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Linear Motion Tips

Covering Linear Motion Systems, Components and Linear Motion Resources

  • News
    • Editor’s blog
    • Industry news
    • Motion Casebook
  • Applications
  • Slides + guides
    • Ball + roller guides
    • Track roller (cam + wheel) guides
    • Crossed-roller slides
    • Linear bearings
    • 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
    • Mini + piezo + voice coil
    • Rack + pinion driven
    • Rigid-chain actuators
  • Encoders + sensors (linear) + I/O
  • Stages + gantries
  • Resources
    • Suppliers
    • Video

rack and pinion

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

What are the main types of linear actuators?

★ By Danielle Collins 2 Comments

Updated August 2017 || Linear actuators come in myriad configurations to suit almost any application, environment or industry. They’re primarily categorized by their drive mechanism; then manufacturers use other features such as the type of guide and housing to further differentiate them. Below is an explanation of the most common linear actuator categories. Belt-driven and […]

Filed Under: Ball + leadscrew driven, Belt + chain driven, Linear actuators (all), Linear motors, Pneumatic cylinders, Rack + pinion driven, Stages + gantries Tagged With: actuator selection, ball screw actuator, Belt Drive, Linear Actuator, Linear Motor, pneumatic actuator, rack and pinion

A selection guide for linear systems

★ By Danielle Collins

Gone are the days when machine designers and builders had to choose between constructing their own linear system from scratch or settling for a limited range of pre-assembled systems that, in most cases, were an imperfect fit for their application. Manufacturers today offer systems based on a range of drive mechanisms—ball screws, belts, rack and pinions, linear motors, […]

Filed Under: Applications, Ball + lead + roller screws, Ball + leadscrew driven, Belt + chain driven, Belt + chain drives for linear, Linear actuators (all), Linear drives (all), Linear motors, Pneumatic cylinders, Rack + pinion driven Tagged With: Actuators, Ball Screw, Belt Drive, Linear Actuator, Linear Actuators, Linear Motor, pneumatic, rack and pinion

Linear Stage Features New Drive Mechanism

★ By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

ServoSpline

Bell-Everman’s new ServoSpline™ positioning stage offers a unique drive mechanism that provides backlash-free motion and simplified control. ServoSpline is an extension of a classic rack-and-pinion design that provides simple motion commands and positions the stage in the x- and y-axis by independently driving the two splines. It provides engineers with a reliable stage that is […]

Filed Under: Industry news, Linear actuators (all), Rack + pinion driven Tagged With: bell-everman, linear stage, rack and pinion

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