Germany 

With immediate effect, the Germany-based igus is accepting submissions for the manus award 2023, which the plastics specialist has been conducting every two years for the last 20 years. The prize honours the most creative, economical and sustainable uses of plastic plain bearings in industrial applications. There was a record number of participants in 2021 with 582 submissions from 41 countries. The winners of the gold, silver, bronze and green manus awards will receive prize money of up to €5,000.

Regardless of whether it is a garbage truck, a packaging machine or an aircraft seat: engineers are increasingly using plain bearings made of high-performance plastics. The advantages are obvious: polymer bearings are lighter than metal bearings, improve energy efficiency, do not require any additional lubricants thanks to incorporated solid lubricants and therefore also protect the environment. "We are always surprised at the applications in which our polymer bearings are now used across industries. To promote this positive development and reward innovative engineers, we are honouring the most innovative uses of polymer plain bearings in industrial applications with the manus award 2023," said Tobias Vogel, CEO of Plain Bearings & Linear Technology at igus. 

Users can now apply for the manus award 2023. igus will accept submissions until February 10, 2023. Everything is possible, from series application up to custom pieces. The only requirement: there must be at least one finished prototype. A jury of experts from science, industry and specialist media will then award four prizes worth up to €5,000: the gold, silver and bronze manus award and the green manus award for the most sustainable application. The winners will receive their awards at Hannover Messe 2023.

Igus has been hosting the manus award for 20 years and this year is the eleventh time. Over 3,000 applicants from all over the world have taken part in the competition in recent years. The 10th award anniversary took place in 2021 and attracted the record number of 582 submissions from 41 countries. The golden manus was awarded to Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG. In the four oscillating axles of the PowerBully track vehicle, the vehicle manufacturer said goodbye to dirt-prone and maintenance-intensive metal plain bearings and instead opted for polymer iglidur TX1-type plain bearing bushings. 

For this application, igus had manufactured and tested the polymer bushings in previously unheard-of dimensions. Finbin won the green manus. The Finnish company developed a dustbin that uses solar energy to compact waste. Dirt-resistant and lubrication-free plain bearings made from tribologically optimised plastic iglidur G are used in the hatch, pedal and transmission linkage of the bin.