The BSHP ball rail systems and BASA ball screw assemblies from Bosch Rexroth now achieve lubrication intervals that are up to four times longer. In more and more applications, they can even be used maintenance-free over the entire service life of a component. As a result, low-maintenance or maintenance-free linear motion technology minimizes operating costs […]
Slides + guides (all)
What are low outgassing materials for linear motion components in vacuum applications
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 […]
New SureMotion LAHP Series linear actuators and slides from AutomationDirect
The SureMotion LAHP series linear actuators, slides, and accessories are XYZ gantry components that allow creation of a motion system with up to three axes of movement. These motor-ready linear actuators and sliding components have travel lengths of up to 910 mm. They turn rotary motion into linear motion and provide a variety of X-Y […]
Gothic arches, tracks, and roller bearings in the context of linear motion
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 […]
Functional safety (and IIoT connectivity) from linear brakes
In a recent Design World feature, we covered the basics of how functional safety is quantified … and what constitutes a servo-brake option with functional-safety certification. Here we share more details on the construction of safety brakes for linear axes and the intersection of brake safety and IIoT capabilities. Machine safety is core to nearly […]
How to make linear motion systems cleanroom compatible
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, […]
Anti-friction miniature linear guides from PM B.V. now come with a variety of cage options
When building miniature linear-motion systems, design engineers can choose between ball and crossed-roller linear guides. When applied to precision systems, most all of these linear guides have cages to prevent shifting of the anti-friction rolling elements during operation … especially when these linear guides are applied in exacting microscopy, manipulator, and image-scanner applications — for […]
How do miniature profiled rail guides compare to their full-size counterparts?
The basic distinction between “standard” and “miniature” profiled rail guides is the width of the guide rail: profiled rails with a width of 15 mm or less — and the carriages that fit on them — are generally considered “miniature” by bearing manufacturers. (However, some manufacturers also produce 15 mm rail guides in standard versions, as we’ll […]
Precise miniature slide guides from NB Corporation
SEBS-B type slide guides from NB Corporation feature standard radial clearances that are twice as accurate. The guides are available in both retained-ball (whose elements allow for easier handling because the guide block may be removed from rail without ball loss) or low-cost non-retained ball lines. Available sizes are from 2 mm with friction-free travels […]
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 […]
