I once overheard a colleague, relatively new to linear motion and eager to be helpful, tell a customer, “H stands for our high-class rail.” While the thought of a “high-class” rail was amusing, technically she was correct. In profiled linear guide terminology, H is the designation for high class … … high accuracy class, that […]
Advanced Features Set New Tiny Linear Encoder Apart
RSF Elektronik has released the MS 15 optical kit style linear encoder with the most advanced features available in the smallest mechanical profile in the industry. Available in North America through parent company HEIDENHAIN Corporation, the MS 15 is suited for motion applications in various industries such as metrology, semiconductor, medical and automation. The MS […]
Can Lead Screws Outperform Ball Screws?
Lead screws are often regarded as the less expensive alternative to ball screws – suitable only for light-duty applications with low precision requirements. While it’s true that ball screws often have the advantage over lead screws when it comes to load capacity and rigidity, lead screws’ reliance on sliding, rather than rolling, motion makes them the better choice for […]
H2W Technologies Manufactures Brushless Linear Motors
With the recent acquisition of the Baldor linear motion product line, H2W Technologies has begun manufacturing brushless linear motors in its Santa Clarita, CA facility. With extensive experience in designing and building custom linear motion systems, and now, with the tooling necessary to produce both ironless and iron-core brushless linear motors, H2W has the capability […]
Roller rail guides: Three reasons why you should use them
Roller rail guides, which use cylindrical or barrel-shaped rollers instead of spherical balls for the load–bearing elements, are typically associated with machine tool applications. But the performance benefits that rollers bring to machining centers can be worthwhile in other applications as well. If you’re designing a machine or system that requires linear motion, consider these […]
Inertia Matching: Why Perfect Isn’t Always Best
Inertia matching is one of the inexact sciences of motion system design. When a motor and a load are coupled together, the ratio of load inertia to motor inertia determines how well the motor can control the load during acceleration and deceleration. In theory, a “perfect” inertia match of 1:1 (load inertia equals motor inertia) should […]
Twelve Days of Automation
In honor of the upcoming holiday, here’s an Automation spin to the classic song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” On the first day of Christmas An Engineer gave to me A design layout in 3D On the second day of Christmas An Engineer gave to me Two feedback loops […]
Five Ways to Make Your Linear System Cleanroom Friendly
Implementing linear motion in a cleanroom presents a particularly difficult challenge, since motion – whether rolling or sliding – necessarily produces particles. But by understanding the sources that contribute to particle generation and implementing smart design options, it is possible to achieve linear motion without compromising even the most stringent cleanroom environments. Below are five ways […]
Low Cost, “Roll-Slide Mini” Carriage and Rail
Low cost, “Roll-Slide Mini”™ carriage and rail linear motion systems are available from LM76 in lengths from 160 mm (6.30 in.) to 1200 mm (47.24 in.). Travel is from 88 mm (3.46 in.) to 1128 mm (44.41 in.). These low-profile linear motion systems are just 12 mm (0.47 in.) high and feature: quiet running, low resonance, […]
Linear Motion in the Third Industrial Revolution
According to The Economist magazine, a third revolution is coming for the manufacturing industry, ushered in by 3D printing, new materials, and collaborative manufacturing services. Anyone who has watched the 3D printing industry develop over the past decade, or even the past five years, will likely agree. Gartner forecasts that worldwide shipments of 3D printers […]
