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igus® inc.

PO BOX 14349

East Providence

RI 02914

+1 800 521 2747
+1 401 438 7270
US(EN)

igus® tribology center - Advantages on triboplastics*

Tribology Center

Triboplastics are tribologically optimized material compounds and therewith the basis of all igus® products and systems

Energy Chain systems®

In Energy Chain systems® the perfect match of all components, such as Chainflex®-cables, interior separation, cross bars and guide troughs is important. The materials are compatible and account for excellent run times, individually and as a system.
igus® is currently the only manufacturer worldwide that consistently relies only on plastic in the energy chain itself. Application areas are: Offshore, steel mills, power plants, mining, machine tools and large cranes. Just as in the fields of clean room, ESD-ATEX or high temperature applications.

Polymer bearings

Every year the igus® engineers develop more than 300 new plastic compounds and test their tribological properties – in the igus® lab – in more than 10.000 trials. All results are incorporated into a comprehensive knowledge and material database. Reliable information on the service life of iglide® polymer plain bearings can now be made on the basis of this database. In the process the dream of many designers has come true - predictable plain bearings, which can do entirely without lubrication.

Test laboratory - more than 800 test points by igus®

More than 10,000 test are conducted in the igus® technical center every year.
Aluminum vs steel To produce 1 liter aluminum, the energy of 15 liters of petroleum is necessary. 1 liter steel requires 11 liters of petroleum. 1 liter of plastic needs an average of only 1.8 liters of petroleum.

Tribology experts

Our experts are glad to answer many specific questions like "Which is the best plastic shaft for this plastic bearing?" or "If there is sand in addition, how long will it last?" or "If there is also vibration and cleaning agents, what is the best thing to take?"

We look forward to your responses and further requests!

Or, just try out our service life calculator on this page.

Predictable products

We offer predictable lifetimes for energy chains, highly flexible cables, plastic bearings, spherical bearings, linear plain bearings, plastic ball bearings and - coming soon - gliding elements made of semi-finished products.
E-Chain service life calculator

E-Chains® service life calculator

Calculate the service life of your energy chain online.
Chainflex® service life calculator

Chainflex® service life calculator

Calculate the service life of your Chainflex® cables online.
iglide® service life calculator

iglide® bearings service life calculator

Calculate the service life of your iglide® bearings online.
igubal® service life calculator

igubal® spherical bearings service life calculator

Calculate the service life of your igubal® spherical bearings online.
DryLin® service life calculator

DryLin® linear bearings service life calculator

Calculate the service life of your DryLin® linear bearings online.
Xiros® service life calculator

xiros® plastic ball bearings service life calculator

Calculate the service life of your xiros® plastic ball bearings online.

Search for application solutions
Are you looking for practically tested application examples in a certain industry?
Here you can browse through already implemented customer applications and filter them according to your specifications.


*Tribology deals with friction, wear and lubrication and the technologies for the optimization of friction processes.


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", "kineKIT", "manus", "motion plastics", "pikchain", "plastics for longer life", "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, Mitsibushi, NUM,Parker, Bosch Rexroth, SEW, Siemens, Stöber and all other drive manufacturers mention in this website. The products offered by igus® are those of igus® GmbH

igus inc headquarters is located at 257 Ferris Ave, Rumford, RI 02916. igus enjoyneering center is located at 2055 Franklin Rd, Bloomfield Twp, MI 48302