Many track-roller linear guides necessitate lubrication at two different points in their assembly: Within the rolling-element rotary bearings at the heart of each track-roller wheel and Along the linear track-roller raceway. As with most any mechanical power-transmission devices, lubrication of these two critical areas extends the linear guide’s service life by minimizing or eliminating the […]
Ballscrew splines updated for 21st-century technological needs
The two types of ballscrew splines from NB Corp. are the SPBR and the SPBF. The SPBR type has a rotary ballscrew nut and rotary ball spline nut. The rotary ballscrew nut is an integration of ballscrew nut and angular contact bearings. The rotary ball spline nut is an integration of ball spline nut and […]
Mobile version of Gates Design Power now available
Gates just released a mobile version of Gates Design Power — a digital design tool to support the engineering of belt drive systems on customers’ mobile devices. “With the launch of Design Power Mobile, we’re demonstrating our ongoing commitment to accelerate our Chain to Belt initiative, driving the conversion of legacy drive technologies to clean, […]
Bosch Rexroth adds new BSCL Ball Rail to linear-guide portfolio
Bosch Rexroth now offers a new lineup of BSCL linear guides. The new BSCL ball rails address applications requiring linear bearings in the mid-performance range, and the new structural design delivers an optimum price to performance ratio. BSCL ball rails are available in five sizes, six runner block types, three preload classes and three accuracy classes. […]
High-school students win the 2022 Bishop-Wisecarver Innovation Award
Motion-solutions provider Bishop-Wisecarver recently awarded Luna Zarco from Pittsburg High School in California the 2022 Bishop-Wisecarver Innovation Award for her automated design submission for the agriculture industry. Maurice Straubhaar from another Bay-area school — Ygnacio Valley High School — also earned an Innovation Award for his design targeting the packaging industry. “Between Bishop-Wisecarver’s Manufacturing Day […]
LINAK U.S. Inc. once again expands Louisville campus (now to more than 39 acres)
LINAK U.S. Inc., the largest subsidiary of the Danish and family-owned manufacturer, has acquired a new building in Louisville, KY, to expand operations at their North and South American headquarters. After 29 years, and multiple expansions in Louisville, LINAK, a worldwide leader in electric linear actuation solutions, is committed to adding more value for design […]
Vesconite material gives rail-transport equipment decades of service
Actom Signalling, a Southern African railway signal-equipment company, has found minimal wear in accelerated wear testing on Vesconite slides in its point machines. These machines control railway tracks and switch the tracks to which particular trains will be directed. Actom engineering projects and contracts development technician Wayne Meyer confirms the test results. Testing was executed […]
LINAK lifting column takes cobot palletizers to new heights
There’s an untapped automation potential for palletizing goods in production and other industries. Realizing this potential requires flexible, easy-to-use, and affordable cobot solutions that can adjust to different palletizing setups and generate rapid return on investment. To meet these demands, LINAK now offers the ELEVATE lifting column — a new product that extends the reach […]
Comparing belt-drive types for automation applications
Synchronous belt drives dominate motion control designs for positioning and other precision functions. Here we detail V belts and other belt types used in industrial, robotic, and consumer designs for both linear and rotary axes. Modern flat belts are either endless (welded or otherwise closed into a hoop by the manufacturer) or open. Common on […]
Update on today’s belt drives
Belt drives have continued to evolve with new applications. Industrial belt drives in motion designs consist of rubber, engineered plastic, metal, or (most common) multi-material belts that wrap around drive pulleys — grooved or otherwise profiled wheels mounted on a shaft — in turn driven by electric motors. Powered by various motor types, belt drives run […]
