Outgassing — the release of gas or vapor from a material through desorption, sublimation (the transition of a material from solid directly to gas), or evaporation — is a critical parameter for materials used in vacuum environments. These gasses and vapors can affect the pressure (or level of vacuum) in the vacuum chamber, and outgassed compounds […]
Rack + pinion sets
The top 10 linear motion articles of 2020
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 […]
Güdel gantry robots add gentle touch to bakery automation
In the U.S., about 50 million people a day eat at fast-food restaurants — and about 60,000 of those establishments sell hamburgers. That requires epic volumes of fresh buns every day … and only commercial bakeries with automated operations can output sufficient production volumes. Workhorse Automation Inc. (based in Oxford, Pa.) supplies machines to this […]
New rack and pinion systems available from GAM Enterprises
GAM now offers new helical rack and pinion systems. High quality rack and precision pinions are paired with GAM gearboxes for optimized system performance. Helical rack provides smooth, quiet operation and precision operation. The rack is available in 1-meter lengths in module 2, 3, or 4 and ISO quality 6 or 10. Precision pinions in […]
How to size a rack and pinion drive
In linear motion applications, ball screws are widely recognized for their ability to provide high thrust forces, while linear motors are gaining market share in high-speed applications, and belt drives continue to maintain their reputation as the best solution for long travel lengths. But rack and pinion drives are the often-overlooked workhorses behind gantry and […]
How does a rack and roller pinion work?
A rack and roller pinion system is a variation on the traditional rack and pinion that replaces the toothed pinion (gear) with a cage-type pinion that incorporates bearing-supported rollers. Each roller in the pinion is supported by two needle bearings, which eliminates the sliding friction that occurs in traditional rack and pinion systems. This greatly […]
Gallery: Rack and pinion systems – designs and applications
Rack and pinion drives are commonly used in large gantry robots and material handling systems for their ability to achieve high-speed movements over long travel lengths. The most common rack and pinion systems for industrial automation consist of a linear rack (also referred to as a “linear gear”), a pinion (also referred to as a “circular […]
Robot-transfer unit (RTU) and other linear-transfer system considerations
As robotics applications proliferate, robot integrators have begun to apply more 7th-axis tracks — also called robot-transfer units or RTUs — as well as linear tool-tray transfer systems. Benedict Talan • President | LazerArc of Motion Index Drives Robots excel in repetitive assembly and process operations that include welding, trimming, routing, drilling, fastening, composite layup, […]
What is Torque?
In this article, we answer the common question “what is torque?” Although torque refers to rotational motion, it is a fundamental concept in linear motion applications. Rotary motors produce torque, and when this torque is transmitted to a drive system – such as a screw, belt and pulley, rack and pinion, or chain and sprocket […]
Linear actuators: belt driven vs. rack and pinion driven
Belts and rack and pinions have several common benefits for linear motion applications. They’re both well-established drive mechanisms in linear actuators, providing high-speed travel over extremely long lengths. And both are frequently used in large gantry systems for material handling, machining, welding and assembly, especially in the automotive, machine tool, and packaging industries. Timing belts for linear […]
