A look behind the scenes of Hollywood films almost always shows a floor track on which large camera dollies travel. But what has worked for cinema films for decades is inappropriate for live broadcasts of concerts and sporting events - the view of the audience in the concert hall or stadium would be restricted. Blackcam, a Berlin-based company, is therefore developing a new solution: compact, remote-controlled trolleys that move the camera along narrow tracks. These guided tours are becoming increasingly popular in the entertainment industry.

Accordingly, Ferenc Tiefenbach, engineer at Blackcam, is often on the road with exhibits at trade fairs. The engineer was recently shocked at Düsseldorf airport when he discovered a defective plain bearing on the prototype of a new movement system for soccer matches. There was no spare part in his luggage. So what to do? Tiefenbach called in the 3D printing service from Igus. The motion plastics specialist uses high-performance plastics to produce small batches and one-offs using industrial 3D printers within a very short space of time.

Ready for collection in just a few hours
Upload the CAD model of the component to the Igus website, select the printing material and order immediately. The material is usually dispatched within 24 hours. "In my urgent case, I was able to pick up the stock just a few hours after receiving the order," says Tiefenbach, who is delighted with the service. This meant that the exhibit was ready for use again at the trade fair. "It's remarkable that Igus is able to produce a single component so quickly despite the size of the company." The costs were also manageable. It cost 96 euros to produce the component.

Igus uses the material Iglidur I180, among others, for 3D printing. This high-performance plastic scores points for its high abrasion resistance. Its superiority over classic filament made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) was demonstrated in the Igus test laboratory: bearings moved on a 0.37-metre-long, hard-anodized aluminium shaft at a speed of 0.34 meters per second and a surface pressure of 0.11 MPa. The result: the 3D-printed bearing made of ABS showed a wear rate of 13.3 micrometers per kilometer. The rate for the bearing made from Iglidur I180 was just 0.8 micrometers. The bearings are not only more durable, but also more economical in operation. They enable maintenance-free dry running without lubricating oil. as