International Award For Plain Bearing Applications Goes Into The 8th Round

Whether in water, on land or in the air - there is hardly an area in which polymer plain bearings are not used. They save weight in solar planes, protect them from corrosion in wave power plants, ensure smooth running on the road and are cheaper and more durable than comparable metallic solutions. The Manus Award takes place for the eighth time to show what potential there is in plastic storage technology. The joint initiative of Igus, the Institute for Composites, the Industrial Indicator and the Technical University of Cologne distinguishes plastic plain bearing applications that are characterized by technical and economic efficiency as well as the creativity of the developer. “The word 'manus' comes from the Latin and means hand. That should be the energy in warehouse technology,symbolize new paths,”explains Gerhard Baus, authorized officer for plain bearings at Igus GmbH.

Hannover fair 2015

Igus awards Manus 2015

The 467 entrants at the last award in 2015 also did so. They showed the variety of possible uses for plastic plain bearings, from prototypes to series production: spherical bearings in a handlebarless bicycle from Italy, linear bearings in a French machine for cake decoration or plain bearings in a Canadian aquarium cleaning robot. In the end, an ear surgery system from Leibniz Universität Hannover won the golden manus. The system is used to treat inner ear deafness and severe hearing loss.

Award ceremony at the Hannover Messe 2017

The independent jury will decide the winners in February 2017. Until then, participants can apply online with a short text as well as pictures and videos of their application. The prerequisite is that there is at least one built prototype of the application presented. The award ceremony will take place at the Hanover fair 2017 at the Igus stand. The winners of the competition will receive prize money of up to 5000 euros. (kj)