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