In dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic many companies have volunteered or been requested to produce urgently needed medical products such as masks, gowns, and ventilators. Tooling up quickly to produce medical grade products for some companies can bring challenges. In addition to needing FDA-compliant materials that will be used in the actual masks, gowns, and […]
One-piece ETX linear bearing/pillow blocks suitable for use in radioactive environments
LM76 now offers one piece ETX Linear Bearing/Pillow Blocks that will not degrade in a radioactive environment. Machined from a solid block of self-lubricating ETX, linear bearing blocks have high strength, excellent wear resistance, low coefficient of friction, and excellent dimensional stability at higher temperatures. Custom designed for use in a nuclear power plant these […]
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 […]
“New Design” pillow and flange blocks from LM76 allow for easy bearing lubrication
“New Design” pillow blocks and flange blocks from LM76 feature a lubrication fitting and an alignment set screw in the pillow blocks and flange blocks. The stainless steel and self aligning linear bearings are modified by having an alignment flat ground on the bearings’ outer shell and drilling a hole through the outer shell. Lubricants […]
Linear motion FDA wash-down compliant components selection guide from LM76
A helpful component selection guide from LM76, “Linear Bearings, 6 Simple Steps – FDA Compliance, Wash Down Compliance,” details the linear motion components available from LM76 that are FDA/UDSA/3A-Dairy compliant. Included are: Foodstream electrodeless nickel plated pillow blocks, PTFE lined stainless steel bearings, ceramic coated linear bearings, self-aligning corrosion resistant linear ball bearings, and Thomson® […]
Pegasus Series 1 corrosion-resistant linear bearings from LM76
LM76 has developed the most corrosion resistant linear bearing available. The Pegasus Series 1 Linear Bearings feature Silicon Nitride (SiNi) Ceramic Balls in a shell with retainer and end caps all made from 440 Stainless Steel and then ArmorloyTM coated. In space, deep under the sea, or in the harshest environments when there can be […]
Moment of inertia: area or mass?
Moment of inertia is an important parameter when sizing and selecting a linear system. But it’s critical to know which type of inertia—planar moment of inertia or mass moment of inertia—is given and how it affects the performance of the system. Planar moment of inertia Planar moment of inertia (also referred to as second moment of […]
A glossary of linear guide terminology
The term linear guide covers several categories of products, from plain bearings to ball bushings and recirculating roller bearings. To compound the potential for confusion, many terms are used interchangeably, or are so generic (take linear guide for example) that they could refer to any one of several different products. And this doesn’t apply to just […]
When should you use dual guide rails?
Linear guide rails and bearings offer high stiffness and good travel accuracy. And they can support not only downward, upward, and side loads, they can also withstand overhung, or moment loads. Of course, the larger the linear rail and bearing system, the more moment capacity it has, but the arrangement of the bearing raceways—face-to-face or back-to-back—also […]
Tips for preventing linear bearing corrosion
Corrosive environments can include anything from detergents and chemicals for washdown (the high-pressure cleaning of equipment), to acid baths and their related vapors, to chemicals in food processing. Because profiled linear rails, round shafts, and ball screws are made primarily from steel components, they’re highly susceptible to corrosive agents, which can quickly cause rust, pitting, […]
