University of Minnesota

Students from the University of Minnesota turned a school project into one company’s real-world solution with drylin® R linear bearings. The team developed a chainsaw variation of an Alaskan Mill for cutting large blocks of ice for one of the largest manufacturers of ice statue making equipment.

The company needed a machine that could take a rough blank of ice with only two finished dimensions and make the cut for the final dimension. Each block of ice weighs up to 300 pounds and gives off excessive amounts of moisture, so the team needed components that would not wear or corrode.

drylin® R linear bearings are corrosion-resistant and can handle dirt, dust and heavy loads. The cutting tool incorporated a modified chainsaw mounted on a vertical linear motion system that used four linear bearings and two pieces of drylin® S aluminum shafting. Where traditional ball bearings would have corroded, drylin® R is unaffected by the wet environment.

“The performance of the igus® products was better than anything we had anticipated,” said John Aune, team leader. “The drylin® bearings ensured the customer’s satisfaction with the final prototype.”