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Odysseus gimbal by Hikade: Precise stabilisation and tracking for versatile applications

Innovative two-axis positioning device with iglidur® PRT slewing ring bearings for a robust design for environmental monitoring, disaster management and telecommunications
The Czech company Hikade has developed a new solution for precise positioning and stabilisation with its Odysseus gimbal. The gimbal is supported by the lubrication-free, maintenance-free, lightweight, robust and quiet iglidur® PRT slewing ring bearings. These bearings ensure a long service life and withstand extreme conditions, including corrosion and various weather conditions. The Odysseus gimbal is highly customisable and sets new standards for precision and stability in various applications. The gimbal is therefore suitable for helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft or even maritime and ground-based applications.

Other application examples include aerial photography or thermal imaging, as a light source or for target acquisition.
 
The Odysseus gimbal was exhibited at EUROSATORY 2022 in Paris. There it was equipped with a beam light searchlight (CRYTUR).

Profile

  • What was needed: A lightweight and cost-effective device for 360-degree movement.
  • Requirements: Smooth movement, durability over the entire required temperature range and vibration resistance. The bearing must be suitable for use in any configuration, e.g. sea, ground or aerospace.
  • Industry: Camera and film technology
Gimbal

Problem

The challenge for Hikade was the precise integration of a slewing ring bearing into the Odysseus gimbal, as this forms the core element of stability. Adapting the gimbal to different customer requirements and ensuring reliable performance under variable weather conditions was also challenging. The complexity of two-axis motion control and the precise alignment required for earth observation and data connectivity also presented a technical hurdle.

Solution

The solution for Hikade was to use the iglidur® PRT slewing ring bearing for the Odysseus gimbal. The PRT slewing ring bearing offers a lubrication-free, maintenance-free design that ensures long-term operation and robustness in a wide range of weather conditions. The lightweight design of the bearing fits the gimbal application perfectly, while the silence allows for precise alignment. These unique specifications of the iglidur® PRT offer the ideal solution to overcome the challenges of stabilisation, adaptability and precision of the Odysseus gimbal.

Products used

Further application images

Hikade gimbal
Hikade gimbal
Hikade gimbal
Hikade gimbal
Hikade gimbal
Hikade gimbal

Our users benefit from these specifications

iglidur PRT is a lightweight material

Lightweight
Due to sliding elements made of plastic and even lighter with aluminium housing.

PRT slewing ring bearings are insensitive to dirt

Quiet
No noise from metallic friction or balls.

iglidur PRT is corrosion-resistant

Robust
Polymer sliding elements are insensitive to dirt and moisture.

Successfully in use with our customers

Camera rotary table with PRT slewing ring

Compact slewing ring bearing for 360° product holders
For the bearing and drive of the rotary disc, a solution was sought that was as light and compact as possible and required only a few components. A high mechanical load capacity and low speed were also required. The choice fell on lightweight and vibration-dampening iglidur® PRT slewing ring bearings.

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Camera carriage from Rail & Tracking Systems

Robust energy chains for high-speed camera carriages
The Trackrunner from Rail & Tracking Systems is a professional camera carriage for fast movements that is used in sports competitions and TV shows. To guide the cables safely, the company relies on energy chains from the E6 series, which can easily cope with the high accelerations even in outdoor areas at high temperatures.

Learn more about this application
Customer stage technology applications

... and more success stories
We have helped many customers to improve the movement of their film and camera technology. Take a look at other customer projects in which our lightweight and robust energy chain systems, lubrication-free linear guides, slewing ring bearings and plain bushings are used: in large and small camera carriages, camera robots, rotary discs, jibs and focus adjustment systems for large format cameras.

Discover more customer projects

Tested in the industry's largest test laboratory

igus test laboratory

We carry out tests so that you don't have to. Find out how our products are tested in the industry's largest test laboratory. In addition to standard tests, we also carry out individual customer tests. Our facilities for testing applications and materials cover a total of 3,800m².

Find out more about the test laboratory

Frequently asked questions - slewing ring bearing FAQ

FAQ

Electrically conductive? Suitable for contact with food? What is the maximum load capacity? You can find answers to these and other questions in our slewing ring bearing FAQ. Here, we have compiled the most frequently asked questions about our iglidur PRT slewing ring bearings for you.

Go to slewing ring bearing FAQ

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