Manufacturer of motion plastics igus® produces a range of engineering products that includes energy chains for moving cables or hoses, and a range of zero-lubrication plain bearings and slides.
Based in Northampton’s Brackmills Industrial Estate, igus® has thousands of products, all designed to eliminate customer pain points. igus® aims to ‘improve what moves’ providing a variety of solutions to applications across a wealth of industries.
With its parent company located in Cologne, Germany, igus® UK is no stranger to long-distance communication and has adopted a largely digital approach to working.
Although communicating across multiple igus® subsidiaries via Teams, the need for in-person communication, particularly with customers, is still crucial and so igus® has made its site in Northampton readily available for interested parties to visit and experience the world of motion plastics for themselves.
igus® can offer short, product-focussed visits or more extensive tours, encompassing a visit to the factory, its Low-Cost Automation (LCA) customer test area, and the iguverse®: a virtual reality experience. The tour can be tailored to customer interests and pain points to make the most of the visit and provide real solutions to their problems.
Taking a tour around the factory gives customers the opportunity to see how igus® operates at its core. From newly installed Kardex machines that provide automated storage and retrieval of products to link-by-link assembly of cable management systems, customers can see employees hard at work on the chain assembly benches, building a variety of orders by hand.
The long travel chain assembly station is over 40 metres long, providing a space to build chains over three times the size of the bench itself. The factory has a variety of stations from the on-hand cable store, holding up to 10km of cable, to the quality assurance area from low-cost automation, making sure all the automated products meet the highest standards for igus® customers.
When touring the factory, customers get the chance to manufacture a fully harnessed cable from scratch, conducting both manual and automated machine line operations so they can witness first-hand the advantages of automation in their cable production process. igus® also provides the chance to conduct testing on newly produced cables – following the standard testing process for 100% of the cables produced at igus® UK – ensuring that products leave the factory exactly as they should, packaged and ready to go.
Meet the team
Customers can meet the Low-Cost Automation specialists and get hands-on with samples from all igus® business units. The opportunity to test before investing means customers can make informed decisions. Automation may seem unattainable for small to medium businesses but igus® offers a cost-effective range of automated solutions to get businesses started with their automation journey.
Visitors can also tailor their experience to their specific requirements and send their samples ahead of time to see their application realised when they visit. igus® wants all visitors to come away from their visit knowledgeable of the many ways igus® can improve their applications. Customers are encouraged to get up close and hands-on with the firm’s many products and are given the opportunity to try programming for themselves. igus® also offers an RBTX demonstration, where specialists can discuss the many benefits of the igus® robotic systems.
Explore the world of virtual reality
Virtual reality has become a popular topic of discussion over the last year, but its uses within manufacturing and engineering are somewhat overlooked. At igus®, sales and engineering come together in virtual reality in the iguverse®, which allows customers to visualise applications in action. Not only does VR simplify product development, but it also allows for faster problem-solving and implementation of changes through digital exploration.
It offers a unique perspective of engineering, otherwise unseen, and the chance to work with digital twins of machines, systems and products without limitations. The immersive experience allows customers to climb an oil rig or put their head into moving applications, actions that would be otherwise impossible. Distance is no longer a barrier either, as customers can join from anywhere in the world to tour the solution-focused rooms, accelerating development.
To explore the future of engineering, contact igus® on 01604 677240 or visit their website
