Hard rail? Linear rail?

The so-called hard rail refers to a hard guide rail, and the line rail is a linear guide rail. Hard rail refers to a casting that integrates the guide rail and the bed, and then processes the guide rail on the basis of the casting. The shape of the guide rail cast on the bed, which is then quenched and ground into a guide rail, can also be integrated with the bed and guide rail. For example, the embedded steel guide rail is nailed to the bed after processing. Line rails usually refer to rolling guides, which are commonly used in linear modules in the machine tool industry. We usually refer to these components as "linear guides". The linear guide rail itself is divided into two parts: a slide rail and a slider. There are internal circulating balls or rollers inside the slider, and the length of the slide rail can be customized.

The main difference between the two is that hard guide rails can withstand large cutting forces and are mainly used for machine tools above 1.3 meters. This type of machine tool is mainly used for mold processing, but the disadvantage is that the guide rail cannot move too fast. Linear guide rails bear relatively little cutting force, but their movement speed is fast. Currently, the Z-axis movement speed of drilling rigs is generally around 60M, and these guide rails are mainly used in some relatively small machine tools. In terms of service life, linear guides are much higher than hard guides.

There is no best, only the most suitable

Both hard rail and line rail have their advantages and disadvantages, so there is no saying which one is better, only the one that is most suitable for enterprise production.

The sliding contact surface of the hard rail is large, with good rigidity, strong seismic resistance, and strong load-bearing capacity, suitable for heavy load cutting. Due to the large contact area of the guide rail, the machine tool operates more smoothly, making it suitable for machines with high vibration requirements, such as grinding machines. Hard rails belong to dry friction, and due to the large contact surface, the frictional resistance is also high, and the movement speed cannot be too fast. At the same time, it is prone to crawling, and the presence of gaps on the moving surface can lead to machining errors.

The maintenance of the machine tool rail is of utmost importance. Once the rail lubrication is insufficient, it can cause the rail to burn or wear excessively, which is fatal to the accuracy of the machine tool. So overall, the application of hard rails is suitable for heavy cutting, large molds, high hardness workpieces, and workpieces with average accuracy requirements.

The assembly of the rail is simple, and with a little training, high-quality assembly can be completed. The cutting force on the line rail is relatively smaller than that on the hard rail. Nowadays, many large factories' line rails have greatly improved their load-bearing capacity through structural design. Of course, compared to the load-bearing capacity of the hard rail, it is still relatively small. The wire rail is suitable for high-speed machines and can be cut at high speed. It is suitable for processing products, small precision molds, and has advantages such as fast running speed, high machining accuracy, low maintenance cost, and longer lifespan than the hard rail. And the rail is not perfect either. It is not as smooth and rigid as hard rail, and has higher requirements for transportation and processing environment.

In summary, when selecting a machining center, it is necessary to choose products that are suitable for oneself based on one's own needs and conditions, in order to achieve the desired processing effect.