Low friction coatings tech news
On September 7, 2026, RoboGlide Systems announced the commercial launch of "FlexiJoint Lube--X," a permanent low--friction dry--film coating specifically engineered for the articulated joints of collaborative robots (cobots). The technology utilizes a polymer--ceramic hybrid matrix that achieves a stable friction coefficient of 0.05 without the need for traditional grease or oil. By eliminating liquid lubricants, the coating prevents contamination in sensitive environments such as semiconductor cleanrooms and pharmaceutical labs. The company claims the coating extends the mean time between failures (MTBF) for robotic actuators by 35% and reduces energy consumption during high--frequency repetitive tasks.