Thomson Super Smart Ball Bushing Linear bearings, already available in US inch and European metric models, are now available in Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) sizes. This advanced bearing technology provides up to six times the load capacity or 216 times the travel life of conventional linear bearings. As a result, OEMs that specify Super Smart Ball Bushing bearings can minimise machine downtime and reduce machine costs using smaller, more reliable and less expensive bearings and 60 Case LinearRace shafts.
“Super Smart Ball Bushing bearings represent a true breakthrough in linear motion technology, with features and capabilities that are unmatched in conventional linear bearing technology,” says Al Ng, director, Engineering – Linear Bearings & Guides. “For example, they feature universal self-aligning bearing plates that are extremely forgiving of misaligned housing bores and shaft deflection, and promote uniform ball loading over the entire length of the bearing plate and optimised distribution of the load between ball tracks. This maximises bearing life and eliminates the need for de-rating factors commonly required for linear guides.
Super Smart Ball Bushing bearings have coefficients of friction as low as 0.001 for ultra-smooth operation, and deliver reliable performance at steady state speeds up to 3 m/s and acceleration up to 150 m/s2. Double lip integral wipers keep contaminants out and lubrication in, further maximising the bearing’s life. Additionally, combining Super Smart Ball Bushing bearings with Thomson 60 Case LinearRace shafting improves shafting life by a factor of five when compared with the use of conventional shafts and Super Ball Bushing bearings.
