Linear Guide Bearings (also known as LM guides or linear motion bearings) are precision mechanical components designed for smooth linear motion in industrial applications. As recirculating ball bearings, they transform rotational motion into linear movement with minimal friction, achieving positioning accuracy up to ±0.001mm.

1. Core Components & Working Principle

• Structure:

• Rail/Shaft: Hardened steel track with precision-ground surface (HRC 58-62)

• Slider/Block: Contains recirculating balls in a stainless steel or aluminum housing

• Ball Circuit: Enables infinite rolling motion through patented return channels

• Mechanism:
  Load-bearing balls contact the rail at 45° angles, distributing forces evenly while maintaining <0.005 friction coefficient.

2. Key Technical Advantages

3. Industrial Applications

• Machine Tools: CNC milling/drilling axis guidance

• Automation: Robotics arms (6-axis collaborative robots)

• Semiconductor: Wafer handling systems (Class 10 cleanroom compatible)

• Medical: MRI scanner beds, surgical robot positioning

4. Product Variants & Selection Guide

4.1 Types by Series

• LM Series (Asian market): JIS B1192 standard, metric dimensions

• LME Series (Global market): DIN/ISO compliant, inch dimensions

4.2 Configuration Options

• Sealing:

• UU: Double-lip seals (IP54 protection)

• OP: Open-type for easy maintenance

• Flange Designs:

• Square flange (AJ): For high moment load resistance

• Circular flange (F): Space-saving installations

5. Maintenance Best Practices

1. Lubrication:

• Grease: Lithium complex (NLGI 2) for 80% applications

• Oil: ISO VG32 for high-speed (>3m/s) operations

2. Alignment:

• <0.05mm/m parallelism error during installation

3. Load Calculation:

   Dynamic load (C) = (Fh × fn)/(fw × fc)   Where:   Fh = Actual load   fn = Speed factor   fw = Load direction factor   fc = Contact condition factor