What Is a Linear Stopper?
A linear stopper is a metal fitting designed to prevent a work plate, which serves as a mounting base for a workpiece, from dislodging from a guide rail, such as a linear guide or slide rail, or for precisely positioning the work plate. It is also commonly referred to as a linear stopper or linear lock.
Linear stoppers are typically constructed from steel or stainless steel. Some stoppers come equipped with urethane rubber or urethane rubber bolts to minimize impact between the table and the stopper. The bolts and other components of the stopper are crafted from S45C steel, which undergoes hardening to enhance wear resistance.
Applications of Linear Stoppers
Linear guides find usage in situations demanding precise linear motion, and linear stoppers are installed at their ends. They are employed in machine tool tables, transportation equipment, processing and inspection tables for semiconductors, among other applications, to prevent tables from dislodging and to facilitate precise positioning.
In recent years, linear stoppers have found utility in linear guides for railroad cars, buses, automatic doors, and seismic isolation devices.
Linear stoppers fitted with sensors are also widely adopted for the automatic control of industrial machinery.
Characteristics of Linear Stoppers
Linear stoppers come in three main types: those for retention, those for precise positioning, and those designed to work in conjunction with urethane rubber or urethane bolts. The stopper block is employed to prevent the work plate from dislodging from the guide rail or to act as a stopper if the work plate goes out of control. They can also be used for simple positioning in conjunction with stopper blocks.
Precision positioning involves the use of stopper bolts and stopper blocks, with stoppers specifically designed for this purpose. For even greater positioning accuracy, linear stoppers with bolts may be used in combination with stopper blocks featuring bolts.
Urethane rubber with urethane bolts serves to minimize noise resulting from metal-to-metal collisions between the work plate and the stopper block. The urethane bolt features a urethane rubber attachment at the bolt head, and the rubber part can be replaced when necessary.
Additionally, there are compact linear stoppers available, designed for installation in confined spaces, featuring a downsized design for enhanced versatility.