Low-friction and quiet operation

Since PFAS substances could be more strictly regulated in the future, more and more companies in the manufacturing industry are already looking for product solutions that do not contain the controversial group of chemicals. In order to offer customers a safe and transparent solution for telescopic rails, Igus has developed a new variant of the drylin NT-60 - a telescopic rail made of aluminum, the plain bearing material of which does not contain PTFE and around 100 other PFAS compounds.

The sliding elements are used in sizes 35 and now in size 60, in a PTFE-free and PFAS-tested telescopic rail system. It can be extended continuously up to two meters, among other things by manufacturers of vehicles, furniture and medical technology.

At first glance, the drylin NT-60 appears to be identical to the previous variant of the telescopic rail. Three aluminum profiles pushed into one another, a total of just 60 mm wide and 24 mm high, can be extended to a length of up to two meters, for example to pull out a large drawer in a camper or to adjust a shelving system in the living room. It is available as a full extension and as a partial extension. The special feature only becomes apparent in the composition of the material of the sliding elements over which the profiles move. "Our material experts have succeeded in manufacturing the sliding elements from a new type of high-performance plastic called iglidur JGPF, which does not contain polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)," says Michael Hornung, product manager for drylin linear and drive technology at igus. PTFE belongs to the chemical group of so-called per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), which could be more strictly regulated or even completely banned in the future.

Low-friction dry running without PTFE

"The sliding elements made of iglidur JGPF in the NT-60-4 impress with their smooth running and dry running without additional lubricants. The telescopic rails can be extended much more reliably, with less maintenance and more hygienically than classic ball-bearing telescopic extensions - now also without PTFE," says Hornung. The new material has also been tested for around 100 other PFAS compounds, which, according to their own assessments, are most likely to be subject to future restrictions. The new telescopic rail is available immediately. The rail profiles are available in silver or black anodized, and igus offers flat (NTKA-60) and high end caps (NTKB-60) as edge protection. The sizes NT-35 and NT-27 are also available in PTFE-free versions.

Still functional even after 25,000 cycles

With the PTFE-free plain bearing material of the drylin NT-60-4 telescopic rail, igus' material development proves once again that it is possible to do without PFAS without sacrificing technical properties. The experts were able to prove the robustness of the material in the in-house test laboratory. Two telescopic rails from the drylin NT-60 series carried a centric load of 200 N in a vertical installation position. The system was still functional even after 25,000 cycles of opening and closing. "We attach great importance to gradually expanding the drylin linear technology portfolio to include these robust, PTFE-free variants," says Hornung. "In addition to the telescopic rail series, the PTFE-free portfolio also includes drylin W all-plastic slides, flat and pre-tensioned prism slides from the drylin N family, and slides from the drylin T series, where the PTFE-free sliding elements can also be retrofitted to existing systems."