Reworked replacement bearings quickly produced in 3D printing - Easy spare part procurement with igus

What was needed: Storage drive shaft for a high-bay warehouse
Manufacturing process: selective laser sintering
Requirements: Quick and easy replacement of the bearing, high wear resistance and sliding ability, simpler procurement of spare parts, simplified possibility to change or adapt the geometry and material selection
Material: iglidur® i3
Industry: material handling
Success through cooperation: Faster and easier replacement of the bearings by pitch of the bearing, increased wear resistance, increased sliding ability, increased process reliability, fast spare parts procurement
 
The application at a glance:
The bearing of a drive shaft for a high-bay warehouse at WAREMA Sonnenschutztechnik GmbH was broken due to the high load. In order to avoid a production standstill, a replacement part had to be found quickly. At this point, the high speed and design freedom of igus® 3D printing was used to carry out initial tests with prototypes made of the SLS powder iglidur® i3 on the mobile rack. The company redesigned the bearing and split it in two to avoid having to dismantle the entire drive shaft when replacing it. After successful tests, the bearings were ordered from the online CNC service. The replacement bearings made from iglidur® high-performance polymers have increased wear resistance and sliding properties compared to bearings made from regular plastic. In addition, the pitch of the bearing enables faster replacement of the parts and simple repair of the system.

A defective plain bearing in the WAREMA Sonnenschutztechnik GmbH moving rack had to be replaced. Machine failure meant that production could no longer be supplied sufficiently with materials. The drive shaft plain bearing needed to be replaced in the shortest possible time. However, the drive shaft was difficult to reach and the replacement proved to be very complicated, since the drive shaft had to be dismantled. The new plain bearings also needed to withstand harsh environmental conditions such as dust, dirt, and material residue from the high-bay warehouses.

In order to simplify the installation situation, the bearing was redesigned. A split bearing was used. In the future, it will allow quick replacement without the necessity of dismantling the entire drive shaft. In addition to the design freedom of the components made possible by 3D printing, the company was also impressed by the iglidur i3 material. This was specifically developed for laser sintering and features increased wear resistance and sliding ability. After the tests, the newly designed bearings were ordered from the online CNC service. For the company, igus plain bearings meant increased process reliability, improved spare parts procurement by igus and a flexible option for modifying the parts if they need to be reworked after all.

To make replacing the drive shaft's plain bearings as efficient as possible, the company redesigned the component in CAD tool as a split bearing. This design was first tested with 3D printed bearings made of iglidur i3. The additively manufactured components are usually ready for dispatch in one to three days and this works particularly well for initial test applications. In the igus online 3D printing service, the individual component can be ordered in three steps and the service life calculated with the parameters given in the real application. There is also no minimum order quantity in the igus 3D printing service and the service tool displays the unit price instantly.

In addition to the freedom of geometry in 3D printing, the high abrasion resistance of the igus® materials also speaks in favour of wear-resistant parts from the 3D printer. The different materials are tested in the igus® test laboratory in order to be able to make reliable statements about the service life of the components. Among other things, the tribological specifications of the iglidur® plastic were tested, which demonstrated up to 30 times better abrasion resistance compared to conventional materials for laser sintering. Where wear is unavoidable, the igus® materials with their good mechanical characteristics and high service life are ideal compared to conventional plastics. If you have any questions about the right material for customised applications, please contact the 3D printing team. "The response time of our colleagues was excellent," is the feedback from WAREMA Sonnenschutztechnik GmbH.