In the Spotlight – Sandesh Solanki, Sales Manager, iglidur and C&S, Igus India
EXCON 2022 Special
Showcasing their magic in plastic, Igus India had polymer plain bearings iglidur® TX1, fibre composite plain bearings and plain bearings with felt seals, iglidur® SG03, on display for the discerning customers.
Talking about the upgrades that Igus India showed at EXCON 2022, Sandesh shares details: “Here we have high load bearing applications like fibre composite bearings, iglidur® TX1, which can take 200 MPa static load and 140 MPa dynamic load. These are also lubrication- and maintenance-free. Then we have plain bearings with felt seals, iglidur® SG03, that keep dust and dirt out and increase bearing life by five times. These also do not require lubrication and the same linkage can be worked by replacing with new felt. This can be used in equipment that is installed in industries including construction, agriculture, and automotive.”
Igus India also showcased products used in rolling out heavy-duty hydraulic hoses. He says: “We can increase the life of the hoses by using our new traction system with metal polymer compounds which offer higher strength.”
Advantage Igus India
Igus India products are agnostic to industries. Roughly two million bearings a month are produced and supplied to the Indian automotive industry alone to help EVs, trucks, and trailers besides every other vehicle segment.
Sandesh explains: “We have products that measure one mm in dimension to 150 mm diameter available. We also have new filament wound bearings which we can offer in one meter diameter now. Earlier, lower capacity for polymer bearings for us was 15 kg per mm square but now it is 20 kg.”
Market Trend
He opines: “Previously, customers usually opted for conventional local products but they realized that there was no consistency. Gradually we have seen them upgrading to polymer bearings. The more the people used them, the more they got educated, so the more they found success with polymer bearings. Now they do not hesitate in using our parts – from pedals to suspension. They see the benefits like there is no rattle, no requirement for lubrication, higher life span, and they also get guarantees on quality and performance.”
Igus India supplies to about 1000 applications in the domestic market with more than 400 running projects in the automotive sector. Also, the company uses 125 materials for different industries.
EXCON Highlight
Sandesh and his team are happy to meet customers in person at EXCON after a gap of more than two years.
He shares: “It is heartening to see R&D experts and not just the end users visiting EXCON. They are highly interested in looking at viable options to conventional metal parts that we are offering and most of the customers are already seeking support from us. Also, they are excited that we can deliver any number of pieces – be those five pieces or it can run into hundreds of them to our customers.”
Igus India products are fast replacing conventional metal parts in running equipment and machinery while reducing the usage of pollutants like grease.
And, that is one major reason why the brand hit it off big time with business visitors at EXCON 2022!