Bearings & energy chains for 3D printers made in India

Technical data:

What was needed: A precise and quiet 3D printer that fulfils the conditions for "Made in India"
Requirements: 100% lubrication and maintenance-free, precise, quiet and vibration-free running, smooth dry operation
Products used: dryspin® Lead screws and lead screw nut, iglidur® plastic plain bearing, energy chain for medium load E2, also drylin® T rail guide, drylin® N low-profile guide system and drylin® W profile guides with corresponding carriages and pillow block bearing
Success for the customer: Fabforge Innovations is a manufacturer of 3D printers based in South India and operates nationwide. Earlier, it used linear rails from other manufacturers, but to fulfil the conditions of "Made in India", Fabforge Innovations changed the design and used products from igus®.

CAD model of a linear setup with several igus guide elements and axes.

Problem

Fabforge Innovations, an Indian company, develops 3D printers. To achieve "Make in India", components must be sourced from India. In the past, the linear systems and plain bearings used were sourced from manufacturers that were not exclusively from India. This, of course, included lubrication, maintenance and problematic runs. Also, the parts must have a certain pretension and have different colours.

Solution

For the 3D printer, the engineers use numerous components from igus® India, which enable lubrication-free, low-maintenance, precise and quiet dry operation: dryspin® Lead screws and lead screw nut, iglidur® plastic plain bearing, energy chain for medium load E2, also drylin® T rail guide, drylin® N low-profile guide system and drylin® W profile guides with corresponding slides and pillow block bearing.

Products used

Three stainless steel worm screws side by side.

Further 3D printing applications

Cleanroom 3D printer

What was needed? A precise and reliable cleanroom 3D printer for processing thermoplastics
Requirements: Absolutely lubrication and maintenance-free, long service life, suitable for clean rooms, no abrasion, cost-efficient
Success for the customer: Design freedom was gained on all linear guides by using the drylin®® -bearing with exchangeable sliding foils. This has significantly accelerated the design process. The sliding foils prevent unwanted particle release and at the same time offer process stability. There were other advantages from using suitable rail and shaft guides for system implementation.

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3D printer in a closed test cell with filament guide and part holder.

Portable 3D printer

What was needed? A 3D printer that is compact and portable, but can still produce detailed 3D parts
Requirements: Best performance even in tight installation spaces, no maintenance, 100 % lubrication-free, low wear and friction, smooth dry operation, vibration- and noise-free, no adhesion of dust and dirt
Success for the customer: In developing countries and emergency areas, a portable device with high precision is very helpful. It is a radical advance for dental and medical care. The igus® products in the 3D printer ensure a long service life, clean printing conditions, and dry operation without vibration or noise.

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Lumifold device with the lid raised and internal components visible.

3D printer that makes itself

What was needed? A 3D printer that can produce its own essential parts quickly and precisely
Requirements: High precision and working speed, no vibration, low weight, lubrication-free, low friction
Success for the customer: The xBot is aimed at private users as well as schools, universities and industry: "The printer is not only fast and precise, but also high-quality and durable. It can process a variety of materials - from compostable PLA to standard ABS to flexible materials such as nylon and rubber-like plastics. The construction is solid and all the main components are manufactured in AT or DE."

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The drylin R linear guide in a 3D printer guides the print head precisely.

3D printer office

What was needed? A large-format and precise 3D printer that is suitable for use in offices or workshops
Requirements: Maintenance-free, easy installation, high accuracy, 100 % lubrication-free, no dust and dirt adhesion, quiet and vibration-free due to office use
Success for the customer: The engineers use linear guides, slides, threaded spindles and lead screw nuts of the type dryspin® for the linear movements of all three axes. The lead screws allow travel speeds of up to 120mm/s. All components help to minimise maintenance of the 3D printer. The right 3D printer in the office.

Go to application

igus MANUS linear motion system with aluminium frame and sliding carriage.

3D printed lead screw nut

What was needed? An alternative to metal ball screw nuts that can be manufactured independently using 3D printing
Requirements: 100 % lubrication and maintenance-free, quiet running, simple manufacture, smooth running, clearance-free
Success for the customer: With the design, there was no other way to achieve the set goal. The parameters were prescribed, and the final product had to work. Optimising the contact area was crucial to reducing friction. Thread surface hardening reduced it further. After several printing attempts, the print quality improved.

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Threaded spindle on a machine frame with guide rods and a metal plate.

Mini 3D printer

What was needed? A compact and cost-effective mini 3D printer
Requirements: During printing, a tray must perform extremely precise vertical movements in order to achieve a high print resolution of 50 micrometres. In addition, the smallest possible components had to be found for the compact 3D printer.

Success for the customer: With the help of drylin® components, the Lumi Pocket is a 3D printer that combines an extremely compact design with outstanding print quality and an unbeatable price.

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