igus reaches $1B in sales and continues innovation, global expansion

The whole igus school in Fragrance, where it looks into, generates, and examinations, currently covers around 218,000 sq. m (2.3 million sq. ft.). Resource: igus GmbH

From activity plastics to humanoid robotics, igus GmbH has actually remained to introduce. Regardless of financial restraints and geopolitical stress, the Fragrance, Germany-based firm the other day introduced that it made EUR1.105 billion ($ 1.19 billion united state) in sales in 2015. It is supplying a document variety of 277 brand-new lubrication-free activity plastics items for 2025.

” The transforming political and financial problems really did not leave us totally untouched,” recognized Tobias Vogel, chief executive officer for simple bearings and direct innovation at igus. “Like most of our clients, we are additionally concentrating on cost savings and enhanced effectiveness, e.g. via enhanced automation in our manufacturing facility.”

” Nevertheless, our emphasis is constantly on the inquiry: What remains in it for the consumer?” he included. “These difficulties are an also higher reward for us to damage brand-new ground and verify our ingenious toughness ‘made in Germany’ to strengthen both our competition which of our clients.”

While the VDMA Robotics + Automation Organization has expressed concern that the German robotics sector has actually shed competition, igus has actually enhanced the variety of energetic clients by 5%. The firm reported a reasonably modest decrease in turn over of 2.5%.

Established In 1964, igus establishes and generates activity plastics, which are lubrication-free, high-performance polymers. The family-run company stated it is the worldwide market leader in power materials, versatile cable televisions, and simple and direct bearings, in addition to lead screw innovation made from tribo-polymers. It uses 5,200 individuals around the world and has united state centers in Rumford, R.I.

Inexpensive Automation addresses extra applications

” There is still lots of possibility for technology in German sector,” stated igus, which mentioned its Low-Cost Automation advancement job as an instance. Its RBTX on-line industry consists of arrangement devices, complimentary consulting and application screening, and countless items for lean robotics applications.

” We provide over 200,000 components for automation,” kept in mind Alexander Mühlens, vice head of state and head of the Low-Cost Automation company system at igus. “There are a lot of monotonous work, also inside igus.”

Applications ideal for automation, also at igus, consist of palletizing and bringing components to molding and exploration makers, he informed The Robot Report throughout the firm’s springtime media telephone call.

” We’re beginning with AMRs for within and outdoors applications,” stated Mühlens.

Additionally, igus supplies assist with incorporating all the innovations it supplies. “Robotics customers require to incorporate electronic cameras with robotics,” he stated. “Our response is the Robotic Control software program, that makes it very easy to incorporate electronic cameras with our SCARA robot and ReBeL cobots.”

While regarding 30% of igus’ collaborative robot arms are utilized in education and learning, 70% remain in commercial applications such as quality assurance, pick-and-place procedures, exploration, CNC maker having a tendency, gluing, and printing, Mühlens stated.

At the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo, which will certainly get on April 30 and May 1 in Boston, igus will certainly demonstrate the complying with innovations at Cubicle 221 on the program flooring:

• The “axis” on-line area for the sector
• The ReBeL EduMove mobile manipulator utilizing open-source software program for education and learning and research study
• The igus Robot Control software program

Jan Hennecke, Low-Cost Automation item supervisor at igus, will certainly offer a session on “Exactly how to Obtain Your Very First Robotic Into the Manufacturing Facility” on Wednesday, April 30.

Register now so you don’t miss out!

igus is developing its very first humanoid

The firm is establishing its very first humanoid robotic made from high-performance plastic, specifically for its relocating components. The system is based upon igus’ ReBeL Relocate rolled mobile robot, and ReBeL light-weight cobot arms.

” It can be utilized flexibly and from any type of place at various workstations– with a roi [ROI] of much less than one year,” the firm insisted.

When it comes to target audience for its humanoid, igus is open to consumer responses, Mühlens stated. Instance applications consist of welcoming clients and some insertion and setting up jobs in manufacturing facilities.

” In regards to threat evaluations, humanoids are simpler to begin with in manufacturing plants than in dining establishments,” stated Mühlens, that included that the robotic will certainly be made for risk-free human-machine communication.

