64 percent weight saved with world's first polymer telescopic guide from igus

New economical drylin telescopic rail made by injection molding ensures easy extension

The world's first polymer telescopic rail from igus shows what 100% plastic can do. It is lightweight, easy to assemble and economical thanks to injection molding. It allows easy extension and adjustment of drawers, seats and headrests, among other things. For this, igus relies entirely on its durable and wear-resistant, high-quality polymers. Because it is available in three colors, the new drylin rail also visually adapts to the respective environment.

In aircraft, cars, trains or in furniture construction, it is not only the long service life of the components that is important, but above all the low weight and quick assembly. This is why igus has now developed a telescopic guide made entirely of high-quality polymers. With the drylin NT series, igus already successfully has telescopic guides made of aluminum and polymer, which slide smoothly and evenly thanks to the use of tribologically optimized high-performance polymers, in its program. However, every gram counts in seat adjustments or drawers in airplanes and cars. "This is why we have now developed the first telescopic guide made entirely of high-performance polymer. Compared to the drylin NT-35 telescopic rail, it is 64 percent lighter, at the same extension length," explains Stefan Niermann, drylin Drive Technology Division Manager. "If we replaced the metal rails in six drawers each of 10 kitchen containers with our new telescopic rails on board an aircraft, the weight would be reduced by 11 kg, which would mean a saving of 33 tons of fuel for an Airbus A340-400 over a 20-year period of use." Another advantage of the new polymer guidance system: no roller balls are used. External lubricants are not needed. The corrosion-resistant guides are therefore also suitable for use in hygienic areas such as packaging or medical technology.

The right solution for every application

The new polymer telescopic rail has a length of 150 mm and can be extended another 150 mm. Thanks to a snap-on hook system, the guide can be quickly and intuitively assembled and is ready for installation. The drylin polymer telescopic rail is available in white, light gray and dark gray so that it can be matched in appearance to the respective environment. Other colors and extension lengths are available upon request. In addition to the new polymer telescopic rail, igus offers its drylin NT telescopic rails with widths of 35 and 60 mm for higher loads. They allow continuous extension of up to 1200 or 2000 mm. For the drylin NT telescopic rails, igus relies on guide rails made of hard anodized aluminum, which have high rigidity.