Originally Published MPMN April 2005

INDUSTRY NEWS

Students say Y.E.S. to Igus

Analee Zelaya

Students with a zest for engineering but not the financial resources to bring their mechanical design ideas and inventions to fruition have a benefactor. Igus Inc. (East Providence, RI; www.igus.com/yesprogram. asp), the developer of energy chain systems, Chainflex cables, and iglide plastic bearings, has established the Young Engineers Support (Y.E.S.) program, which offers free product donations to students involved in design competitions and school projects.

“Igus has long been dedicated to helping students with an inclination towards engineering,” says Carsten Blase, vice president of Igus. “With the Y.E.S. program, we are formalizing that support. We are impressed with the various ways students have already used our products and we are looking forward to the future of the program.”

For example, a team of students and professors at Northwestern University adapted Igus’s DryLin T linear guide system for its wheelchair design. The seating system, which has a patent pending, eases the pain most wheelchair users experience due to prolonged sitting. According to Igus, its product enables the wheelchair to be easily adjusted and used by any body type. The Northwestern designers say that DryLin T made their chair “more comfortable and effective at the same time.”

Additionally, a group of students from the University of Michigan benefited from the Y.E.S. Program in the design of a solar car. The students used the lightweight, thin, and flexible Chainflex 1AWG cables to minimize power loss in the car. The structure of the continuous-flex cables permitted the students “to bend them around corners and fit them into tight places.” The students noted that the Igus equipment was comparable to 2AWG wire.

Igus encourages all scholars to seek participation in Y.E.S., including high school students. The firm also welcomes inquiries from organizations hosting design and robotics competition that are seeking products and sponsors.

Copyright ©2005 Medical Product Manufacturing News