From Munich to Cairo without lubrication: glide instead of roll with durable linear guide carriage from igus

The drylin W Series linear T20 makes it even easier to switch from ball bearing slides to sliding linear slides

With the T20 of the drylin W series, igus brings to the market a new linear guide carriage that has the same dimensions as most classic carriages with ball bearing guides. This enables fast 1:1 replacement - without structural modifications. By using drylin W, applications benefit from the fact that lubrication is not required, a long service life, less cleaning effort and lower weight.

Whether it is the sliding door of a cabinet, the seat adjustment of fitness equipment or the bottle dispenser of a beverage dispenser: more and more designers are saying goodbye to classic ball bearing systems when it comes to linear guides, and relying on linear systems from igus' drylin W series. A paradigm shift. This is due to the fact that the guide carriage does not roll, but glides very quietly along the rail - on liners high-quality plastic. "Durability, maintenance- and lubrication-free, hygienic and light: the advantages of drylin W are so great that more and more designers are making even complex technical modifications to their machines to make the switch," says Michael Hornung, Product Manager for drylin linear technology at igus. "An effort we would like to spare our designers in the future." This is why the company is launching the new T20 linear guide carriage. A robust and corrosion-free aluminum monoblock with iglidur J200 linear plain bearing liners for an exceptionally long service life on hard anodized aluminum rails.

Connection dimensions identical to those of ball bearing slides

Visually, the T20 linear guide carriage is reminiscent of a classic ball bearing roller guide carriage. "The guide carriage has the same dimensions as most ball bearing roller guides on the market - with the same system height and identical connection dimensions. This allows a direct 1:1 replacement of the guide carriage and thus a convenient change from roller guide to sliding guide - without any changes to the design." A similarly fast replacement with linear guide carriages of the same dimensions was previously only possible on the drylin T system. In this case, however, users were limited to a T guide rail. "With the new T20 linear guide carriage, the jump from ball bearing guideways to lubrication- and maintenance-free linear technology becomes significantly easier."

T20 achieves running power of 2,500 to 18,000 kilometers in test

The drylin W Series is characterized by a high degree of flexibility. This allows users to choose from various guide rail models. One of the most popular is the drylin W standard rail WS-10-40 - a robust hard anodized and corrosion-free linear guide rail made of aluminum. A rail characterized by a flat construction and a torsion-resistant double shaft geometry. This has been proven by tests in the igus test laboratory. A linear slide of the T20 series moved back and forth on a rail length of 1000 millimeters during 24/7 operation - at a load of 250 N and an acceleration of 10 m/s². The system achieved a driving performance of 2,500 kilometers in completely dry conditions. This corresponds to the distance between Munich and Cairo. With a load of 2 kilograms and a slow driving speed, a driving performance of 18,000 kilometers was achieved.

Tribo glide films - low-maintenance, durable and hygienic

In addition to a long service life, switching to a linear guide carriage with a sliding liner made of high-quality plastic offers further advantages. Unlike rolling systems, the lining does not require external lubrication. Integrated, microscopic solid lubricants ensure low-friction dry operation. The advantage is obvious: the omission of lubricants saves time and costs for maintenance work and has a positive effect on the life cycle assessment. Equally durable: the service life of the linear guide carriage is virtually unlimited, as the liners can be replaced again and again with little effort. Cleaning effort is also low, as the liner simply pushes dirt off the rail. Rolling systems, on the other hand, often run the risk of dirt mixing with the lubricating oil to form a mixture that reduces smooth operation and increases the risk of contamination. "Our different drylin liners make it possible to get the most out of every application," says Michael Hornung. "In addition to the aluminum version, we have also developed a linear guide carriage made of stainless steel. In combination with double rails made of VA stainless steel and linear liners, for example from the FDA- and EU-compliant iglidur A160 material, highly hygienic and cleaning-intensive applications are also possible in the food, medical and pharmaceutical sectors."