Reduce Assembly Work by 80% with Separable igus Polymer Flange Bearings

GENTING LANE, Singapore - July 22, 2025 - PRLog -- A conveyor belt is at a standstill in a woodworking plant. Fast service is now required to minimise downtime. This makes it all the more annoying when the defective flange mounted bearing of a deflection shaft is difficult to replace - it takes several hours to dismantle neighbouring machine parts and the shaft. "To reduce such long downtimes and increase productivity in the woodworking industry, we have completely rethought the bearing design," explains Thomas Preißner, Head of Business Unit igubal Spherical Bearings at igus. "The result is a two-part flange mounted bearing that can be assembled and disassembled in just a few minutes." Users can place the two halves of the housing and spherical insert bearing around the shaft and fix them directly to the conveyor belt using a screw connection - without removing the shaft. "This reduces assembly time by up to 80% and minimises downtime."

In 2024, igus had already introduced two versions of the split igubal flange mounted bearings: four-hole flange mounted bearings (F208) and two-hole flange mounted bearings (FL208). "The feedback from the woodworking industry was excellent, so we are presenting a new version at LIGNA 2025 that offers design engineers even more flexibility, especially in confined spaces: a compact 208 version that is available immediately," explains Preißner. As the bearings have the same hole spacing as classic, one-piece F and FL housings, they can be replaced without any changes to the mounting surface. The new split flange mounted bearings are not only easy to install, but also robust and durable. The housing is made of the impact-resistant polymer igumid G, which can withstand temperatures from -40°C to +120°C. The spherical insert bearings are made of iglidur J3. "Long-term tests in our in-house 5,500m² test laboratory have shown that these spherical insert bearings are up to 12 times more wear-resistant than conventional metal solutions - and cost around 40% less," says Preißner. The bearings are also corrosion-free and resistant to various chemicals.

Thanks to integrated solid lubricants, the bearings do not require additional grease. This reduces maintenance costs, cuts labour costs for service calls and prevents the risk of breakdowns. "In an environment in which 36% of machine failures are due to inadequate lubrication, freedom from lubrication is a real game changer," says Preißner. Thanks to the freedom from lubrication, the bearings are also more resistant to wood dust, which quickly combines with grease to form a paste that increases friction in classic bearing points. This also increases reliability.

Visit igus: https://www.igus.sg/spherical-bearing/news