igus Inc. announced the availability of the company’s first linear actuator. The new DryLin ZLW is a lightweight, toothed-belt linear drive equipped with a hard-anodized aluminum profile, a DryLin W compact linear guide and iglide plastic sliding elements.

DryLin ZLW is available in two configurations: ZLW 01 for zero maintenance, absolutely no external lubrication and a lightweight, cost-effective design; and ZLW 02 designed for applications requiring high speeds. A compact miniature version of DryLin ZLW 01, which only weighs 2 pounds per every 3 feet, is also available. All designs are equipped with the following components:

* Hard-anodized aluminum profile;

* A DryLin W, single-profile compact linear guide system with round shafts;

* Plastic sliding elements made of iglide J high-performance plastic; and

* Plastic end blocks.

DryLin ZLW 01 is equipped entirely with plain plastic bearings. In addition to the iglide J sliding elements, iglide L250 radial bearings and iglide J thrust washers are used in the pulley mechanism in the end blocks. The design eliminates the need for any oil or grease, as all iglide plastics self-lubricate with a dry lubricant. DryLin ZLW 02 is designed for high-speed applications, up to 20 feet per second. Both series are designed to be lightweight, quiet and economical, adding to the list of benefits for customers.

Matt Mowry, DryLin product manager for igus says, "It combines the maintenance-free, lightweight and lubrication-free features of iglide plastic bearings with the speed and compactness of DryLin W linear guide systems, enabling the mechanism to deliver superior, worry-free performance. Customers now have the opportunity to use this cutting-edge linear actuator for a variety of applications in packaging, material handling and many others."