In modern industrial equipment, linear motion systems are almost ubiquitous. However, the performance of steel guide rails depends not only on the material itself, but also on its design elements, which are crucial for ensuring the long-term reliable operation of the system. This article will systematically analyze the design elements of steel guide rails used in reliable linear motion systems from multiple dimensions.
1. Designing the Guide Rail Structure
When vibration or impact forces act on the machinery, the guide rail and slider may deviate from their original fixed positions, affecting operating accuracy and service life. To avoid this, it is recommended to fix the guide rail and slider using the following methods:
1.1 Clamping Plate Fixing Method
In this method, the sides of the steel guide rails and slider need to protrude slightly from the edges of the bed and workbench, and the clamping plate needs to be machined with relief grooves to prevent interference with the corners of the guide rail or slider during installation.
1.2 Tapered Wedge Block Fixing Method
In this method, excessive tightening force caused by tightening the tapered wedge block can easily cause the guide rail to bend or the outer shoulder to deform. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the appropriateness of the tightening force during installation.
1.3 Stop Screw Fixing Method
Due to space limitations, the size of the screws used should not be too large.
1.4 Dowel Pin Fixing Method
The dowel pin applies pressure by the advancement of the bolt head's bevel. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the position of the bolt head.
1.5 Eccentric Clamping Bolt Fixing Method
After tightening the eccentric clamping bolt, the bolt head, which is offset from the thread axis, can powerfully clamp the steel guide rails. Due to the wedge effect, high clamping force can be obtained with low tightening torque.
2. Design of the Mounting Surface
When installing steel guide rails, especially in equipment requiring high precision, it is necessary to install the linear guide rails with high precision. In this case, please pay attention to the following points when designing the mounting surface.
2.1 Shape of the Corners
If the corner shape of the guide rail or slider mounting surface is machined into an R shape larger than the chamfer size of the guide rail or slider, it may not be able to properly contact the reference surface. Therefore, when designing the mounting surface, please pay attention to the "corner shape" described in each model.
2.2 Perpendicularity of the Reference Surface
If the perpendicularity accuracy between the mounting surface of the guide rail or slider and the reference surface cannot be guaranteed, it may not be able to properly contact the reference surface. Therefore, please pay attention to the angular error of the perpendicularity between the mounting surface and the reference surface.
2.3 Dimensions of the Reference Surface
When designing the reference surface, please pay attention to its height and thickness. If it is too high, there is a risk of interference; conversely, if it is too low, it may not be possible to position it correctly due to the chamfering of the steel guide rails or slider. In addition, if the thickness is too low, insufficient rigidity may occur when bearing lateral loads, or the rigidity of the reference surface may be insufficient when positioning with lateral thrust bolts, leading to poor accuracy. Please be sure to pay attention to this.
3. Steel Guide Rails Reference Side
3.1 Representation of the Reference Surface
The direction of the reference surface on the guide rail is indicated by the arrow before the model and manufacturing number markings, while on the slider it is on the opposite side of the model and manufacturing number markings, as shown in the figure below.
3.2 Dimensional Tolerance from the Reference Surface to the Mounting Holes
If the dimensional tolerance from the reference surface to the mounting holes of the steel guide rails or slider is too large, it will not be possible to position it correctly during installation. Please be sure to pay attention to this. Generally, it varies slightly depending on the model, but please set it within ±0.1mm.
3.3 Chamfering of Mounting Threaded Holes
When installing the guide rail, it is necessary to chamfer the threaded holes on the mounting surface. If the chamfering of the threaded holes is too large or too small, it will affect accuracy.
4. Mounting Surface Shoulder Height and Corner Shape
Generally, the mounting surface of the steel guide rails and slider has a reference surface on its side to facilitate assembly and high-precision positioning. The height of this reference surface shoulder varies depending on the model. In addition, the corners of the mounting shoulder should be machined with a recessed portion, or machined to a radius r smaller than the corner angle to prevent interference with the chamfering of the guide rail or slider.
Summary
Steel guide rails used in reliable linear motion systems are not simply a matter of selecting standard parts, but a systematic design engineering project involving multiple aspects. Only by comprehensively considering these key elements during the design phase can the guide rail be ensured to operate stably for a long time under complex working conditions.