Configure and order individual CNC parts online in just three minutes
By Michael Rielly
igus is adding new functions to its online CNC Service 2.0, including live feasibility analysis and service life prediction
October 17, 2023 – Sometimes, things need to happen very quickly. For example, when maintenance of a machine is due, but the required component is not in stock. With the igus online CNC Service 2.0, orders for turned and milled parts made of tribologically optimized high-performance plastics can be processed in just a few minutes.
Sending design drawings by e-mail, waiting for a feasibility assessment, and clarifying issues by telephone all take time and can often be tiring.
“To make it as easy as possible for our customers and to reduce coordination effort, especially in time-critical cases, we launched our online CNC service in October 2020,” says Patrick Schwitalla, iglide® bar stock lean engineer at igus.
“The positive customer feedback motivated us to stay on the ball and develop new functions and an improved user interface for the tool. Now order processing is even faster and more convenient – with just a few clicks”.
The service is already available in Germany and Austria and will be rolled out in other countries later this year.
Automated feasibility and tolerance checks in seconds
Users simply upload a 3D model of their component as a STEP file and immediately receive an automated feasibility analysis with transparent price information. They also receive visual feedback on production-critical issues directly in the tool. This feature is constantly being expanded.
The tool also indicates when it cannot calculate something due to complexity or for manufacturing reasons. Transparency is crucial here. igus offers the option of uploading technical drawings as PDF or image files for automatic checking within seconds. The user receives immediate feedback on tolerances and other information on the drawing. The tool directly highlights infeasible dimensional, geometrical, and positional tolerances on the drawing and suggests corrections.
Transparent, reliable service life prediction
This is the basis for providing reliable pricing information. Depending on the material, quantity, delivery time, and tolerance selection, the price adjusts as the parameters change, ensuring optimum transparency and decision support at all times.
Another feature that will soon be available in the tool is the integrated service life prediction for sliding applications. igus collects data from numerous tests in its in-house laboratory so that the product service life can be calculated quickly and easily. If everything is all right, the components can be added to the igus shopping cart to request a quotation or for direct online ordering. Then, the application can quickly go into production. If the customer opts for express processing, the machined components can be ready to ship in as little as three days.
“The advantage is that customers get everything from one source,” says Schwitalla. “Online tool, diverse material selection, production, individual consultation – it all comes straight from igus. Our all-round service gets customers their special CNC part in a very short time – as conveniently as possible. And the large material variety of self-lubricating, highly wear-resistant plastics means that the right solution can be found for almost any application.”
Production line back in operation on time thanks to online CNC service
It’s a service that has already proven its worth in practice, for example, at Dr. Quendt GmbH, a German company known for its high-quality bakery products, particularly traditional and specialty baked goods.
“We wanted to make efficient use of a short maintenance interval to replace existing PA bearings with iglide bearings,” says Tom Oldach, project engineer at Dr. Quendt GmbH. “The fast quotation calculation and express shipping from the igus online CNC Service enabled us to procure the parts in just a few days and get the production line up and running again on time.”
More information on the igus online CNC Service can be found here: https://www.igus.ca/info/n22-online-cnc-service
