Linear rails typically come in lengths between six and 12 feet (1829-3650 millimeters), but customers often ask: is it possible to make rails longer by butting them together?
The answer is yes and linear plain bearings, like igus®’ line of DryLin® linear bearings and guides, are ideal for these types of applications.Since linear plain bearings slide on a plane and “bridge” the gap in between the two rails, they are a better choice than a rolling-element bearing, for example.
At the onset, this task may seem simple – how difficult could lining up the ends of a few pieces of aluminum really be? However, it is very important that the rails are butted together correctly. Follow these five steps to make joining long lengths of rail a simple and easy task.
