No lubricants, no germs: New material from igus for medical technology

Plain bearings made from the new material iglidur AB help to reduce the germ load for users or patients. (Source: igus GmbH)

Especially for medical and laboratory technology, igus has developed the new sliding bearing material iglidur AB. Antibacterial sliding bearings made from this material help reduce microbial contamination. At the same time, sliding bearings made from iglidur AB – like all iglidur materials – are lubrication-free and maintenance-free. In addition to other solutions for medical technology, the motion plastics specialist igus will present this innovation at its trade show booth at Compamed 2015 in Hall 08b, Stand A20.

Lubrication-free, media-resistant, non-magnetic, corrosion-resistant – these are key criteria for components in medical technology. From pick & place systems in laboratories to storage locations on patient beds, the applications for moving products in this industry are very diverse. But antibacterial components are also becoming increasingly important for devices and machines. Specifically for this purpose, the motion plastics specialist igus has developed the new material iglidur AB for antibacterial sliding bearings, which will be presented to industry professionals at Compamed. According to test results for antimicrobial efficacy according to ISO 22196:2011 (measurement of antibacterial activity of plastics and other non-porous surfaces), sliding bearings made from the new material help reduce microbial contamination for users or patients. Like all igus products, iglidur AB sliding bearings are completely free of external lubricants. "This offers two advantages in medical and laboratory technology," explains Ulf Hottung, Industry Manager Medical Technology at igus. "Firstly, there is no risk of contamination from oils or fats. Secondly, machines and devices can be cleaned without concern, as lubricants cannot be washed out."

Antibacterial sliding bearings available from stock

It is also important for the cleaning of machines or devices, especially in medical technology, that the components are media-resistant. The new iglidur AB sliding bearings have good chemical resistance, making contact with aggressive cleaning agents unproblematic. The sliding bearings made from the new material are already available from igus in six different sizes with internal diameters ranging from six to 20 millimeters. Continuous operating temperatures from -40 to +70 degrees Celsius are possible with iglidur AB sliding bearings.