Maintenance-free plain bearings for 1,028 sun-protection slats in the E.ON technical centre

Profile

• What was needed: iglidur J plastic bearings
• Requirements: The bearing points were to be corrosion-resistant and long-lasting. The slats were to be easy to adjust, and the system was to require no maintenance.
• Industry: facade technology
• Success for the customer: Thanks to the incorporated solid lubricants in the iglidur plain bearing material, no maintenance is required, and the slats are adjusted almost silently.

The E.ON technical centre has a great new look. The outer facade boasts 1,028 slats that serve as sun protection for the building.

Problem

To ensure sun protection, a total of 1,026 new slats were installed in the E.ON technical centre in Salzgitter, Germany. The architecturally sophisticated double facade also keeps heat inside the building, contributing to energy conservation. That is why the system is also used in many private and public buildings. The individual slats made of expanded metal are positioned vertically and driven electrically. With an angle of inclination of about 50°, they offer optimum sun protection with a good view of the outside. To implement the complex facade, a solution for slat bearing support at the pivot point was needed. Since the system is exposed to wind and weather, the bearing points had to be corrosion-resistant and durable. They were also to allow easy slat adjustment and require no maintenance. Another consideration was that the more weight to be held or moved, the larger and stronger the construction behind it must be.

Solution

Two plain bearings per slat from the iglidur J plastic bearing product range were installed in the sun-protection facade to adjust the design almost silently over the long term. The bearings can do this because of the incorporated solid lubricants in the plain bearings' iglidur material, which consistently ensures the correct sliding and friction properties for the products. The operator incurs no maintenance or repair costs, since no external grease or lubricants must be added, and system function is always guaranteed.
The very good coefficients of friction allow the slats to adjust smoothly and without jerking in the relatively small amount of installation space they take up. Due to sporadic slat adjustment, no maintenance interval is currently required.

The vertical slats allow an angle of inclination of 50°. iglidur J plain bearings allow entirely lubrication-free, maintenance-free movement.