As with most complex products or systems, specifying and applying profiled rail bearings doesn’t require that you know every detail of linear bearing construction. But having a basic understanding of the various design types and geometries can help you choose a product that enhances, rather than detracts from, the performance of your machine—especially in applications that […]
Linear Guides
Nook Industries offers caged ball profiled rails for linear guidance
Nook Industries, a leading innovator of linear motion components and systems, introduces caged ball profile rails for linear guidance. Caged ball chains provide reduced friction and lower noise levels and prevent the bearings from making incidental contact. An industry leader for more than 40 years, Nook’s new line improves on more traditional designs with lubrication advantages, […]
Miniature linear ball rails from Nook Industries for high-speed running capacity
Nook Industries, a leading innovator of linear motion components and systems, has launched a new miniature linear ball rail ideally suited for high-speed, belt-driven mechanisms and carrier designs as well as automation linkage between stations. Offered in three accuracy grades, Precision (P), High (H) and Normal (N), these miniature linear ball rails provide significant maintenance […]
Ball Chains: Two things you might not know
Radial bearings have used ball cages for nearly a century, but this technology was only introduced to profiled rail guides within the last two decades. THK pioneered the way, launching its Caged Ball® LM Guide in 1996, and other profiled rail manufacturers soon followed suit with ball chain and ball spacer designs. Now, virtually every style […]
When to use cam roller guides. (Hint: it’s more often than you think.)
With so many linear guide choices—from roller rails to plastic wheels—deciding which technology is right for your application can be difficult. On one hand, not every application requires machine tool rigidity and the ability to move a small car. But on the other hand, most applications require a guide that can withstand high duty cycles […]
Hardened way slides provide durability for long-life operations
Gilman Precision explains the basics of a hardened way slide, including which applications they are good for and how to keep yours in great working condition. Predominantly used for high production, hardened way slides provide linear rigidity for heavy duty applications. “A hardened way slide is a linear positioning device that incorporates precision, ground rectangular […]
What is preload?
Have you ever wondered, “what is preload”? We’re here to help! Applications that use linear bearings or ball screws often require precise positioning, which means that the motion components must be rigid. And while recirculating ball guides and screws are able to carry large loads, they inherently have clearance, or backlash, due to the size […]
High-class linear guides: How industry quantifies rail accuracy values
I once overheard a colleague, relatively new to linear motion and eager to be helpful, tell a customer, “H stands for our high-class rail.” While the thought of a “high-class” rail was amusing, technically she was correct. In profiled linear guide terminology, H is the designation for high class … … high accuracy class, that […]
Roller rail guides: Three reasons why you should use them
Roller rail guides, which use cylindrical or barrel-shaped rollers instead of spherical balls for the load–bearing elements, are typically associated with machine tool applications. But the performance benefits that rollers bring to machining centers can be worthwhile in other applications as well. If you’re designing a machine or system that requires linear motion, consider these […]
Five Ways to Make Your Linear System Cleanroom Friendly
Implementing linear motion in a cleanroom presents a particularly difficult challenge, since motion – whether rolling or sliding – necessarily produces particles. But by understanding the sources that contribute to particle generation and implementing smart design options, it is possible to achieve linear motion without compromising even the most stringent cleanroom environments. Below are five ways […]
