The fifth generation of the "RUE" has been very successfully established on the market since 2003 - especially in large milling and gantry machines as well as in press construction, straightening machines and many other machine types. The bar was set correspondingly high for the development of the new, sixth generation of RUE-F roller monorail guidance systems.

Better surface quality during machining

Compared to the previous generation, the sixth generation of the RUE-F offers noticeably lower stroke pulsation, 40 percent lower displacement forces and up to 30 percent smaller displacement force fluctuations. These significant improvements ensure easier controllability of the drives and greater positioning accuracy. Used in the main axes of machine tools, the new roller monorail guidance systems can achieve even better surface qualities. The lower displacement forces have a noticeably positive effect on the energy consumption and operating costs of the drives, particularly in axes with a high number of cycles.

Up to 50 percent reduction in lubricant requirement

With the help of an innovative, flow-optimized design of the lubrication channels, the lubricant is now perfectly distributed to all four raceways - regardless of the installation position of the carriages. This enables the lubricant requirement to be reduced by up to 50 percent. The favorable tribological conditions increase the operational reliability of the machines and even extend their service life. With lower lubricant consumption, operators make multiple savings, as the cost of oil separation is reduced when purchasing and disposing of machines that are operated with cooling lubricant.

Comprehensive sealing solution

Schaeffler is responding to the trend towards combining different manufacturing technologies in machining centers with newly designed seals. The optimized lower and upper longitudinal sealing strips have an additional labyrinth seal. The new front seal offers optimum wiping results with maximum protection against dirt ingress and is particularly low-friction. It can be used for all rail variants and sealing solutions - whether plugs or cover strips. This provides users with a standardized and reliable seal design for all track variants.

Cost-effectiveness starts with the installation solution

Closing the mounting holes in the guide rails is an important factor for the assembly time of linear axles. Schaeffler has developed a one-piece, two-part sealing plug made of plastic, which consists of a pressure ring and the actual plug. The one-piece design makes handling and installation much easier. Approximately 50 percent of the assembly time can be saved compared to other solutions with sealing plugs. Due to the many advantages, the RUE-F recirculating roller units are now supplied with the new one-piece, two-part sealing plug as standard.