Maintenance-free and UV-resistant bearing technology in sun protection fins

• What was needed: spherical bearings, plain bearings and linear guides at the interfaces between moving and fixed elements of an innovative sun protection fin system
• Requirements: durable, wear-resistant, lightweight, UV-resistant
• Industry: facade/building technology
• Success through cooperation: after a detailed consultation, free sampling, cost-effective production of customised functional parts and fast delivery, the maintenance-free plastic components from igus ensure that the innovative fin system continues to move reliably. 

The Arcora application was honoured with the 2021 bronze manus award.

Problem

The French company Arcora has developed a sun protection facade system with a shape memory alloy. When the alloy heats up, the system is able to set a translation carriage in motion. This carriage transmits the power to the rotating sun protection fins via small connecting rods. This compact system can be used to replace standard motorisations in building façades, which are more susceptible to maintenance and repair, noisier and more sensitive to heat. For the interfaces between the moving (rotation, translation) and fixed elements, the designers were looking for suitable bearings that could withstand dust, weather conditions (the temperature of a double-skin façade can reach up to 70°C in summer) and fluctuations in humidity.

Solution

The designers at Arcora opted for components from igus. The parts used are igubal spherical bearings with flange and without flange, plain bearings and thrust washers made of iglidur J and iglidur G as well as drylin NS miniature guide rails. Thanks to the incorporated solid lubricants, the components are maintenance-free, lightweight, low-vibration, quiet and smooth. By dispensing with external lubricants, they do not attract dirt, which would lead to faster wear. They also impress in terms of UV and corrosion resistance.