Online version of last year’s manus First North American Plastic Bearing Design Contest offers contestants another chance to tout their plastic bearing success story

East Providence, RI -- Igus®Inc., the leading developer of iglide® plastic bearings, has announced the launch of the Mini manus Online Plastic Bearing Design Contest. The contest follows on the company’s manus First North American Plastic Bearing Design Contest held last year. Manus was such a hit among the plastic bearing design community the company decided to create a quarterly online version.

Manus was developed to uncover applications using plastic bearings in new and challenging ways to achieve superior technical and economical performance. It also aims to educate the industry on the merits of plastic as a viable material for use in machinery components and to showcase the multitude of ways plastic bearings can support the most complex, or the simplest applications—and every kind in between.

Applications may be submitted until September 30, 2005. Three cash prizes, $500, $250 and $100, will be awarded along with a certificate of recognition. Any organization optimizing plastic plain bearings in new or existing applications may enter. Bearings must be all-plastic or plastic compound. Plastic-coated bearings will not be considered. Winners will be announced via the Mini manus Web site, www.igus.com/mini_manus_contest.asp, in early July.

Entering the contest is easier than ever. Interested parties should visit the Web site and fill out the online submission form. Participants are required to provide a description of how they are using plastic bearings, which bearing they are using and pictures of the product or working prototype. Contestants should also detail what benefits, such as technical advancements, cost savings or increased life span, resulted from using plastic bearings.

Other manus contests have been held across the globe, including the original manus contest held in Germany. Please visit http://www.manus-wettbewerb.de to learn more about the latest German contest and http://www.manus-igus.co.uk/ for information on manus UK. Visit www.manus.igus.com to view the winners of the 2004 North American manus contest.

About Igus