igus develops new material for antibacterial bearings

igus has developed the new plain bearing material iglidur AB specifically for the medical and laboratory technology. Antibacterial plain bearings made of this material will help to reduce contamination. At the same time plain bearings made of iglidur AB – like all iglidur materials – are lubrication and maintenance-free.

Lubrication-free, media-resistant, non-magnetic, corrosion-free – these are decisive criteria for components in medical technology. From pick & place equipment in the laboratory to mechanical joints on patient furniture, the application areas are very diverse in this industry for products in motion. However, antibacterial components are also becoming increasingly important for devices and machines.
The motion plastics specialist igus has developed the material iglidur AB specifically for antibacterial plain bearings, which will be presented to a professional audience at Compamed.

According to the test results for antimicrobial efficacy according to ISO 22196: 2011 (the measurement of antibacterial activity on plastics and other non-porous surfaces) the bearings made of this material help to reduce the bacterial contamination for users or patients.

Like all products from igus, the iglidur AB plain bearings also operate completely without external lubricant. “That brings two advantages to the medical and laboratory technology,” explains Ulf Hottung, industry manager for medical technology at igus. “On the one hand there is no risk of contamination by oil or grease. On the other hand machinery and equipment can be cleaned safely, without the risk of washing away lubricants.”