As the UK’s leading linear bearings supplier, Yorkshire’s YB Components are well placed to explain what factors should be considered when identifying the ideal linear motion bearing for a particular application.
In general, linear bearings suppliers provide bearings that either make use of a pad, bushing or roller system to carry loads along a rail. The rail doesn’t necessarily have to be in a straight line, and theoretically speaking the rail can be pretty much any length required, although the actuator will ultimately determine the rail length.
Factors Advised by Linear Bearings Suppliers
The first considerations to keep in mind when selecting linear motion bearings include the necessary rigidity for the application, as well as the required accuracy.
You will also need to understand the load and moment load requirements. A moment load represents a tilting load that is trying to rotate the rings of a rolling element bearing, usually perpendicular to the rotational axis. The likes of single ball bearings cannot usually cope with such moment loads, so this factor may be crucial depending on the application.
Another consideration that you will hear linear bearings suppliers advise about is the amount of maintenance that is required and the availability of a regular maintenance schedule. Some designs can handle less maintenance while others require regular check-ups during and after operation. This is due to the constant vibrations that the linear motion activity generates, which can have various impacts on the application’s performance.
There should be a range of shaft-support shapes and materials to choose from too, as well as shaft material options available through a linear bearings supplier like Yorkshire’s YB Components.
Linear Bearing Durability
Many customers of linear bearings suppliers will ask about the durability of a particular model, though in general this factor will always be determined by the load and speed at which the application engages the linear motion bearings.
Linear Bearing Size and Shape
Size and shape are obviously big factors when it comes to choosing linear bearings. They come in a wide variety of sizes from very large to miniature, with the latter possibly used to move a slide sample a few millimetres under the lens of a microscope. In contrast, much larger linear bearings may be used on construction sites or quarries, moving loads weighing several tonnes.
Linear Guides for Heavy Loads
Linear guides are usually employed to carry heavier loads, most often using roller bearings or a re-circulating ball in slide units or rectangular mounting pads. They work using cylindrical rollers or a loop of ball bearings cycling in and out of a load area along shafts, with multiple rails working in unison depending on the load size and weight.
If you require any linear motion bearings or advice from a linear bearings supplier, then contact YB Components who are the UK’s leading linear bearings suppliers in Yorkshire. We keep local stocks of all such parts and more ready to ship out fast and free all over the UK and the rest of the world.