Jury of experts recognises the cost-effective use of polymer plain bearings in machines, systems and vehicles

Design engineers from all over the world can now apply for the igus manus award 2027. A jury of experts awards prizes to applications in which lubrication-free polymer plain bearings from igus increase cost-effectiveness and improve the environmental footprint. The winners can win prize money of up to €5,000. The competition will take place for the 13th time in 2027. During the last competition in 2025, more than 600 users submitted their projects.

With the manus award, igus highlights applications that combine cost-effectiveness with sustainability. Many lubricants require a lot of resources and energy to manufacture. Furthermore, they can end up in the environment and must be disposed of properly at the end of their life cycle. These disadvantages do not apply to our lubrication-free polymer plain bearings,” says Tobias Vogel, CEO of Plain Bearings and Linear Technology at igus and a member of the manus jury. At the same time, polymer bearings offer significant economic benefits. In many businesses, the purchase of lubricants and regular lubrication work incur high costs. In a study carried out in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University, igus was able to demonstrate that, depending on the application, the use of its polymer bearings can result in annual savings of between €7,000 and €14 million in lubricant costs. Although plastic bearings play a key role in numerous machines and systems, they rarely take centre stage. To highlight innovative applications, igus has been presenting the manus award since 2003. The competition recognises the world’s best solutions using polymer plain bearings.

Record turnout in 2025

The manus award has now become established internationally. In 2025, there was a record number of entries with over 600 submissions. “This interest shows just how attractive and relevant the switch from metal to polymer bearings has become,” says Vogel. “For us, the submissions are a kind of mirror, enabling us to continuously improve plain bearings made from high-performance plastics and adapt them to industry-specific requirements. That way, we can move closer to our vision of a lubrication-free future.” Prechtl Tech Solutions won the manus award in 2025. The company uses polymer plain bearings to make a mobile surgical microscope more robust and reduce its maintenance for countries lacking in infrastructure. Other winners included a solar power plant, an AI-powered hoe and a bicycle trailer for delivering parcels.

We’re looking for new prize winners!

All applications featuring plain bearings, linear plain bearings and spherical bearings made from solid plastic or plastic compounds are eligible for the manus award. A further condition is that at least one functional version of the device must be available. The jury consists of representatives from academia, industry and the specialist media. Their main focus is the assessment of the technical benefits as well as the environmental and economic advantages of the plastic bearings in use. Once the application period closes on 12th February 2027, four prizes, each worth up to €5,000, will be awarded: the gold, silver and bronze manus awards as well as the green manus award for the most sustainable application. The award ceremony will take place in the winning countries.