” Humanoids are the future in a globe made for human beings,” he stated. “We’ll exist at Hannover Messe 2025.”

According to its slogan, ‘Go Absolutely No Lubrication,’ igus exists 277 plastic technologies this year, from PTFE-free products and a full power chain collection made from recycled products to a humanoid robotic. Resource: igus GmbH

Movement plastics leader aims to enhance sustainability

Along with providing 277 brand-new activity plastics items, igus is remaining to buy the research study, advancement, and manufacturing of ingenious innovations. The firm stated it is generating a variation of its igludur simple bearings devoid of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon) at comparable cost factors and efficiency to conventional bearings.

igus is transforming its whole E2.1 collection of power chains to recycled product from old angling webs and power chains that it reuses as component of its Chainge program. It asserted that this will certainly decrease the carbon monoxide ₂ impact by 80%.

The firm stated it has actually gotten to 92% towards its target of being carbon monoxide ₂– neutral with its structures and manufacturing by the end of 2025, gauged versus Scopes 1 and 2.

” We require to end up being also much better in this field and are working with countless sustainability steps, from the brand-new multi-story parking area with full exterior greening to the innovation of our existing structures … with photovoltaic or pv systems to the growth of our MHRS system for home heating with waste warm from makers,” clarified Michael Blass, chief executive officer of e-chain systems at igus.

The firm additionally introduced the igus Mobile Coast Power Electrical Outlet (iMSPO) for the coast power supply of container and cruise liner. The system is currently in operation in ports such as Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Singapore.

With Fraunhofer IPA, igus has actually established a brand-new certification that verifies the cleanroom viability of its e-chains in lasting examinations. They can stand up to over 15 million dual strokes with marginal and constant bit discharges, which is essential in battery manufacturing.

With its focus on regulating expenses for clients, igus is supplying the brand-new G4.42 power chain for straightforward sliding applications such as on interior cranes with traveling ranges of approximately 30 m (98.4 ft.). Many thanks to the G4.42’s maximized layout, it is not just 12 to 25% lighter, yet additionally 30% to 40% even more affordable than conventional chains of the very same measurements from the E2 and E4 item array, stated igus.

The firm kept in mind that it has actually broadened by developing inner start-ups for systems such as round bearings, robotic drives, 3D printing, and smart “wise plastics” for Market 4.0. It additionally displayed the primarily plastic RCYL bike, which is presently on a world tour to reveal the opportunities of recycled products with igus design.

The igus low-maintenance bike made from recycled plastic is currently on a globe trip. Resource: igus GmbH

igus buys German, worldwide visibility

” In the last 5 years, we have actually spent over EUR350 million [$377.2 million] in Fragrance alone– in land, structures, advanced makers, software program, brand-new items, individuals and advertising and marketing,” stated Vogel.

With last month’s acquisition of elko Verbindungstechnik, which generates cable televisions and plug-in adapters utilized in maker devices and the automobile sector, igus is developing its setting up capability in southerly Germany. At its Fragrance head office, igus is purchasing automation such as specifically established and patented kink towers and automated led cars (AGVs) in its manufacturing facility structures.

The firm has actually additionally broadened its manufacturing hall and examination lab in Germany, in addition to in its branches in Shanghai, China, and Bangalore, India.

” The consumer goes to the facility of all our tasks,” stated Blass. “After presenting shot molding in the united state, we’re currently additionally establishing on-site lead screw manufacturing and have actually opened our very own RBTX consumer screening location for affordable robotics.”

” This implies that 10 nations currently have their very own consumer examination locations to ensure that customers can promptly and conveniently locate their specific Low-Cost Automation service on website,” he stated. “3 of these places– U.S.A., China, Brazil– will certainly be broadened right into local centers, to ensure that manufacturing and advancement will certainly additionally be progressively local. We are additionally purchasing the growth of branches in various other nations such as Japan, Spain, Taiwan and Poland.”

The message igus reaches $1B in sales and continues innovation, global expansion showed up initially on The Robot Report.