- What was needed: Lubrication-free bearings
- Manufacturing method: Selective laser sintering
- Requirements: Good sliding properties, high wear resistance, long service life
- Material: iglidur i3
- Industry: Transportation
- Success from the collaboration: No external lubricant required, simple assembly and disassembly, durable plain bearings
The application at a glance: In order to save enough space to transport a tram in the car, many manufacturers have equipped the trams with detachable components. For example, the wheels can be pulled out of their bearings. However, the machined metal ends of the wheels, which are inserted into the plain bearings, are lubricated. This means that lubricant can get onto the user's clothing or hands during disassembly. To eliminate that problem, Tom Krause, head of additive manufacturing, traced the bearing and printed it using the laser sintering process. The iglidur i3 material, specially developed for laser sintering, is well suited to the component because the integrated solid lubricants make external lubrication unnecessary. In addition to the good sliding properties, components made of iglidur i3
last up to 50 times as long as regular 3D printing materials.