3D Printing

New Low-Friction 3D Printing Filament Material for Bearings and Moving Parts

Plastic manufacturer Igus has introduced its new tribological, or low friction, Iglide Tribo-Filament that can be used for custom parts and bearings that traditionally could not be made with a 3D printer.

Tribology is the study of interactive surfaces in motion relative to each other, or the study of the friction caused by two surfaces rubbing together repeatedly. Igus’ Tribo-filament — filament optimised for lubrication free repetitive movement — is reportedly up to fifty times more resistant to abrasion and wear than most other varieties of 3D printing plastic filaments. This tribo-filament was heavily tested by Igus and is, according to the company, the first 3D printing filament specifically created for use with motion control applications.

filament chart 3d printing

Tribo filament allows a greater range of parts available for 3D printing and rapid prototyping applications that may not have been available previously due to the inability of standard 3D printing materials to stand up to the wear caused by repetitive movement and friction. Here’s a quick video showing how the material works:

iglide 3d printer igusWe already know why rapid prototyping works, and why it’s one of the fastest growing segments of the 3D printing industry. Being able to produce workable prototypes in hours rather than days and weeks saves time, money and offers designers more opportunities to tweak their designs and maximize their efficiency. The more 3D printing materials that are available to manufacturers and designers, the greater flexibility available to companies, increasing the number of RP parts. With a material optimized for printing high friction, movable parts, 3D printing prototypes will continue to become more viable for a greater number of applications.

So far there is no North American release date or pricing available for the tribo-plastic filament but you can find out more about it and pre-order it here.