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

What was needed: drive shaft bearing support for a high-bay warehouse
Manufacturing process: selective laser sintering
Requirements: quick, easy bearing replacement, high wear resistance and sliding ability, simpler spare-part procurement, simplified options for modifying or adapting the geometry and material selection
Material: iglidur i3
Industry: material handling
Success due to the cooperation: faster and easier plain-bearing replacement by dividing the bearing, increased wear resistance, sliding ability and process reliability, fast spare-parts procurement
 
The application at a glance:
The drive shaft bearing support for a WAREMA Sonnenschutztechnik GmbH high-bay warehouse had broken due to the high load. To avoid a production stoppage, a replacement part was needed promptly. At this point, the high speed and design freedom of igus 3D printing came into play to carry out initial tests with prototypes made of the SLS powder iglidur i3 on the mobile rack. The company redesigned the bearings and split them so that the entire drive shaft did not have to be dismantled in order to replace them. After successful tests, the bearings were ordered from online CNC service. The replacement plain bearings made of iglidur high-performance polymers have better wear resistance and sliding capability than plain bearings made of regular plastic. In addition, the division of the bearings means that parts can be replaced more quickly and the system repaired more easily.  
 

Stopping the moving rack for repair may cause production stoppage

Problem

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.
 

Solution

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.
 

Simply redesign and order in three steps

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.
 

The location of the drive shaft impairs component replacement.

Wear-resistant spare parts from igus

In addition to the freedom of geometry in 3D printing, the high abrasion resistance of the igus materials is also great for wearing parts from a 3D printer. In the igus test laboratory, the different materials are tested in order to be able to make reliable statements about component service life. Among the items tested were the tribological properties of the iglidur plastics. Their abrasion resistance was 30 times that of conventional materials for laser sintering. Wherever wear is unavoidable, igus materials with their good mechanical properties and longer service life than that of conventional plastics provide an advantage. If you have any questions about the right material for customized applications, the 3D printing team is at your disposal. "The colleagues' response time was excellent," reads the WAREMA Sonnenschutztechnik GmbH feedback.
 

The newly designed plain bearing ensures easier replacement on the drive shaft