IGUS RJ4JP-01-07

thingiverse

I'm working with Igus linear bearings for 7mm shafts. There's a mystery surrounding their unavailability (at least to me) - none are available for 7mm shafts, which happen to be of top-notch quality, sourced from high-end laser printer cartridges. I plan to use these shafts in my own 3D printer build, but in the absence of factory-made bearings, I'm forced to think on my feet. I began by modifying the dimensions of the 8mm version, adjusting the internal features to accommodate the 7mm shaft. There are two versions: the AN version has radial walls with a 5.4-degree angle (lines intersect at the center point), while the SQ version follows Igus' original design with square air gaps (parallel walls). Despite some slight differences between the final prints, I'm still unsure which one is better. So far, it seems that the SQ version is slightly looser than the AN when printed with identical dimensions. I've only tested these pieces by hand so far, and they're working well. One interesting observation on the AN test piece, printed in PLA, is that if I leave it alone for a while, it sticks to the rod, but once I start moving it, after a few movements, this stickiness disappears and it slides perfectly without any play! It's almost as if it has self-healing properties. As for material, I've printed them in PLA so far, and it seems fine. Maybe I'll try sourcing filament from Igus later on to compare the results.