In the igus test laboratory, plain bearings made from the iglidur I3-PL material have been compared with those printed from conventional SLS materials. After pivoting, rotating and linear testing, initial results indicate that the iglidur I3-PL parts are at least three times more wear resistant.
An additional benefit of using the laser sintering is that no support structures are needed. This is because the loose powder, which is not melted by the laser, acts as the supporting material. Thus less finishing work is required on the components and the parts can be used directly.
