Wanted: applications with plastic plain bearings – igus launches application phase for the manus award 2025. 12th edition of the competition for the use of polymer plain bearings focusses on cost savings and sustainability.
The time has come again: engineers from all over the world are invited to apply for the 12th manus award 2025. For 21 years, igus has been honouring applications that are characterised by the creative, bold and sustainable use of plastic plain bearings. The winners will receive prize money of up to €5,000.
manus award 2025: 12th competition for plastic bearing applications
The pressure on engineers in their day-to-day work is constantly increasing. It’s all about cost efficiency and continuously improving products’ carbon footprints. One thing that can help is to dispense with lubricants. “In a recent study with RWTH Aachen University, we were able to prove for the first time how successfully lubrication-free plastic bearings master both challenges compared to conventional lubricated metal bearings,” says Tobias Vogel, CEO Plain Bearings & Linear Technology at igus. Polymer plain bearings with integrated solid lubricants make it possible to improve the environmental balance and economic efficiency of products and eliminate the risk of pollution. “With the 12th manus award, we are therefore particularly interested in finding out how companies around the world manage to dispense with traditional metal plain bearings. Where were polymer plain bearings able to technically improve the application? And what were the ecological and economic effects?” says Vogel.
Independent jury honours courage and creativity
Engineers can now apply for the 12th manus award. All applications with plain bearings, linear plain bearings and spherical plain bearings made of solid plastic or plastic compounds are accepted. At least one functional version of the device must be available, in which the technical benefits as well as the ecological and economic advantages of the plastic bearings can be recognised. The winners are chosen by an independent jury of experts from research, trade press and industry. The judges place particular emphasis on courage and creativity, which can lead to high ratings.
The winners will receive prize money of up to €5,000. The deadline for entries is 17th January 2025.
Terms and conditions, the application form and an overview of previous winners can be found at www.igus.eu/manus.