1. Put on your thinking caps!
Which bearing would you use on your FIRST robot?: plastic, metal or bronze
Why did you choose that particular bearing?
Which type of bearing would you choose to use on a lawn mower or farming equipment?
Which type of bearing would you choose to use on an outboard, high-speed boat motor?
Remember your answers … you might be surprised!

2. Working Together: FIRST® Robotics and igus® Inc.

3. Overview Who is igus? What is the Y.E.S. Program?
Put your thinking cap back on!
Plastic vs. the other guys
Our products
Real-world application examples
Benefits of plastic components

4. Catalog items from stock.
Who is igus Inc.?
Forty years of experience in industrial machinery components for the motion control industry
Large R&D effort to test wear behavior of plastics
Current product focus: cable carrier, flexible cables, plain bearings, spherical bearings, linear bearings and slides
Catalog items from stock.

5. What is the Y.E.S. Program?
Y.E.S. stands for the Young Engineers Support Program
Designed to foster the mechanical design ideas and inventions of students who have a passion for engineering
FREE product donations provided to all teams participating in FIRST Robotics

6. Remember your answers?
Which bearing would you use on your FIRST robot?: plastic, metal or bronze
Why did you choose that particular bearing?
Which type of bearing would you choose to use on a lawn mower or farming equipment?
Which type of bearing would you choose to use on an outboard, high-speed boat motor?

7. Tidbits about bronze bearings
Disadvantages
Very sensitive to dirt
Sensitive to edge pressure
High temps breaks down oil
Low chemical resistance
Not suitable for linear movements
Sensitive to impacts and oscillations
Advantages
Very low coefficient of friction possible
High precision
High rotational speeds possible (1,200 SFM)
High PxV value possible (50,000 PV)

8. Tidbits about plastic bearings
Advantages
Lightweight
No lubrication needed
Maintenance-free
Dry-running
Vibration-dampening
Dirt- and dust-resistant
Corrision-resistant
Disadvantages
Sensitive to extreme temperature
Sensitive to extremely high loads
Sensitive to extremely high, constant speeds

9. Plastic vs. Bronze Iglide® Oilite Bronze
Max PSI: up to 21,750 PSI 8,000 PSI
Motion: Any (including dual) HS rotating
Shafting: Any (soft/SS/HR/steel) Carbon steel, hard
Grades available: Over
Dirty environments: Yes No
Resists squeaking: Yes Only if it’s oiled
Edge loading: Yes No
Underwater: Yes No
Suitable for clean rooms: Yes No
Plastic Contact Yes No
Service life predictors: Yes ?
Technical data available: Yes ?

10. Edge pressure F metal bearings plastic bearings
The bearing material has a low flexibility:
the contact surface between shaft and
bearing is only a point.
High specific pressure (load per mm²)
High wear of the bearing
Shaft could be consumed
The bearing material has a high flexibility:
the contact surface between shaft and
bearing is a bigger surface
Lower specific pressure (load per mm²)
Lower wear of the bearing
Shaft will be not consumed!

11. A closer look at iglide plastic bearings
Features:
Long-lasting
Self-lubricating
Maintenance-free
Dust- and dirt-resistant
More than 7,000 metric and inch bearing sizes and styles from stock

12. In the real world Benefits of iglide J Iglide J on lawn mower deck
Enables pivoting and linear movement in caster wheel
Plastic bearings outperformed bronze in every test
Benefits of iglide J
Withstands high edge pressure
Withstands high impact/shock loads
Compensates for edge loads
Great wear resistance with high loads
No grease, no maintenance
Corrosion-resistant

13. In the real world Mercury Marine
Iglide G300/D on outdoor, high-speed boat motor
Iglide D enables tilt and trim of the motor in the steering mechanism and transform assembly
Iglide G300 is used in oscillating pivot joints
Benefits of iglide J
Eliminates the need for grease, which contaminates water and potentially harms wildlife
Eliminates maintenance
Low water absorption
Low coefficient of friction
Corrosion-free
In depth test data and predictability methods

