Improvements in lead screw designs have meant screws that are increasingly competitive with other types of drive screws, including ball screws. For instance, lead screws can offer shorter lead times and better performance, all at a lower cost than other screw technologies. Quite a few lead screw manufacturers offer a range of anti-backlash options, superior […]
igus
New bearing from igus assists in quick, easy liner replacement
igus has introduced a new bearing, drylin W Exchange, for its drylin W linear system in which the liner can be replaced directly on the rail without dismantling the system. By using a practical assembly tool, users can push the old liner out of the housing, clip the new one on to the shaft and […]
Motion and control objectives for automated storage and retrieval systems
Automated storage and retrieval systems are a key enabler of the next-day delivery we’ve come to expect from online retailers. But like other types of automation, AS/RS equipment must meet the customer’s objectives for safety, footprint, and energy efficiency. It used to be that as you drove through industrial suburbs, just beyond cities such as […]
What is stick-slip?
Stick-slip, also referred to as “stiction,” is the bane of engineers and machine builders who need smooth, precise motion. Simply put, it’s the jerkiness that can plague both plain and recirculating linear bearings when they transition from standstill to motion. Here’s why stick-slip happens… When two objects slide against each other, friction works against their motion. […]
Guide systems that turn corners
The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but some applications dictate moving in curved sections and around corners. When two or more axes are combined, as in a Cartesian or gantry system, a method of control called contouring can be used to create radii and round the corners of traditional rectilinear coordinates. […]
New curved linear guides for variable radii from igus
Based on the proven line of drylin W linear plain bearings, igus has now introduced linear rails bent to custom radii, along with adaptable carriages that can self-align between straight linear runs and curves without binding. According to Matt Mowry, Product Manager for drylin linear and drive technology at igus Inc., this new addition to […]
A guide to plain bearing materials in linear motion applications
One of the benefits of plain linear bearings is their simplicity. Especially when compared to recirculating bearings, plain bearings are easy to specify, install, maintain, and replace. But don’t let that simplicity fool you. Choosing the wrong bearing, or more specifically, the wrong bearing material, can result in poor performance, degradation of the bearing, or […]
Variable width and length linear axes
Now configure toothed-belt linear axes in customizable sizes To simplify product selection of maintenance-free, self-lubricating linear guides, motion plastics specialist igus has developed a modular construction kit for belt-driven DryLin ZLW linear axes. With the new “ZLW toolkit,” customers can customize their own solutions, including rail widths, system length, etc., even for small installation spaces. […]
Stepped or continuous – igus introduces new options for easy adjustments
For manual adjustments, the motion plastics specialist igus has expanded its range of linear guides further and presents its novelties, such as the ball-pretensioned predefined positional system for stepped locking as well as the compact preload prism slide with pretensioned guide carriage. Depending on requirements, users can easily order their complete solutions for easy adjustments, […]
igus lightweight leadscrew options offer up to 60% weight savings
Featuring tribologically optimized plastic leadscrew nuts and hard anodized aluminum screws, new dryspin leadscrew options offer considerable weight savings, as well as the reduction of required maintenance and external lubrication, with increases in service life due. A range of leadscrew diameters are available, ranging from 6 to 20 mm. Using asymmetric geometry to reduce friction, […]
