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Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

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Ball + roller guides

What are the benefits of six-row linear bearings

December 15, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

six-row linear bearing cutaway

The most common types of recirculating linear bearings use four rows of balls — two on each side of the bearing block — to provide good load capacity and rigidity. But the four-row design means that when radial (downward or liftoff) or lateral (side) loads are applied, only two rows of balls are engaged to support […]

Filed Under: Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Slides + guides (all)

Contact angle: What is it and how does it affect linear bearing performance?

December 10, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

contact angle and load distribution

In profiled rail linear guides that use balls or rollers, the geometry and arrangement of the bearing raceways play a significant role in the bearing’s load capacity, friction, rigidity, and ability to withstand errors in mounting. But there’s another aspect of a bearing’s design that also plays a role in its load capacity and rigidity […]

Filed Under: Ball + roller guides, Crossed-roller slides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear bearings

How to choose a lubricant for recirculating linear bearings

December 3, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

All metal-on-metal recirculating bearings require lubrication in order to function properly and provide a reasonable bearing life. Lubrication reduces friction and heat by separating the rolling elements from the bearing raceway, inhibits corrosion, protects bearing surfaces from contamination, and helps seals run smoothly and operate effectively. Although the importance of lubrication is clear, choosing the best […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + roller guides, Crossed-roller slides, FAQs + basics, Featured, Linear bearings

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

August 26, 2021 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?

August 18, 2021 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

Mechanical properties of materials: Hardness

August 8, 2021 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 is cage creep and why does it matter?

July 20, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

Several types of non-recirculating linear bearings use a cage to contain the rolling elements, maintain consistent spacing between them, and ensure even load distribution. But in each of these non-recirculating designs, the cage “floats” between the two moving components, meaning that it’s not constrained and can gradually move away from its intended, centered position. This […]

Filed Under: Ball + roller guides, Crossed-roller slides, FAQs + basics, Featured

Ball spline preload: How, why, and when it’s applied

May 5, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

ball spline preload

Like other linear motion components where rolling elements ride in raceways, ball splines can be supplied with preload. In the case of a ball spline, the main purpose of preload is to reduce angular backlash — clearance in the rotational direction — when torque is applied. Without preload, ball splines have a small amount of […]

Filed Under: Ball + roller guides, FAQs + basics, Featured

Gothic arches, tracks, and roller bearings in the context of linear motion

January 27, 2021 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Industry terminology used to describe linear guides and other linear components widely varies. Here we explain three linear-guide phrases and words having multiple meanings — and differentiate how they relate to track-roller linear guides and profiled-rail linear guides. Let’s start by reviewing the multiple linear-motion meanings for Gothic-arch linear bearing. Gothic arches originate from civil […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + roller guides, Editor's blog, Featured, Linear bearings, Slides + guides (all)

How to make linear motion systems cleanroom compatible

January 22, 2021 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

linear motion cleanroom

While we often talk about the importance of keeping contamination out of linear motion components such as linear guides and screws, when these systems are used in a cleanroom, the goal is just the opposite — to keep these components from introducing contamination into the environment. What exactly is a cleanroom? According to ISO 14644-1:2015, […]

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

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