Vertical instead of horizontal: how motion plastics make the agriculture sector more sustainable

Lubricant-free tribo-polymers ensure reliable operation of vertical farming systems

According to the United Nations, the world's population will grow to 9.7 billion people by 2050. In particular, urban populations will increase significantly. Vertical farming is seen as a promising alternative to conventional methods for producing food for the growing number of city dwellers in a reliable and economical way. In these vertical farms, motion plastics from igus already play an important role due to their cost-efficient and reliable operation.

With 7.7 billion people currently living on Earth and the world's population still increasing, food production has become a growing challenge. Added to this is increasing urbanization: more than half of the world's population already lives in cities and metropolitan regions. However, conventional agriculture is only possible to a limited extent, as agricultural land has become scarce. Food must therefore be transported from remote regions to urban centers. One solution to this is so-called vertical agriculture. Different levels in enclosed buildings are used for food production. The goal: to reduce production costs, transportation costs and resulting CO2 emissions. At the same time, the vertical arrangement uses small production sites in urban areas that are ideal for generating the greatest possible agricultural yield in a small area.

High-performance polymers show their strengths

The machines used in vertical farming operate in a highly sensitive environment. igus' motion plastics are ideal for use in this type of food production. This ensures that maintenance is not required and also ensures trouble-free operation in vertical agriculture. Due to the fact that the polymers are lubricant-free, they are FDA compliant, meet the highest hygiene standards and do not contaminate plants, vegetables, salad and fruit. In addition, the tribo-polymers are corrosion-free and low-maintenance as well as resistant to dirt, dust and mud. There is also great potential in terms of concepts for autonomous, fully automated vertical farms. Low cost automation systems enable cost-effective year-round vertical planting, harvesting or packing with a rapid return on investment (ROI).

Vertical agriculture is no longer a dream of the future

Living Greens Farm is known for its vertical farms. The American company's idea is to transform vacant high-rise buildings into vertically oriented farms. These cultivation techniques require special machinery to supply food and irrigate plants. A patented traversing system equipped with igus cable tracks feeds enriched water directly to plant roots. In an empty warehouse in Minneapolis, about 4,000 square feet are used in this way to harvest the same quality of food produced on more than 40 acres of conventional farmland. Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) also uses motion plastics from igus to automate vertical farming. One of the goals of the Growth Towers company, is to make vertical farming more economical by improving productivity, yield, quality and consistency by drastically reducing electricity and labor costs. IGS vertical systems must be reliable, low friction and easy to maintain. igus' drylin linear guide systems meet all requirements and ensure trouble-free system operation. One year after installation of the lubricant-free components, no discernible wear of the bearing shell could be detected on inspection.