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Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

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    • Ball + roller guides
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  • Drives
    • Ball + lead + roller screws
    • Belt + chain drives for linear
    • Rack + pinion sets
  • Actuators
    • Ball + leadscrew driven
    • Belt + chain driven
    • Linear motors
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    • Rack + pinion driven
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Linear drives (all)

Causes of tooth shear in synchronous belts, and how to avoid it

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

synchronous belt failures

Synchronous belts transmit power via positive engagement between belt teeth and pulley grooves, making them suitable for applications that require high torque and making them less prone than traditional V-belts to slip in dynamic applications. But even synchronous belts can experience failure if they’re not installed, maintained, and applied properly. One way that toothed belts […]

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

How axial and radial loads affect linear motion systems

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

axial radial loads

In any motion system, understanding the type and direction of applied and resultant loads is important for determining bearing life and analyzing deflection. In linear motion systems, we typically use Cartesian coordinates (X, Y, and Z) to define the placement and direction of loads. But for rotating components such as screws, rack and pinion drives, […]

Filed Under: Applications, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all), Slides + guides (all)

How to account for rack and pinion inertia during system design

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Rack and pinion systems

Rack and pinion drives are often used in applications that require stroke lengths beyond the practical limits of ball screws and thrust forces that exceed the capabilities of belt drives. And in some applications, rack and pinion systems can also provide lower total inertia than a suitable ball screw or belt drive alternative, which can […]

Filed Under: Applications, FAQs + basics, Featured, Rack + pinion driven, Rack + pinion sets, Uncategorized

How to account for belt and pulley inertia during system design

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

drive and driven pulley diagram

In order for a motor to accelerate or decelerate a load, it must overcome the load’s inertia, or resistance to change in motion, as explained in Newton’s First Law. In belt-driven linear motion systems, the motor has to overcome not only the inertia of the applied load, but also the inertia of the belt, pulleys, […]

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

Motion basics: What is ball conformity in linear guides and screws?

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

ball conformity

In linear guides and ball screws, load-carrying balls or rollers can ride on planar (flat) raceways, as with non-recirculating linear roller bearings, or in curved raceways, as with ball screws and profiled rail guides. When a ball or roller rides on a planar raceway, the contact between the rolling element and the raceway will be […]

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

Motion basics: What is differential slip and how does it affect linear bearings?

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

differential slip

Linear bearings that use balls or rollers are typically chosen for their ability to carry high loads with very low friction. But rolling elements — including linear bearings — are not friction-free. One of the factors that contributes to friction in linear bearings (along with properties such as surface roughness, elastic hysteresis of the materials, and […]

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

What’s the difference between ANSI and ISO ball screw load capacity?

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

selecting ball screws

The dynamic load capacity of a ball screw is typically defined by the DIN ISO 3408-5 standard, or in some cases, by the JIS B1192-1997 standard, both of which use 1 million revolutions as the basis for load capacity. However, some manufacturers determine ball screw dynamic load capacity according to the ANSI ASME B5.48-1977 standard (reconfirmed […]

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

Mechanical properties of materials: Hardness

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

hardness testing

Hardness is a common specification for linear shafts and guides — especially those used with ball and roller bearings, where the guide encounters extremely high loads over very small areas. The hardness of a bearing surface can significantly affect the life of the system and is often accounted for by applying a hardness correction factor […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, Ball + roller guides, Crossed-roller slides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear bearings, Rack + pinion sets

What are some linear motion options for moving multiple loads independently?

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

move multiple loads independently

From a mechanical standpoint, one of the more challenging applications in linear motion has traditionally been to move two or more loads independently, as is required in some handling, transport, and inspection applications. While using multiple linear systems, or preassembled actuators, is a simple solution mechanically, this option typically requires a significant amount of space […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, Ball + leadscrew driven, Belt + chain driven, Belt + chain drives for linear, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear motors, Rack + pinion driven, Rack + pinion sets

Recirculating roller screws: How do they work and what are their benefits?

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Rollvis RVR Recirculating Roller Screw

Screw assemblies that use rollers as the load-carrying element come in several varieties, with the most common being the traditional planetary roller screw, which provides high load capacities and very high rigidity, capable of outperforming ball screw and hydraulic actuators in some heavy-duty applications. But another type of roller screw — the recirculating roller screw — […]

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

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