Table of Contents
What are linear bearings used for?
Linear bearings generally use a pad, bushing, or roller system to carry a load on a rail that need not be a straight line. The rail can be most any length, although that dimension is limited by the actuator. The durability of the bearing is determined by the load and required speed.
What are the types of linear bearings?
Linear Bearing Types Choices for linear bearing styles include air, flat ball cage, ball spline, ball bushing, needle roller cage, cam follower, crossed roller, guide wheel, hydrostatic, plain or journal, linear motion guide, flat roller cage, and linear roller.
What is a linear bearing machine?
Linear bearings are rolling-element and fluid-film devices that reduce friction in motion systems where the motion acts along a straight — or sometimes curved — pathway. They are distinguished from radial bearings in which motion is rotary.
What are linear slides used for?
Linear slides are used in many applications requiring a linear motion. Some examples include machine tools, packaging equipment, metrology equipment, processing equipment, pick and place and other material equipment, and many others.
How accurate are linear bearings?
They hold from 0.0002 to 0.001 in. over a length of 10 ft, with typical 3 to 10-μm/m parallelism between the bearing guide and rail. They also maintain this precision under moment loads; a single carriage and rail is often better suited for this than around rail.
Do linear bearings need lubrication?
Recirculating ball linear bearing systems require periodic maintenance and lubrication to ensure they operate properly and do not cause damage to the ball bearings or guides. According to a major ball bearing company, 54% of bearing failures are lubrication related.
When should linear bearings be replaced?
Replacing linear bearings on schedule before failure is good business. The L-10 life of the bearing can serve as a rough guideline as to when bearing replacement is required.
Can linear bearings be used vertically?
Loads acting on linear bearings and guides can be vertical loads, horizontal loads or pitch roll or yaw moment loads, or any combination thereof.
How does a journal bearing work?
In a journal bearing, the shaft rotates inside a loose-fitting bearing shell of softer, often porous, bearing material. Lubricant, such as oil, grease or a low-friction compound like PTFE or graphite is used between the surfaces. The shell is sometimes split into two halves.
What type of bearing is used for linear motion?
All linear slides provide linear motion based on bearings, whether they are ball bearings, dovetail bearings, linear roller bearings, magnetic or fluid bearings.
What products use linear motion?
Linear motion guide applications can be found in many sectors. Medical – Used in medical-technical platforms such as operating room beds, X-ray machines, MRI and CT Scanners as well as dentist chairs. Buildings and Furniture – Retail stores, yachts, hotels, museums and theaters all require linear motion control.
What is linear motion systems?
Linear motion systems are precise, ready-to-install guide and drive systems with high performance features in compact dimensions. With a large number of different configurations including belt, screw, and roller guides, and capable of handling a wide range of loads, travel distances, and environments.
How do spherical roller bearings work?
A spherical roller bearing is a rolling-element bearing that permits rotation with low friction, and permits angular misalignment. Typically these bearings support a rotating shaft in the bore of the inner ring that may be misaligned in respect to the outer ring.
Are linear rails worth it?
From a pure performance perspective, yes, linear rails are truly superior. They offer greater precision, better mounting, and smoother motion, improving print quality and printer reliability. With good design choices, weight and cost savings are also possible, as demonstrated by the Cetus 3D printer.
How much weight can a linear rail take?
Round Rail linear roller bearings handle up to 35 tons per bearing and speeds up to 100 feet per second. Their optimized contact ellipse maximizes the load capacity of an anti-friction linear bearing. Round Rail bearings can carry loads up to 70,000 lbs per bearing at a 10 million inch rated travel life.
Where are linear rails used?
Linear rails are often used in stages that require longer travel lengths than air bearings or crossed roller slides can provide. Image credit: Aerotech Inc. Machine tools – Like stages, machine tools require very high levels of travel accuracy and stiffness, to ensure that the tool produces high-quality parts.
Can linear bearings rotate?
A bearing or bushing can be used for linear or rotational motion. But between the ball retainer and the outer casing, there are rotational ball circuits as well that allow the entire retainer and shaft to rotate within the stroke bush unit.
What are linear guides used for?
Linear Guides or linear rail slides are support devices that are used to help carry loads and ensure straight and level linear motion. Linear guides will usually consist of two components; the sliding carriage and the rail. The sliding carriage is the element that moves along the rail and supports the attached load.
How often grease linear bearings?
We recommend lubrication every three months even if the lube is still clean and present. If you have a low cycle application, you way want to start with a lubrication period of 1 week, then two weeks and so on.
Should you oil linear rails?
For most linear guide and drive applications, grease is the better lubrication option. It adheres to bearing surfaces better than oil, lasts longer, and is less likely to run off or be ejected from rotating parts.
What is EP2 grease?
Print. Tweet. Valvoline Lithium EP2 Grease is a premium quality lithium soap grease containing extreme pressure additives, formulated to provide outstanding mechanical stability & EP characteristics under severe operating conditions.
What is white lithium grease spray used for?
White lithium grease is used to keep components moving smoothly, free of friction and seizing. You can also apply it preventatively to protect against rust and corrosion. White lithium grease can be used to: Lubricate car door hinges.
Can you use linear rails upside down?
When hanging upside-down (e.g. the rail is installed upside-down on the ceiling in which the slide faces downward), should the end cap be damaged, causing the balls or rollers to fall out, the slide may be detached from the rail and fall. Please take measures including installing a safety device.
What are the types of journal bearing?
Classification of Journal Bearings: These are: (1) Sliding contact bearing: (2) Rolling contact bearing: (1) Sliding Contact Bearing: (a) Journal Bearing: Journal bearing or sliding contact bearing may be classified as: (i) Solid Journal Bearing: (ii) Bushed Journal Bearing:.
