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Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

  • News
    • Editor’s blog
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  • Applications
  • Slides + guides
    • Ball + roller guides
    • Track roller (cam + wheel) guides
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    • Plastic + composite guides
  • Drives
    • Ball + lead + roller screws
    • Belt + chain drives for linear
    • Rack + pinion sets
  • Actuators
    • Ball + leadscrew driven
    • Belt + chain driven
    • Linear motors
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  • Encoders + sensors (linear) + I/O
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linear drive

Moment of inertia: area or mass?

★ By Danielle Collins 3 Comments

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 […]

Filed Under: Applications, Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all) Tagged With: inertia, Linear Actuator, linear bearing, linear drive

Repeatability and Accuracy: What’s the Difference?

★ By Danielle Collins 2 Comments

There are numerous ways to classify the performance of linear positioning devices such as ball screws, belts, and rack and pinion systems, but the terminology can be confusing. The two most common terms, accuracy and repeatability, and are often used interchangeably. When someone says that a ball screw is very accurate, they may really mean that […]

Filed Under: Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all) Tagged With: Accuracy, Ball Screw, Belt Drive, linear drive, precision, rack and pinion, repeatability

Tips for preventing linear bearing corrosion

★ By Danielle Collins 1 Comment

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, […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, Ball + leadscrew driven, Ball + roller guides, Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all), Slides + guides (all), Track roller (cam + wheel) guides Tagged With: Ball Screw, bearing failure, corrosion, linear bearing, linear drive, linear guide, profiled rail, wash down, washdown

Servo motor basics

★ By Danielle Collins 7 Comments

Servo Motor

Technically, the term “servo” refers to a function rather than a specific type of device. A servo system is one in which the system’s error (in positioning, speed, or torque) is corrected through feedback that compares the system’s actual performance with its commanded performance. A servo motor, then, is one that incorporates a feedback device […]

Filed Under: Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all), Linear motors Tagged With: AC motor, DC motor, Linear Actuator, linear drive, servo motor

Can Lead Screws Outperform Ball Screws?

★ By Danielle Collins 2 Comments

lead screw

Lead screws are often regarded as the less expensive alternative to ball screws – suitable only for light-duty applications with low precision requirements. While it’s true that ball screws often have the advantage over lead screws when it comes to load capacity and rigidity, lead screws’ reliance on sliding, rather than rolling, motion makes them the better choice for […]

Filed Under: Ball + lead + roller screws Tagged With: lead screw, leadscrew, linear drive, linear motion

ELGG bi-parting drive ensures simultaneous movement of carriages

★ By admin Leave a Comment

Festo (www.festo.com) has released its latest ELGG bi-parting drive which features a pair of bearing guides that supports two similar carriages, driven by a toothed belt connected to the bottom of one carriage and the top of the other. The ELGG offers an adaptable and cost-effective means of ensuring tow carriages’ simultaneous movement — in […]

Filed Under: Linear bearings, Linear drives (all) Tagged With: elgg bi-parting drive, festo, linear drive, linear motion

High Power Linear Drive

★ By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

  San Luis Obispo, CA – The TA333 High Power Linear Drive is the newest addition to the Trust Automation line of high performance drives. The TA333 drive features a true Class-AB linear amplifier with pure analog throughput at currents up to 25A. Highly configurable, the drive can be used with a brushless motor using external sinusoidal […]

Filed Under: Linear drives (all) Tagged With: linear drive, ta333, trust automation

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