3D printing adapter clips for improved sliding properties of igus energy chains

• What was needed: Sliding shoe adapter clips for energy chain
• Manufacturing process: selective laser sintering
• Requirements: High abrasion resistance, high service life, good sliding properties
• Material: iglidur® i6
• Industry: igus® energy chain, industries with abrasive environmental conditions
• Success through cooperation: Can be produced very quickly, customised shapes can be implemented without tools, printing no minimum order quantity, significantly reduced costs, uncomplicated ordering process

The application at a glance:
Adapter clips were developed that serve as a ramp to relieve the load on the glide shoes and thus also increase their service life. The igus® 3D printing service was called in to develop these adapter components and was able to produce the customised components quickly and easily. Using the prototypes, different product properties could be tested quickly, resulting in a shorter development time and lower costs compared to conventional manufacturing processes. Ultimately, the high-performance plastic iglidur® i6 was used in selective laser sintering. This is abrasion-resistant and at the same time has good sliding properties that benefit the energy chain in abrasive environmental conditions.

In order to increase the service life of the igus® energy chain, glide shoes were developed that can be retrofitted into the module. However, this design resulted in a height difference at the transition between the glide bar and the glide shoes. An adapter clip was required to compensate for this difference in height. As the chains are mainly used in abrasive environments, a high service life was required, including high abrasion resistance and good sliding properties. For the development phase of the components, only a few parts were to be produced in order to be able to test product properties and functions without having to build expensive and complex injection moulding tools beforehand.

The development of the customised adapter clip proved to be quick and cost-effective thanks to the 3D printing service from igus®. Small quantities could be produced in a very short time in order to test and improve the various product properties and to have real samples at an early stage of development. It was also possible to observe the application behaviour without having to build injection moulding tools beforehand. The reduced development time also resulted in lower development costs. With the customised components made of iglidur® i6, all mechanical requirements that arise in abrasive environmental conditions could be simultaneously fulfilled for the adapters.

One of the biggest advantages of additive manufacturing is tool-free production. In contrast to conventional manufacturing processes, such as milling or injection moulding, no additional tools are required. This enables the printing of small quantities and is extremely helpful in the development phase. At the same time, there is no waste during production, as the SLS powder that remains after printing can be reused. In addition to the lower costs, quick adjustments and improvements to the print and material are also possible, as in this case. As only one left and one right adapter clip are required per chain, the total quantity per order remains low. This shortens the development time and keeps development costs low. The feel and appearance could also be assessed in a very short time. The uncomplicated ordering process with the 3D printing service was also a decisive factor in ordering the customised parts.

In the development phase, the material iglidur i6 was chosen, which had been specifically developed for laser sintering. The parts made of the high-performance polymer are very abrasion-resistant and have a longer service life than milled components. First tests of the chain confirm these specifications. As soon as the adapter clips had been "ground in" after the first friction, no further wear was detected. The integrated solid lubricants ensure good sliding properties and help the parts withstand the high friction in the transition between glide pad and glide bar. According to Product Manager Christoph Koch, the quality of adapter clips printed in 3D from iglidur i6 is comparable to that of parts made via injection moulding.
For more inconspicuous components on the energy chain, it is possible to colour parts made of i6 black, if desired, or to manufacture the adapters from the black SLS powder iglidur i8-ESD.