Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

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What causes synchronous belt noise and how can it be reduced?

November 25, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

synchronous belt noise

Synchronous belts are common in motion systems, providing smoother operation and better high-speed performance than chains and lacking the problems of slipping and stretching that can plague V-belts in precision applications. But one downfall of synchronous, or toothed, belts is the noise they produce. Although quieter than a chain drive, a synchronous belt can still generate noise […]

Filed Under: Applications, Belt + chain driven, Belt + chain drives for linear, FAQs + basics, Featured

How can lead screw backlash be reduced?

November 14, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Backlash is an inherent property of lead screw assemblies due to the sliding motion between the screw and the nut. For some applications, a certain amount of backlash, or “play,” can be tolerated, but applications such as positioning, dispensing, or assembly often require a level of precision and repeatability that can’t be achieved if backlash […]

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

What’s the difference between ball screw critical speed and characteristic speed?

November 11, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Ball screw drives incorporate two primary moving components: the rotating screw shaft and the nut that traverses the screw. (The radial bearings that support the screw shaft play a minor role for the purposes of this discussion.) This means that to accurately determine the maximum allowable speed of a ball screw assembly, there are two […]

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

What is a follower nut, and what role does it play in lead screw operation?

October 11, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Although the idea of a “follower nut” may seem to indicate that the nut serves a passive role in lead screw operation, it actually plays an important part in monitoring the condition and life of the screw assembly. The wear characteristics of a lead screw nut make the expected service life of the assembly difficult […]

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

When to use linear bearings and ball nuts with ceramic balls

September 17, 2019 By Danielle Collins 1 Comment

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

Ball nut preload: What effect does it have on bearing life?

September 11, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Ball nut preload offers several benefits to screw assemblies, but the most common reason for using a preloaded ball nut is to reduce axial play, or backlash, caused by clearance between the screw and nut raceways. Reducing this axial play does two things. It improves the repeatability of the screw assembly — meaning the assembly […]

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

Pick-and-place applications with Festo tools — showing at Pack Expo

August 28, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Festo offers software and hardware to shorten packaging-machine development time and reduce engineering overhead. These components, systems, and software tools will be on display at Pack Expo on September 23 to 25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center Booth LS-6349. Design a pick-and-place robot and control cabinet in minutes Festo demonstrates a Cartesian robot and […]

Filed Under: Applications, Featured, Integrated Linear Systems, Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all), Pneumatic cylinders, Stages + gantries Tagged With: festo

How roller-screw and ball-screw actuators compare in high-force applications

August 2, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

As electric rod-style actuators overtake fluid power in a variety of high-force applications, it is important to understand how different screw technologies compare in the search for optimum performance and low life-cycle cost. By Daniel Schmit • Product Manager | Tolomatic Inc. Electric-rod actuators with either roller-screw or ball-screw technology are playing an expanding role […]

Filed Under: Ball + lead + roller screws, Featured, Integrated Linear Systems, Linear actuators (all)

Bearing damage: What’s the difference between brinelling, spalling, and fretting?

July 26, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Bearing damage, and ultimately, failure, can be caused by a variety of conditions, including improper mounting, poor lubrication, and overloading, to name a few. The mode of damage — what actually happened to the bearing as a result of detrimental conditions — is characterized by visible features, such as discoloration, wear marks, or pitting, on […]

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

Exlar GTX now with Hiperface DSL Stegmann absolute encoders

July 11, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

GTX

Curtiss-Wright Corporation’s Industrial Division announced that its Exlar facility, located in Chanhassen, MN, has added Hiperface DSL Stegmann absolute encoders as a part of their available Rockwell Automation feedback options. The GTX series joined the Exlar TTX, Tritex II, GSX, FTX, and K series Encompass product families in 2018. As an Encompass Partner, Curtiss-Wright and Rockwell […]

Filed Under: Ball + lead + roller screws, Industry news, Linear actuators (all) Tagged With: curtiss-wright, curtisswright, exlar

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