drylin linear guides in furniture
Ludmilla Dekker | 20. March 2020
Industry meets furniture technology: drylin linear rails for a sliding extension
As part of a machine course at the Cologne Chamber of Trade, aspiring carpenters combine industrial design with Scandinavian charm. The 24 trainees from the Bergisch Gladbach Vocational College were assigned the task of producing a small range of furniture within five days. The trainees designed the furniture independently, and the results were impressive.
This joint project returned a pull-out bedside table and a coffee table with a rotating drawer and a pull-out opening. The pieces are not just eye-catching – their technical realisation also has a certain quality.
Based on years of good experience with igus, and with its linear guide systems in particular, they used pull-out elements from the igus catalogue, Instructor Manuela Abbing relates. Anodised aluminium shafts with lubrication-free drylin linear plain bearings and a drylin NT telescopic rail were selected for the application. The drylin linear guides ensure smooth, maintenance-free movement in furniture.
Opening at the touch of a button
The classic drawer was entirely eliminated from the bedside table, but hidden storage was still included. In addition to a small shelf, the user can open the body of the table by pressing a button. To achieve this, the carpenters used igus linear sliders (two shafts made of hard anodised aluminium) and two linear plain bearings made of tribologically optimised high-performance iglidur J polymer. Aesthetically, the shafts meld optimally with the table’s design. Slides allow easy, smooth, quiet table opening and closing. The quick assembly also impressed second-year trainee Sascha Schmitz.
Quiet gliding and a long pull-out
In making the coffee table, the carpenters implemented two exceptional functions. One is that the table has a rotating drawer that opens and closes with a pressure opener, and the other is that the middle of the table can be opened for additional storage space. Two factors were important for this extension: durability and aesthetics. One student was won over by the drylin NT-35 aluminium telescopic rail. Visually appealing anodised aluminium is used for the telescopic rails and high-performance polymers for the sliding elements. Tribo-polymer ensures that the guide slides smoothly and softly. A further important advantage was the elimination of rollers in favour of polymer sliders, which are pleasantly quiet, and their incorporated solid lubricants keep them completely clean and maintenance-free. Moreover, dust or dirt doesn’t stick to the rails. The rails combine functionality and design in a manner that is ideal for use in furniture.