5 Steps for Finishing Hevi-Rail® U-Channels
Finishing the steel U-channels for the Hevi-Rail® linear bearing system is an easy operation when following these five steps.
Hevi-Rail steel U-channels are available up to 6m long and are supplied in an unfinished, yet ready to finish condition. Many customers use the rails as a structural element of their design and need the rails finished to a specific color for aesthetics or branding purposes. There may be some surface rust or corrosion at time of delivery, so follow these five steps to reach the desired results.
Step #1 - Sandblast the rail to remove any surface oxidation or corrosion.
Step #2 - Tape off the raceways where the bearing will make contact with the rail. It is important to have a good clean steel surface for the bearing / rail interface.
Step #3 - Most rails are powdercoated to desired color and thickness based on the environment rails are to be used. Powdercoating provides a durable finish that will stand up to most applications.
Step #4 - Remove the tape and apply a thin film of grease to the raceway. Learn more about roller bearings and lubrication from this blog post.
Step # 5 - Install the Hevi-Rail bearings in your heavy duty linear motion system.
Click here to see a video highlighting this and other design tips for the Hevi-Rail Linear Bearings.
Dave Walden
