Plastic Takes on Heavy Loads: igus Pushes Polymer Bearings Further

SINGAPORE - Sept. 1, 2026 - PRLog -- Plastic and heavy loads were once considered an unlikely combination. igus is changing that perception with its iglidur® Q3E bi-component plain bearing, developed to deliver reliable, long-lasting performance under demanding loads while retaining the key advantages of polymer bearings.

The development builds on more than a decade of experience in high-load applications. Earlier solutions such as iglidur® Q2 demonstrated excellent wear performance at loads of around 30–40 MPa, while igutex® fibre-wound plain bearings proved their strength under extreme edge, oscillating and impact loads. However, fibre-wound bearings can be less economical for medium-sized components produced in large quantities.

The challenge was therefore clear: combine the mechanical strength of a reinforced outer layer with the low-friction and wear-resistant properties of a sliding layer – all through an economical injection moulding process.

After years of development, igus achieved the breakthrough in 2024 with iglidur® Q3E. Its innovative bi-component construction creates a strong material bond between the two layers. This helps the bearing withstand demanding pulsating and oscillating forces, including those encountered in excavator buckets, grabbers, construction machinery and other heavy-duty applications.

Tests have demonstrated reliable performance over tens of thousands of cycles, with the new bearing pushing the application limits of injection-moulded polymer bearings to up to 75 MPa. A further material, iglidur® W300E, extends the range with improved running performance on rougher shaft surfaces.

Like other iglidur® plain bearings, the new solutions operate without external lubrication, helping reduce maintenance requirements, downtime and operating costs. Their injection-moulded design also enables scalable production and easy replacement of commonly used metal-composite bushings.

With iglidur® Q3E and W300E, igus is narrowing the gap between conventional polymer bearings and fibre-wound solutions – demonstrating that high-performance plastics can provide a reliable, cost-effective and maintenance-free alternative for heavy-duty applications.

"Plastic in the heavy-duty sector not only keeps up, but is also convincing over the long term," says Jens Forster, Development Engineer at igus.

Learn more: https://www.igus.sg/company/products/switch-to-iglidur
Heavy-duty Brochure: https://www.igus.sg/service/contact/heavy-duty-brochure