Igus, a German manufacturer of plastic components for industrial handling, has announced the winners of the 10th Manus Award, the biennial competition that recognizes the most original and innovative applications using plastic bearings.
Igus develops and manufactures these high-performance, lubrication-free polymer bearings that improve technology and reduce costs wherever there are moving parts.

The winners: four innovative projects

Plastic bearings play a vital role within the machine on which they are installed: they are durable, lightweight and economical, run dry and are maintenance-free. This year, 582 entries from 41 countries took part in the Igus competition. The jury, made up of professionals from the world of research and industry, selected four different competitors, four innovative projects that stood out for their use of lubrication-free polymer bearings.
The PowerBully tracked vehicle from Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG won the golden manus trophy and a prize of 5,000 euros. Silver went to a special battery-operated radio-controlled felling wedge. Winning bronze was a sunbreaker system that works with a shape memory alloy.
This year, for the first time, there was a “manus green“ award, a prize reserved for applicants who used plastic bearings for particularly sustainable projects. The award went to a solar-powered smart trash can made in Finland.