igus Inc. is set to announce the winners of its "manus" plastics-bearing competition Monday, February 23, at 2 pm in room S101B at McCormick Place.

Engineers in an array of industries, from sporting goods to welding and furniture manufacturing, have submitted entries. Says Tom Miller, bearing business unit manager for igus, "we've received entries from organizations that have created their own bearings and others who have uncovered whole new applications we never even dreamed of. The choice will be a difficult one."

igus announced the contest October 20, 2003 in an effort to promote awareness of the benefits of plastic bearings and to highlight new ways of using them. The company named the competition "Manus," which, says Miller, means courage and initiative.

There will be three winners announced Monday, and they will receive, respectively, cash prizes of $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000. They'll also get statues and certificates of recognition.

Contest judges include: David Roylance, associate professor of materials engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Dr. Donna Meyer, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and applied materials at the University of Rhode Island; Miller, of igus; and Paul E. Teague, national editor of Design News.