Integrated solid lubricants for lubrication-free prams - spare parts from the 3D printer simplify disassembly

• What was needed: lubrication-free storage
• Manufacturing process: selective laser sintering
• Requirements: good sliding properties, high wear resistance, high service life
• Material: iglidur® i3
• Industry: Means of transport
• Success through cooperation: No external lubricant required, simple (dis)assembly, long-life bearings

The application at a glance:
In order to be able to transport a pram in a car in a space-saving manner, many manufacturers have equipped the prams with detachable components. The tyres, for example, can be pulled out of their bearings. However, the metal pins of the tyres, which are inserted into the plain bearings, are lubricated. This means that lubricant can get onto clothing or hands during removal. To eliminate this problem, Tom Krause, conductor of Additive Manufacturing, modelled the bearing and printed it using the laser sintering process. The iglidur® i3 material developed specifically for laser sintering is well suited for the component, as the integrated solid lubricants make external lubrication superfluous. In addition to the good sliding properties, components made of iglidur® i3 are characterised by up to 50 times higher service life compared to regular 3D printing materials.

Pushchairs are often designed in such a way that they can be dismantled in a few simple steps so that they can be stowed space-savingly in the boot of the car. This also means that the tyres can usually be easily removed from their bearings. The problem with most of these designs is that the metal pins that are inserted into the plain bearings are lubricated and can get your hands or clothing dirty when removing the tyres. In addition, the tyres must be stored separately in plastic bags or similar containers, otherwise they run the risk of drying out.

The solution to this problem was quickly found in Cologne in the 3D printing department of igus®. Tribologically optimised materials for additive processes are developed there, including the iglidur® i3 material produced specifically for laser sintering. After the additive manufacturing conductor, Tom Krause, had measured the old bearing and created a CAD model from it, the printing of the component was also quickly completed. The new bearings made of iglidur® i3 impress with their integrated solid lubricants, which make external lubrication superfluous. In addition, the good sliding properties and the high wear resistance of the material are well suited for the bearing points of the pushchair.

Anyone who has children will be familiar with the situation: the pushchair has to fit in the boot of the car for trips and holidays. The best way to do this is with pushchairs that can be dismantled into their individual parts in a few simple steps. In one particular case, this task turned out to be very complicated because of the lubricated pins on the wheels. Our hands and clothes were full of grease and the wheels had to be individually packed in plastic bags so that the grease didn't get onto the interior of the car and dry out the pivots.

It was possible to trace the bearing for the lubricated pivots relatively quickly and additively manufacture them using the most suitable material. Additive manufacturing saves resources and is particularly cost-effective, as no other tools are required apart from the 3D printer and the printing material. This makes low-cost printing with no minimum order quantity possible. In addition to simple components, 3D printing can also be used to produce more complex components in a single pass. This design freedom is particularly valuable for customised customer applications. In combination with igus® 's own high-performance polymers, the igus® 3D printing service can be used to order customised components that precisely meet the requirements of your application. The common component of the glide-optimised plastic is the integrated solid lubricants, which make lubricating grease superfluous. Components made from igus®-plastic generally exhibit less wear and better sliding properties than conventional plastic.
In this case too, the bearings made of iglidur® i3 are still running perfectly and reliably even after 4 years.