Linear Guide

Linear guides are a special case of elastic joints. They implement a coupling between the source and target interface with linear elasticity and viscous damping properties.

Definition

Source and target interfaces should be chosen as shown in following figure:

Source interface

Type	Moving interface (Fourier)
Topologies	Side faces of the rail (faces must spread in all directions)
Location	The path should go through the resulting location of action (approx. center of the rail)
u direction	Axial, along the rail in positive moving direction
v direction	Transversal, perpendicular to the rail, sidewards
w direction	Normal, away from the top surface of the rail

Target interface

Type	Stationary interface (6dof)
Topologies	Mounting face of the carriage
Location	Center of action
u direction	Axial, along the rail in positive moving direction
v direction	Transversal, perpendicular to the rail, sidewards
w direction	Normal, away from the top surface of the rail

Recommended link settings

Use ground for source	unchecked
Location master	target
Orientation master	either source or target

Parameters

Stiffness

Parameter	Unit	Description
Axial (u)	N/m	Axial stiffness (usually zero for a linear guide)
Transversal (v)	N/m	Transversal stiffness
Normal (w)	N/m	Normal stiffness
Roll (ru)	Nm/rad	Roll stiffness
Pitch (rv)	Nm/rad	Pitch stiffness
Yaw (rw)	Nm/rad	Yaw stiffness

Viscous damping

Parameter	Unit	Description
Axial (u)	Ns/m	Axial damping (viscous damping of the linear guide)
Transversal (v)	Ns/m	Transversal damping
Normal (w)	Ns/m	Normal damping
Roll (ru)	Nms/rad	Roll damping
Pitch (rv)	Nms/rad	Pitch damping
Yaw (rw)	Nms/rad	Yaw damping

Hysteretic damping

Parameter	Unit	Description
Axial (u)	None	Axial damping (hysteretic damping of the linear guide)
Transversal (v)	None	Transversal damping
Normal (w)	None	Normal damping
Roll (ru)	None	Roll damping
Pitch (rv)	None	Pitch damping
Yaw (rw)	None	Yaw damping