15. In the FIRST arena Carmel High School, Team 868 Products used Used on:
Iglide bearings
Igubal® spherical bearings
Used on:
Shooting system
Roller system
Benefits:
Lightweight
Reduced weight of the robot by 20 pounds!
Iglide (inside wheel mechanism)

16. A closer look at igubal spherical bearings
Features
Self-aligning
Oil-free
Includes spherical, clip, pillow block and rod end bearings

17. In the real world Benefits of iglide J Big Cat Human Powered Vehicles
Igubal spherical bearings on a recumbent tricycle
Enables lighter, cleaner and more reliable steering for the rider
Benefits of iglide J
Self-aligning, which diverts the need for exact placement of shafts/housing
Lubrication-free
Corrosion- and wear-resistant
80% lighter than steel
Excellent vibration-dampening
igubal rod end

18. “The igubal bearings do a better job of absorbing vibration from wheel to arms. We also can use a really large rod end without increasing the weight too much. This in turn enables us to use a stiffer rod which produces better wheel alignment.”
~Paulo Camasmie, president of Big Cat Human Powered Vehicles

19. In the FIRST arena Upper Darby High School, Team #357 Products used
34 igubal spherical bearings
253 iglide Z bearings
DryLin S aluminum shafting
Used on:
Shooting system
Roller system
Benefits:
Lightweight
Self-aligning
Maintenance-free, which saved the team a lot of time!

20. igubal

21. A closer look at DryLin R linear bearings
Features:
Corrosion-resistant
Dirt-resistant
Vibration dampening
Ideal alternative to re-circulating ball bearings

22. In the real world Benefits of DryLin R International Climbing Machines
DryLin R on a climbing machine
Aids machine in scaling walls to eliminate hazardous chemicals from various locations such as bridges, ships and towers
Benefits of DryLin R
Durable
Lightweight, which makes it much easier for the machine to easily adhere to surfaces

23. “The quality of the igus products has been exceptional.”
The climbing machine is remotely operated by humans safe on the ground.
DryLin R
“The quality of the igus products has been exceptional.”
~Sam Maggio, ICM president

24. In the FIRST arena Parkview/North Little Rock High School
Products used
DryLin R
Energy Chain
Used on:
Scissor-lift module
Body of robot to protect wiring
Benefits:
Increased the efficiency of the module by 50%
Lightweight

25. A closer look at DryLin linear guide systems
Features:
Corrosion-resistant
Lightweight
Lubrication-free
Perfect for diverse, extreme environments

26. In the real word Benefits of DryLin W Schneider Packaging
DryLin W on a bottle-packaging machine
Acts as a vertical guide for a grabbing device
Benefits of DryLin W
Able to maintain 24-hour/four cases per minute operation schedule
Lightweight
Maintenance-free
Corrosion-resistant

27. In the FIRST arena Gross Pointe North Public Schools, Team #1189
Products used
DryLin N
Used on:
Slide/plunger system, which enabled the robot to shoot game balls into goals
Benefits:
Lightweight
Maintenance-free
Easy to install

28. A closer look at Energy Chain
All-plastic cable carriers
Guides, protects and extends the service life of cables and hoses on automated machinery
Used in industries such as:
Robotics
Aerospace
Automotive
Machine tools

29. In the real world Benefits of Energy Chain Case IH
Energy Chain on a seed planter
Guides and protects hydraulic hoses
Eliminates debris build-up
Aids in the retraction process of the planter
Benefits of Energy Chain
Lightweight
Reliable – projected to last for the life of machine, which is 10 years
Corrosion-resistant

31. In the FIRST arena Poudre High School, Team #159 Products used
Energy Chain
Used to:
House and protect cables and wires on robot
Benefits:
Lightweight
Strong enough to endure all bumps, scrapes and shoving that the robot endured
Energy Chain

32. Good luck to all FIRST teams!
Visit to request additional igus products!