Prize-winning Bearings Applications Revealed

Prize-winning Bearings Applications Revealed The results are in and the winners of the Manus Plastic Plain bearing design Contest 2006 can now be officially revealed. The winning applications were chosen by a panel of experts in engineering based on creativity, technical advancement and economic impact. First place was awarded to Karbon Kinetics in London for its bicycle shock absorber design. Second place was an energy and torque managing device for lower limb prosthesis developed by Blatchford Products in Basingstoke. Third place went to Renold Chain, Stockport, for its use of a polymer plain bearing sleeve in its range of transmission chains. Richard Thorpe, Managing Director at Karbon Kinetics, was awarded first place for an inventive shock absorber design. Thorpe realised a novel solution to making a lightweight and low manufacturing cost bicycle shock absorber would be to reduce the number of parts by combining the low-friction bearings, end bearings and sliding shaft into one part. The resultant inventive combined bearing shaft is manufactured as a single part from the Igus Iglidur RN56 polymer, which exhibits both high strength and low-friction properties. Second place went to Clive Smart, Design Engineer at Blatchford Products, for an energy and torque managing device for lower limb prosthesis. Walking on a rigid prosthesis means that shock forces are transmitted directly to the body interface. Daily activities, including golf and travel, involve frequent impact loads and body rotation. The TT Pro absorbs and reduces these forces in its resilient rod and spring action. An Iglidur Z bearing proved to be the only plain bearing able to withstand the high forces produced during sports activities with patients weighing up to 125kg. Smart remarks: 'I'm really pleased to receive the silver award for the TT Pro product, especially from such a diverse field of nearly eighty applicants'. 'To be selected by engineering peers for a design implementation is especially pleasing'. 'This application of the Igus bearing and ultimately the TT Pro really enhances an amputee's day to day life'. 'The smooth action of the bearing in a combination of linear and axial directions allows them to walk further, increase their activities and all with enhanced comfort'. The best testament is from a patient who commented: 'It's so smooth and works so well, I forget it's there'. Finally, Dr Chris Lodge at Renold Chain earned third place for a transmission chain incorporating Iglidur polymer sleeve bearings and a solid polymer roller. This was manufactured using special tooling to obtain the required roundness and strength. Lodge says: 'The challenge for this product was to run without lubrication over a broad range of speed and load in a wide variety of environments'. 'The incorporation of specifically designed polymer bearings allowed us to achieve this without compromising the strength of the chain'. 'Renold is very proud to have won this award and continues to incorporate new technology into applications to provide economically viable solutions'. Due to a plethora of innovative entries the last time the competition ran in 2004, a special Design Award was introduced this year, which looked beyond the bearing function at the overall application. This was awarded to MAS Design Products for its mechanism enabling full sized bicycles and mountain bikes to fold into a compact and portable form. Mark Sanders, Managing Director, chose Iglidur polymer plain bearings due to their high load capacity, zero running clearance, low friction, minimal wear, resilience and resistance to dirt, dust and corrosion. They are also lubrication-free and available in compact sizes. Other entries highlighted as 'worthy of note' during the ceremony included a transport incubator to transfer critically ill newborn babies between hospitals via ambulance or aircraft. Lightweight medical use Igus DryLin W polymer linear bearings are used here, because they are nonlubricated, and so fit in with the clean aesthetic and exceed infection control protocol. Fit-Equip uses DryLin W on a positioning mechanism for gym equipment, because they are maintenance free, eliminate noise and ensure smooth movement. A high quality garden swing was also highlighted. Developed by Dawson Sellar Design, this swing is specially designed so drinks will never be spilt. Igus Igubal polymer rod end bearings enable the swing to function smoothly and noiselessly and be used outside throughout the year. The Manus panel of judges included Professor John Hetherington, Professor of engineering design at Cranfield University and Head of the Engineering Systems Department at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, Andy Pye, Managing Editor of EngineeringTalk, and Matthew Aldridge, Bearings Product Director at Igus UK. Andy Pye, who presented the Gold Award, commented: 'As a judge for the past two competitions, I have been struck by the way this competition has evolved'. 'On this occasion we had nearly 80 entries and a really difficult decision in distilling them down into a manageable shortlist'. 'The ingenuity apparent in the UK's design engineering community is alive and well, particularly when it comes to exploiting the benefits of polymer plain bearings'. Professor John Hetherington presented the Silver Award. He agrees: 'This year there was a very broad range of submissions showing plastic bearings are being adopted increasingly in novel applications and, more significantly, the ingenuity of engineers and designers in using them'. 'Each of our prize-winners found new ways of using plastic bearings which, I think, will be of far-reaching significance'. 'Through the awards, we recognised the novelty of application, the quality of the engineering and the impact of the winning submissions'. Matthew Aldridge adds: 'Once again, the manus contest has shown an amazing diversity of applications for polymer bearings'. 'With continuing advances in plastic bearing technology, more and more designers are finding unique ways of solving historically challenging design issues'.