Products Made in the USA
Machine Guide Rails
DETCO’s Gantry Rails, Guide Rails, Robot Automation Rails, and Guideways have become industry standard for dynamic motion in automation, foundry, assembly, and material handling applications. Household names in robotics, automation, & machine tool industries partner Detroit Edge to meet their customer’s high-speed machine travel needs.
While Gantry Rails and Guide Rails have slightly more open tolerance than Machine Ways and Box Ways, they still determine the basic accuracy of automation and machine systems. Flame hardened, or through hardened, DETCO’s Gantry Rails & Guide Rails are custom manufactured to customer’s specifications.
The efficient, rapid, and safe movement of materials is a critical factor in any manufacturing process. Guide Rails and Guideways have become instrumental in the creation of these new transport methods due to the technological advances in automation and material handling. Guide Rails and Gantry Rails can be installed on overhead gantries or on the floor as tracks.
Guide Rails or Guideways
Guide rails, or Guideways, are linear motion methods used to optimize material, part, and assembly movement. These highly efficient rail systems are machined, and precision designed for smooth circulation. Guide rails have low friction and are compact as well as lightweight, which makes them easy to install.
Detroit Edge Rails being used in a glass cutting application. The precision finish and surface hardening allows for industry best wear resistance and speed.
Regardless of their size and lightweight design, guide rails are capable of moving materials weighing in excess of 1000 lbs. easily and conveniently. Their effortless motion and instant access significantly improve the supply chain as well as increasing efficiency.
Gantry Rails
Gantry rails can be either manual or automated. They consist of a y axis support for x-axis girders. A z-axis support may be added to enhance the strength of the overall structure. The linear guide rail runs along a girder attached to the top of the x-y supports.
The main advantage of gantry rails is the use of unused overhead space. They can be engineered to fit a single workspace or run along the length of multiple workspaces for the application of multiple functions.
Robot Automated Guide Rail Systems
Automated guide rail systems can be linear along the floor or gantry. They use control and power distribution nodes to move materials along the track. This type of system can have a linear design with curves and angles to provide efficient movement.
When required to move materials long distances, the power nodes can be distributed along the guide rail. The design of an automated system can have a manually operated interface or be system controlled depending on the design requirements.
Floor Mounted Linear Guide Rails
Floor mounted linear guide rail systems use a variety of methods to move materials with precision and accuracy. The varieties of linear guide rail systems include ball bearing, roller, and cam types. Each design moves materials smoothly and effortlessly.
Ball bearing guide rail systems are perfect for operations that include vertical axes that are mounted as a stationary drive for vertical motion. This type of system has high capacity and provides smooth handling of any size load.
Roller rail systems can be designed to fit all four planes of load applications. The flexibility of roller rails allows them to be customized for any type of application. Their ability to supply seamless motion makes them perfect for a variety of operations.
The advantage of a cam roller system is its ability to move products at high speed accurately. They are ideal for material handling and can be easily automated to improve efficiency and enhance performance.
Gantry Rail and Guide Rail Materials
A common material used to manufacture gantry rails, guideways, and guide rails is flame hardened steel such as 1045, 4140, 4150, or 6150. An advantage to using flame hardened steel as a basic material is its ability to endure abrasions without experiencing wear. The flame hardening process deepens the depth of the hardness of the steel, which enhances its durability.
Production operation guide rails are constantly in motion and cannot afford to be hindered by wear. This possible hazard is overcome with the use of hardened steel that can withstand constant use and give outstanding performance regardless of the conditions.
