Standard linear rail components meet the demands of most industrial applications, but in some instances, a customized rail solution can offer advantages and benefits for the designer. Here are the top 5 reasons to consider a custom linear rail solution.
Top 5 Benefits of Custom Linear Rails
5. Personalized Look
Often linear rails and slides are hidden within a machine, but in other cases, they are clearly seen. One way an equipment manufacturer can separate their brand is to customize a rail to give it their own “look”. Color, machined features, etc. can add eye appeal to things such as exercise equipment and open kiosk retail systems.
4. Cost Savings
While extra machining does add cost to components, often there are hidden costs in an overall system that can be cut or eliminated when using custom rails. Savings in installation time, fewer components, and weight in shipment are just a few of the things to consider in the big picture of overall cost.
3. Cleanability
Slots, weep holes, and other features can be added to a linear rail to ensure the maximum performance in a washdown environment. Click here to learn more from a white paper with best practices for linear motion design in washdowns.
2. Ease of Assembly & Installation
Features such as a reference edges, locating pins, mounting tabs, and connectors can be integrated directly into the rail design shortening assembly time and ensuring alignment at installation.
1. Reduced Weight
The number one benefit of custom machined linear rails most often realized by designers is the amount of weight saved. This is especially critical to the aerospace industry, but where machining does not compromise load capacity or performance, it can also be an advantage in a range of medical, ergonomic, and industrial equipment.
A PBC Linear Application Engineer can help you evaluate the volumes and parameters of your current design to see if you could benefit from a custom linear rail solution.
NOTE: In a previous blog post, some of the advantages of custom carriages were explored. Click here to learn more about custom sliders and carriages.
