Sun protection fins on facades by Arcora wins the 2021 bronze manus® award

The French company Arcora has developed a sun protection façade system using a shape memory alloy. When the alloy heats up, the system is able to set a translation carriage in motion. This carriage transmits the force to the rotating sun protection slats via small connecting rods. This compact system makes it possible to replace standard motorizations in building façades, which are more prone to maintenance and repair, noisier and more susceptible to heat.

For the interfaces between the moving (rotation, translation) and fixed elements, the designers were looking for suitable bearings that could withstand dust, weather influences (in a double-skin façade, the temperature can reach up to 158°F in summer) and humidity fluctuations.

The designers at Arcora have opted for components from igus. They use igubal spherical bearings with and without flange, plain bearings and thrust washers made of iglide J and iglide G material, and drylin NS miniature guide rails. Thanks to the incorporated solid lubricants, the components are maintenance-free, lightweight, low-vibration, quiet and smooth.

By not using external lubricants, they do not attract dirt, which would lead to faster wear. They also score points with their UV resistance and freedom from corrosion.