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Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

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Danielle Collins

How to make linear motion systems cleanroom compatible

January 22, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

linear motion cleanroom

While we often talk about the importance of keeping contamination out of linear motion components such as linear guides and screws, when these systems are used in a cleanroom, the goal is just the opposite — to keep these components from introducing contamination into the environment. What exactly is a cleanroom? According to ISO 14644-1:2015, […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear bearings

How do miniature profiled rail guides compare to their full-size counterparts?

January 14, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

The basic distinction between “standard” and “miniature” profiled rail guides is the width of the guide rail: profiled rails with a width of 15 mm or less — and the carriages that fit on them — are generally considered “miniature” by bearing manufacturers. (However, some manufacturers also produce 15 mm rail guides in standard versions, as we’ll […]

Filed Under: Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear bearings

When is encoder resolution specified in bits, and what does that tell us?

January 7, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Absolute encoders — whether rotary or linear — track the position of an axis by assigning a unique value to each position on the encoder, so that no matter where the axis being measured is located, its exact position can be determined. And because each position is uniquely identified, this holds true even if the […]

Filed Under: Applications, Encoders + sensors (linear) + I/O, FAQs + basics, Featured

The top 10 linear motion articles of 2020

December 28, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

linear motion articles

Suffice it to say, pretty much everything about 2020 has been out of the ordinary, and our recap of the top linear motion articles for this year is no exception. For the first time in recent history, only one (1!) of the top 10 articles is about ball or lead screw technologies — a topic that usually […]

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, Ball + leadscrew driven, Ball + roller guides, Belt + chain driven, Featured, Rack + pinion driven, Rack + pinion sets

What’s the difference between minimum incremental motion (MIM) and resolution?

December 24, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

miniumum incremental motion

When we talk about the positioning capabilities of a linear motion system, we typically talk about accuracy and repeatability, and in some applications — especially those driven by stepper motors — we may also be concerned with resolution. But accuracy and repeatability define a system’s ability to reach its commanded position and to do so over […]

Filed Under: Applications, Encoders + sensors (linear) + I/O, FAQs + basics, Featured, Mini + piezo + voice coil

Linear bearing seals: Types, options, and applications

December 15, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Seals for recirculating linear bearings serve two functions — keeping contamination out and keeping lubrication in — to ensure the system operates properly without premature wear or failure. Because sealing is so critical to linear bearing systems, manufacturers offer a variety of sealing designs and materials to meet a wide range of applications and environments. […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured

Ball screw seals: Types, options, and applications

December 10, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Ball screws are used in a wide range of applications, many of which expose the screw and nut assembly to harmful contamination in the form of dust, chips, or liquids. And like any bearing that uses metal balls (or rollers) on metal raceways, ball screws can experience abrasive wear when exposed to solid contaminants, while […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, FAQs + basics, Featured

Belt driven actuators for a wide range of applications

December 4, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Belt driven actuators are the workhorses of the electromechanical world, offering longer stroke lengths and faster speed capabilities than screw driven designs, with less inertia and better resistance to contamination than rack and pinion drives. And although linear motors boast better positioning accuracy than belts, the price-performance ratio of a belt driven actuator is difficult […]

Filed Under: Belt + chain driven, FAQs + basics, Featured

How to size a spline shaft: Shaft strength in bending and torsion

November 18, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Choosing a shaft for a traditional linear ball bushing is relatively easy — choose the appropriate diameter, material, and hardness, check the dimensional accuracies and tolerances, and if the shaft is unsupported, perform a beam deflection calculation. But because spline shafts can withstand both radial and torque loads, it’s important to ensure the shaft strength […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear bearings

How to calculate bearing life for a ball spline

November 15, 2020 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

  A ball spline is much like a linear ball bushing and shaft, but with axial grooves along the outer diameter of the shaft and the inner diameter of the nut. These grooves prevent rotation of the bearing (referred to as a spline nut) and allow the ball spline to transmit torque. Because a ball […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured

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