December 2016 – Motion plastics specialist igus has developed thin ring bearings in accordance with DIN 625 for small installation spaces and where very low weight is crucial. The xiros plastic ball bearings are, for example, suitable for a wide range of control systems in vehicles due to the freedom from lubrication and maintenance as well as very low friction.

Temperature, ventilation or suspension dynamics – a lot can be adjusted in the car by means of various rotary controls. Here, the new xiros type 67 and 68 thin ring bearings are particularly suitable since an extremely low weight is crucial and usually only a small space is available. The motion plastics specialist igus offers this in two different materials (xirodur B180 and xirodur S180) in inner diameters between four and 30 millimetres. Special dimensions or customer-specific integrated solutions are also possible on request. For both xirodur materials, users can choose between balls made of stainless steel 1.4401 or glass, whereby the use of glass balls guarantees a completely non-magnetic version of the ball bearings. In addition, the use of plastic balls is possible on request for a further weight reduction.

The xiros thin ring bearings are suitable for application temperatures between -40°C and +80°C. They do not require lubrication and are corrosion free. "As in all xiros ball bearings, the frictional torque of our thin ring bearings is also very low," says Marcus Semsroth, head of the xiros ball bearings division at igus. "Thus, no breakaways can be felt when they are moved, which, for example, ensures very good haptics when used on rotary contols." For the correct selection, configuration and ordering, igus has developed easy-to-use online tools