Location, location, location (dictates linear-motion design)

Linear-motion component features are key to long-term reliability in demanding environments and applications.

By Eric Falasco • Product manager | Bosch Rexroth

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Manufacturers and end users continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with linear motion technology in extreme applications. The need for solutions that transport objects faster and with heavier payloads isn’t restricted to normal factory settings and can include a variety of unique settings.

What’s critically important though is how end users are evaluating solutions, regardless of the environment to which they’re assigned. There are fundamental components that comprise those solutions, and if the wrong one is selected, there could be negative consequences that impact operations and ultimately a company’s bottom line.

Among the standard requirements that every end user needs to measure solutions against are load, orientation, speed, travel, precision, duty and, of course, environment. What’s going to be asked of these solutions, and what are the typical conditions in which they’ll be operating? Is it a factory setting or an assembly-line facility? Maybe the application is for an outdoor process, which has requirements of its own.

Linear components are not a one-size-fits-all solution, so end users must have a comprehensive understanding of what will be asked of them, including how far they can push them in extreme conditions and when throughput demands increase.

A good example of an extreme environment is a cleanroom setting, which are categorized into different classes and have very specific requirements based on the particles that are emitted from all processes. Cleanliness is of paramount concern in cleanrooms, so the use of corrosion-resistant steel is preferred. That’s because the material prevents the release of particles that would otherwise occur with incipient or progressive corrosion. The faster a process moves, the more turbulence and friction are created, which can increase the number of particles that are emitted. A similar effect is seen with payload — the heavier the load that’s transported, the more particles are released.

Lubrication is also an important consideration in cleanrooms. If there’s too little, the particles cannot be bound, and the environment can be contaminated. If there’s too much lubrication, it can increase the number of particles emitted. At a more granular level, the type of seals that are leveraged are also important as full contact seals keep dust and debris out while keeping lubrication in. All of these factors would lead to typical conclusions like preferring belt-driven linear motion systems for cleanroom applications as opposed to screw drives, which can lead to a higher particle emission.

What’s equally critical (especially in the evaluation process) is that there’s transparency and alignment within the multiple departments of the end user and supplier. If an engineer has a conversation with the supplier to determine a specific need, it must be conveyed to purchasing, which needs to understand why a particular component or solution was requested over the other. Bypassing this transparency can have a variety of negative consequences. If the choice is made to go with a cheaper alternative, those solutions will likely break sooner and will force the end user to replace them more often. That represents a financial burden and includes valuable downtime spent operating at less-than-optimal conditions while solutions are being replaced.

It’s also vital that end users have a consistent dialogue with the supplier to help identify appropriate solutions, including those with newer technology that can withstand an even greater range of extreme environments.

Ultimately, when approaching solutions for extreme environments, it comes down to education. Do end users have a comprehensive understanding of the environment in which their solutions are operating? Are they engaged with a supplier that has equal knowledge of applicable solutions and the components that comprise them? Sometimes, all it takes is one seemingly unrelated component that’s operating in an environment it shouldn’t be to negatively impact an entire operation. End users who understand that and proactively approach solutions from a granular level are well-positioned to optimize their investment and ensure production goals are met, even under the most severe of environments.

Bosch Rexroth | boschrexroth.com