Linear Drive Features High Thrust Option

Amacoil-Uhing RG3 linear drives are now available with an extra bearing option which doubles the axial thrust capacity of the drive unit without significantly increasing the length of the drive box. Production personnel and designers faced with limited space and high thrust requirements will find that the optional RG4 drives meet thrust demands without requiring an expanded workspace. RG4 drives are also an economical solution because increasing thrust with the four-ring option is less expensive than scaling up to a larger size RG3 drive. Nine RG3 sizes are each available with the four-ring option. For models RG315, -20, -22, -30 and -40 there is only a slight difference in the length of the drive box when the fourth bearing is added. This means that for these sizes travel potential for the RG4 model is slightly less than it is for the RG3 drive. The application must permit the slightly reduced travel if the RG4 drive is selected. For sizes RG350, -60 and -80 the drive boxes for the RG3 and RG4 models have identical dimensions and travel capacities.

The extra bearing doubles the thrust by increasing the number of bearing-to-shaft contact points. In RG3 models the center bearing makes point contact with the drive shaft on two points which gives the bearing maximum side thrust. However, the two outside bearings in the RG3 drive contact the shaft only at one point which results in half thrust for each bearing. When the fourth bearing is added two more shaft contact points are established thereby doubling the thrust of the drive unit. Amacoil-Uhing RG linear drives are used in equipment requiring a reciprocating linear motion component such as material handling systems, winding machines, spraying assemblies, converting equipment and metrology systems. RG drive systems generally reduce or eliminate electronic controls in linear motion systems.