When industrial products function properly but are cumbersome to install or operate, this often leads to unnecessary downtime, operating errors, and additional costs. That is why igus focuses on application-oriented design when developing new products. Three products have now won the prestigious iF Design Award 2026 for this approach: The international jury was impressed by a swivel bearing with an integrated 360-degree angle limiter, split flange bearings that speed up bearing replacement in hard-to-reach areas, and the AI-powered igusGO app, which shows in seconds which igus products can be used to design lubrication-free applications that improve technology while saving costs.
Since 1954, the iF Design Awards have been among the largest and most important design competitions worldwide. This year, an independent jury of 129 leading international design and sustainability experts evaluated over 10,000 submissions from 68 countries. Among the winners of the 2026 iF Design Award in the industrial product design category is the iglidur PRT-04-TS-360 slewing ring bearing from igus. The bearing features a mechanically adjustable rotation stop that enables defined rotation positions of up to 720 degrees instead of the usual 360 degrees. This allows components to be rotated safely and in a controlled manner, for example in machines, automation systems, displays, or camera platforms. Another unique feature of the design: Compared to the previous model, igus has succeeded in making the slewing ring bearing 60 percent lighter, 50 percent more compact, and 20 percent more cost-effective. At the same time, thanks to the use of igus high-performance plastics, the bearing operates lubrication- and maintenance-free, which reduces operating costs.
Save 80 percent on installation time
The split flange bearings made of high-performance plastic from igus’s igubal series also impressed the international jury of the 2026 iF Design Award. They expand the existing portfolio of split bearings in the series and are designed for hard-to-reach bearing locations in machines and systems. The key feature: Thanks to their split design, the bearings can be mounted directly on the shaft without having to remove surrounding components. This results in time savings of up to 80 percent. Users of traditional flanged bearing units can switch to the high-performance plastic alternative without any design modifications. This is because the bore spacing of the bearings is identical. By making the switch, they also save around 80 percent in weight. At the same time, they reduce operating costs, as igubal bearings are also maintenance-free thanks to their lubrication-free design.
Product search with a gamification approach
Which igus components could benefit my application? To answer this question, igus offers, among other things, a product search and live chat on its website, catalogs, and consultation with field sales representatives. With the igusGO app, igus now offers an alternative that saves a tremendous amount of time. It works as follows: Users take a photo of their application, such as a coffee machine or agricultural machinery. The igusGO AI currently recognizes around 1,000 use cases, and the number is growing daily. An AI then analyzes the application and suggests suitable igus components. Users also learn more about previously solved applications on comparable machines and components. Via the link to the igus online shop, they can view information about the respective product and order or inquire about it directly. A key feature of the design is the immersive user experience: The app combines the real-world work environment with a digital analysis, making interaction with the technology particularly intuitive. igusGO is available for free as an app for Android and iOS, as well as a web application—and is already available in multiple languages.