Sliding Guides Pt 3: Components & Materials

2 min read

Since there are a variety of environments and application requirements, linear bushings and shafts must accommodate for such needs.  In this post, we will display the different material types and application specifications they can be applied to.

Sliding guide components such as linear bushings and shafts are used quite frequently in an application similar to the below photo and figure. See Photo 1 and Figure 1.

sliding-guide

In these sliding guide designs, the shafts are supported on both ends with the load traveling on the plate via the linear bushings.  The load is transferred to each of the guide shafts.  Linear bearings or linear bushings can be used in this design depending on the desired outcome.

Shafts and bushings each require some fabrication for installation, but the costs could be reduced by adopting the mounting designs for standardized products.

Below is a chart illustrating standard linear sliding guide components, the material, and application characteristics.

Component Material Mounting Styles Application Characteristics
Shafts SUJ2 High Frequency Induction Hardening (See Note 1 & 2)

SUJ2 High Frequency Induction Hardening:58HRC+hard chrome plating: 800HV
(See Note 3)

Tapped/Threaded

Retaining Ring Groove

Keyway

Stepped

Wear Resistant

High Speed

Component Material Mounting Styles Application Characteristics
Linear Bushings Straight/Flanged w/ Plastic or Metal retainers

Linear Bushing Holders, Housing Units w/ Plastic or Metal retainers

Oil-free Copper Alloy Bushings

Straight

Flanged

Shaft Mount Supports

High Accuracy, High Load Capacity

Allowable Environmental Temperature

Light weight for moving applications

Low speeds

Chemical Resistant

No lubrication use

Component Configuration Application Characteristics
Guide Sets Miniature Ball Guide Sets Low friction

High accuracy for simultaneous linear and rotary applications

 

Note 1) About SUJ material
Bearing Steel. S for Steel, U for Used, and J for Journal. Journal is a rotating contact section of a bearing arrangement.
Note 2) About High Frequency Induction Hardening
A hardening method where only the surface of steel is hardened by efficiently induced electrical current by a high frequency oscillator.
Note 3) About Hardness
There is no theoretical definition for Hardness, and is expressed using comparative values obtained by pressing hard balls or diamond indenters on test specimen. HRC (Rockwell hardness: Hard-ball Method) is used for SUJ and SUS hardness measurements and Hv (Vickers Hardness: Vickers Pyramid Indentation Method) for hardness of minute section of hard chrome plating is generally used.

Sliding guide components can be combined to achieve application requirements.  The availability of different materials and surface treatments make this possible.  As you can see, each component has a variety application characteristic capability.

This concludes the sliding guide series.  Up next we will dive into CAD a series including topics such as PDM, CAD history, and future.

About the Author

Carlicia Layosa

Carlicia is the Marketing Automation Manager at MISUMI. She holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master's degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate, Marketo Certified Expert, and is passionate about education and training.

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