The switch from traditional metal gearboxes to screw jacks made of high-performance plastic from the drygear Apiro series promises several advantages: reduced costs, lightweight design, and no need for lubricants. However, many designers have not yet been able to make the switch because the operating environments were too harsh and demanding. With the drygear Apiro HD, igus is now introducing a hybrid solution that closes this very gap. The worm gear is still made of lubrication-free tribopolymers. A zinc die-casting housing ensures the necessary robustness.
There are some simple positioning tasks where metal gearboxes are oversized, too heavy, require too much maintenance, and are often too expensive. One alternative here is the Apiro modular gearbox system from igus. Using its joints, drive units, and gearboxes—which are largely made of high-performance plastics—design engineers can build lightweight, cost-effective, and lubrication-free automation solutions, such as simple pusher systems in material handling or format adjustments in the beverage and food industries. “However, we have frequently received feedback from interested designers that they fear the gearboxes could be damaged in more demanding applications, for example by impacts from the conveyed material,” says Steffen Schack, Head of Sales for drygear Gear and Gearbox Technology at igus. “We have therefore manufactured a zinc die-casting housing for a frequently used model, the Apiro screw jack, so that it is now also suitable for harsher environmental conditions.”
Load capacity up to 70 kg
Thanks to the new die-cast zinc housing, the gearbox’s load capacity has increased. The stiffer housing material allows for a static load of up to 70 kg and a dynamic load of up to 25 kg. “With the new housing, we are responding to the increased demands in format adjustment and thus ensuring functionality even against mechanical shocks,” says Dr. Judith Merz, Head of the drygear Gear and Gearbox Technology Business Unit at igus. Zinc die-casting is also more cost-effective to manufacture than aluminum or steel. The material impresses with its high strength and corrosion-free properties. Thanks to its low melting point, zinc is very easy to process and enables particularly precise, dimensionally accurate manufacturing. This reduces both energy consumption and the effort required for post-processing. Inside this hybrid version, the plastic worm gear with a 4:1 gear ratio continues to operate, ensuring that the system remains lubrication- and maintenance-free. “We have thus created a hybrid that is particularly robust and economical at the same time,” summarizes Dr. Judith Merz.
Learn more about the Apiro HD at: drygear® Apiro® heavy-duty