30 Linear Motion Guide Manufacturers in 2022
This section provides overview, applications, and principles of linear motion guides. Also, please take a look at the list of 30 linear motion guide manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
What Is a Linear Motion Guide?
A linear motion guide is a mechanical element that guides parts by reducing friction in linear motion.
To reduce friction, metal balls are generally used. Some use rollers or high-performance engineering plastics. The balls roll between the conveyor platform and the straight rail and move on the rail while supporting the weight. The balls can circulate on the conveyor table.
Linear motion guide allow smooth movement with little force. The precision-machined guide rails and balls have a little rattle, and the rotation of the balls is accurately transmitted to the transfer table, resulting in high positioning accuracy. Since the linear motion guide have no propulsive force, it is used with ball screws, cylinders, or other mechanisms to move the transfer table in any direction.
Uses of Linear Motion Guides
Linear motion guides are used where precise linear motion is required. They are used in machine tool tables, conveying equipment, inspection machines, robots, etc. They are also used in wood processing machines, construction machinery, and automated machinery. Rolling of linear motion parts improves machine performance, such as higher precision, higher speed, and labor-saving in mechatronics equipment.
Its use is expanding to include liquid crystal manufacturing lines, railcars, welfare vehicles, medical equipment, seismic isolation and vibration control devices for high-rise buildings and housing, amusement equipment, drones, and printers. When precise linear motion is required, two guide rails are used. The mounting surface of the linear motion guides must be precisely machined.
Principle of Linear Motion Guides
Linear motion guides consists of a guide rail, a carriage block, balls, ball retainers, and return caps. The guide rail is attached to the structural member, and the conveyor block moves on the guide rail with the rolling motion of the balls.
The rolling surface of the guide rail has a groove with a radius similar to the ball's diameter. Contact between the rolling surface and the balls is reduced from point contact to surface contact, greatly improving the allowable load and life. The structure of multiple rows of strips to support the ball enables accuracy to be maintained even under severe operating conditions, such as moment loads during rapid acceleration/deceleration and long continuous operation.
It is necessary to prevent unevenness in operation due to changes in the distance between the balls caused by their rolling during operation. Therefore, retainers are provided to keep the distance between the balls constant during operation. Linear motion guides are classified according to the accuracy of the balls and guide rails.
The higher the accuracy grade, the more restricted the operating environment, so it is necessary to calculate the load and take the rated life into consideration before use. Some guide rails have offset gothic arch grooves in which the balls roll. They have the advantage of high static load capacity.
Types of Linear Motion Guides
There are two types of linear motion guides, the miniature type and the medium/heavy load type.
1. Miniature Type
This type consists of two rows of balls that contact the guideway raceway at four points. This type is used in situations where no particularly heavy load is applied.
2. Medium to Heavy Load Type
This type consists of four rows of balls that make contact with the guideway raceway at two points. This type is used for machine tools that perform the heavy-duty cutting. The allowable load is increased by providing a groove for the balls to roll on the guideway.
3. Other Types
There are types that do not use balls. Rollers, high-performance enplas, oil-less metal, etc., are used for sliding parts. Compared to the ball type, this type has a larger load capacity and is more resistant to dust and other foreign matter. The disadvantage is the high frictional force.
Furthermore, in addition to straight rails, there are other types, such as cross guides and R guides. If high rigidity is not required, there is a compact, lightweight, and low-cost precision ball slide made by precision forming a stainless steel sheet into a U-shape and integrating the raceway portion and mounting surface.
Other Information on Linear Motion Guides
Features of Linear Motion Guides
Circulating ball-type linear motion guides are characterized by high rigidity, long life, high accuracy, quiet and smooth operation, and excellent vibration characteristics. Sliding-type linear motion guides that do not use balls are up to about 40% less expensive than ball-type linear motion guides. They are maintenance-free, lubricant-free, resistant to dust and moisture, have excellent corrosion resistance, are hygienic, have low noise, are lightweight, and have other advantages.
List of 30 Linear Motion Guide Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
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- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
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- Germany
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- Republic of Korea
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- United States of America
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IKO International
C-Lube Linear Way ML
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Linear Motion Guide Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of January 2023 in United States
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maedler North America | 25% |
| 2 | Wonststore.com. | 10% |
| 3 | Amacoil, Inc. | 10% |
| 4 | HepcoMotion | 5% |
| 5 | PBC Linear | 5% |
| 6 | LinTech | 5% |
| 7 | Bishop-Wisecarver | 5% |
| 8 | Isotech, Inc. | 5% |
| 9 | TPA Motion | 5% |
| 10 | AirTAC | 5% |
| 11 | NSK | 5% |
| 12 | igus | 5% |
| 13 | TOK America, Inc. | 5% |
| 14 | UNION TOOL | 5% |
Ranking as of January 2023 Globally
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maedler North America | 20% |
| 2 | Wonststore.com. | 8% |
| 3 | Bishop-Wisecarver | 8% |
| 4 | Amacoil, Inc. | 8% |
| 5 | Isotech, Inc. | 8% |
| 6 | NSK | 8% |
| 7 | HepcoMotion | 4% |
| 8 | PBC Linear | 4% |
| 9 | LinTech | 4% |
| 10 | TPA Motion | 4% |
| 11 | Schaeffler | 4% |
| 12 | AirTAC | 4% |
| 13 | igus | 4% |
| 14 | TOK America, Inc. | 4% |
| 15 | Bosch Rexroth | 4% |
| 16 | UNION TOOL | 4% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the linear motion guide page as of January 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Schaeffler: 83,297
- THK: 13,073
- NIPPON BEARING CO., LTD.: 582
Newly Established Company
- HIWIN: 1993 (30 years ago)
- PMI: 1990 (33 years ago)
- SBC Linear: 1989 (34 years ago)
Company with a History
- Bosch Rexroth: 1795 (228 years ago)
- Schaeffler: 1946 (77 years ago)
- NIPPON BEARING CO., LTD.: 1959 (64 years ago)
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