Intermittently Supported Linear Ball Bushing Rails

[Chuck_M]

The catalogs for Linear Ball Bushing rails typically show either end supports suspending a rail for a closed carriage, or continuous supports with an open carriage. The continuos supports add significantly to the cost, but are required to control the deflection that would occur over long unsupported spans.

Is it acceptable to use short closely spaced supports of the continuos type to control deflection, and significantly reduce the support costs of the continous support? I seem to recall seeing this in a picture for a large commercial plasma cutter table.

[ger21]

Originally Posted by Chuck_M Is it acceptable to use short closely spaced supports..................

You didn't say what you are using them on, but probably. As long as the shafts can't flex between the supports.