From Thomson Industries Inc.

Linear rails come in basically two types, round and square.
The criteria for choosing one over the other is no different
than choosing any other machine component; spec out the
design, defi ne the system's objectives, and work from past
successes and mistakes.

Read the Whole Article

Products & Services
Gearboxes and Gearheads
Gearboxes and gearheads, also called gear reducers or speed reducers, are power transmission devices that use a gear arrangement in an enclosed housing to transfer energy, increase torque and reduce speed from one device to another. Gearboxes may also be referred to as gear reducers or speed reducers.
Ball Screws
Ball screws convert rotary motion to linear motion, or torque to thrust, and vice versa. They are primarily a power screw with a train of ball bearings riding between the screw and the nut in a recirculating track.
Lead Screws and ACME Screws
Lead screws and ACME screws are used to drive a nut in linear motion via direct contact between the screw and the nut. Lead screws usually incorporate proprietary screw and nut geometries and materials, and can be configured in zero-backlash arrangements.

Product Announcements
Applied Industrial Technologies - Huge Selection of Linear Motion Products
Applied® offers a wide range of linear motion products from industry-leading suppliers. From round rail bearings to 60 case shafting to profile rail bearings, theylocally stock and custom machine the... (read more)
MISUMI USA - Simplified Slide Rails line expanded!
MISUMI USA has expanded of its line of Simplified Slide Rails, adding new products and sizes to existing product types. The Simplified Slide Rails are suitable for use in a host of non-precision... (read more)
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions, Inc. - RGS04 Dual Carriage Motorized Linear Rail Assembly
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions offers the dual carriage RGS04 motorized linear rail assembly. This system combines many of Haydon Kerk's patented motion technologies into a single integrated system. The... (read more)
Lee Controls, LLC - LEE LINEAR® ’s relationship with SBC Linear
Now that LEE LINEAR® and SBC Linear have joined forces, customers can look forward to complete high quality linear motion product offerings and outstanding technical and customer support. The SBC... (read more)
MISUMI USA - NEW Linear Rails Preloaded Type from Misumi
NEW Linear Rails Preloaded Type from Misumi USA. A low cost preloaded solution is finally achieved. Transfer and position guiding are now possible with little clearance! Stainless Steel rails are... (read more)
Del-Tron Precision, Inc. - Del-Tron Crossed Roller Tables (Aluminum & Steel)
Del-Tron's crossed roller tables are known for their high accuracy and exceptional load carrying capabilities. Our crossed roller bearings are available in both aluminum and steel, and the perfect... (read more)

Topics of Interest

Choosing the right rail and carriage needn't be rocket science. Here's the lowdown. The bearing plate in round rail bushing bearings is selfaligning to accommodate rock, bore housing...

Linear motion guides are sometimes called linear guide bearings, square rail bearings, linear guideways, or recirculating ball bearings. These linear guide systems are made of two components: the...

Better manufacturing methods make square rails economical candidates for applications where only round rails once would do. Design engineers considering linear guides often struggle with which basic...

Curvilinear servomotors eliminate mechanical transmissions and provide independent control of multiple carriages. The PackTrak system is a linear-motor system that lets multiple carriages, or movers,...

Linear bushings are sometimes called ball bushings, round rail bearings, or recirculating ball bearings. They contain recirculating linear bushings, a shaft, shaft support, and carriage. Shaft...