Industry solutions · 03

Linear guides and telescopic rails for machine tools

A machining center moves on its linear guides: VR roller guides carry the main axes with the rigidity that cutting forces and accuracy demand. Around the process, VT telescopic rails guide covers, magazines and maintenance pull-outs — in chips, coolant and constant vibration.

Accuracy to UPPreload to C3Coolant & chips−20 … +170 °C

Configure online

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Modern CNC machining center on a bright factory floor with the enclosure open showing the milling spindle

Modern CNC machining center on a bright factory floor with the enclosure open showing the milling spindle

Where linear guides and telescopic rails work in machine tools

Typical mounting points across the industry — the tag shows which product line does the job.

Linear guide

Main machine axes

VR roller guides with preload C2 or C3 carry the X, Y and Z axes of milling, turning and machining centers.

Linear guide

Grinding & finishing machines

Accuracy classes SP and UP for grinding and finishing machines, where running parallelism is measured in micrometres.

Linear guide

Vibration damping

The damping carriage on the same rail damps vibration from the drive and the cut — better surface finish, longer tool life.

Linear guide

Loading gantries & part handling

VB ball guides run loading gantries and part handlers at high speed.

Telescopic rail

Protective cover guides

Partial-extension rails carry sliding enclosure segments and telescopic way covers.

Telescopic rail

Tool magazines & changers

Slides position tool cassettes and chain-magazine access panels precisely.

Telescopic rail

Chip conveyor pull-outs

Full-extension rails withdraw conveyors and coolant tanks for cleaning.

Telescopic rail

Maintenance drawers

Control-cabinet and lubrication-unit drawers on zero-clearance slides.

Telescopic rail

Measuring & probe stations

Repeatable slide positioning for in-process gauging fixtures.

What the application demands

The engineering constraints that drive series selection — and how Veltork answers them.

device_thermostat

Heat next to the process

Spindles, chips and coolant push ambient temperatures up. VT-L and VT-P run from −20 to +170 °C with temperature greases available on request.

grain

Chips, dust and coolant mist

Linear guides get double end seals, metal scrapers, inner seal strips and covered rail holes; on telescopic rails, closed C-profiles (VT-L runs its carriage inside the rail) and captive cages tolerate contaminated environments.

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Machine-tool stiffness

Guides on a machine must not add compliance. VR roller guides with preload C2–C3 carry the axes; telescopic rails are zero-clearance as standard, with K1 preload on request, and VT-P integrates into the load-bearing structure.

Recommended series

Start with these series; the configurators weigh your exact load, stroke and service life against the whole range.

Linear guides

VRRollers · O-arrangement
Roller linear guide

Main axes of milling, turning and grinding machines: line contact for the highest stiffness and load capacity, accuracy to UP, preload C1–C3 (C4 and C5 on request).

Sizes 25–65up to 4 m/s · preload C1–C3
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VBBalls · O-arrangement
Ball linear guide, O-arrangement

Light machining, loading gantries and auxiliary axes: up to 5 m/s, accuracy N to UP, sizes 15–65.

Sizes 15–65up to 5 m/s · accuracy N to UP
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Telescopic rails

VT-P≈ 50 % ext
Partial Extension

The rigidity benchmark of the range — partial extension that becomes part of the machine structure; rated for shock and intensive cycling at −20…+170 °C.

Sizes 22–63highest telescopic load, per pair
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VT-LCarriage in C-profile
Compact Rail

Carriage inside a closed C-profile — inherently protected against chips, with up to 12 t per carriage for heavy stations.

Sizes 22–63up to 122 kN per carriage
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VT-O100 % ext
Square Full Extension

Closed square profile resists torsion — right where covers and pull-outs are loaded off-axis.

Sizes 22–43torsion-resistant closed profile
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Technical fit

Execution options of both product lines.

Linear guides

Accuracy · preload
Accuracy N · H · P · SP · UP; preload C0–C3 (roller guides C1–C3, C4 and C5 on request)
Speed · acceleration
VB up to 5 m/s and 500 m/s² · VR 4 m/s, 150 m/s² · VX 2 m/s, 40 m/s²
Sealing
End and bottom seals standard; double seals, metal scrapers, inner seal strips and rail cover strip on request
Corrosion protection
Oiled as standard; hard chrome, black chrome, nickel, black oxide or stainless steel
Load basis
Per carriage; load ratings to ISO 14728

Telescopic rails

Working speed
≤ 0.8 m/s (derates with length) · max accel 1.2 m/s²
Surface coatings
Zinc per ISO 2081 (standard) · zinc-nickel · nickel · E-coat on request
Lubrication
Medium lithium grease; re-lube every 100 km or 6 months. FDA, cleanroom, marine & temperature greases on request.
Load basis
Telescopic series per pair of rails · VT-L per carriage

Frequently asked questions

Roller or ball guide for a machine axis?expand_more

Roller guides (VR) for main axes with high cutting forces and for grinding machines — line contact gives the highest stiffness and load capacity. Ball guides (VB) for lighter machining, loading and handling axes and speeds up to 5 m/s. The linear-guide configurator compares both for your loads and required life.

Which accuracy and preload class for a machining center?expand_more

Typically accuracy class P or SP with preload C2 for milling and turning axes, and SP or UP with C2–C3 for grinding machines. VR roller guides come in classes H, P, SP and UP with preload C1–C3; C4 and C5 on request.

Do the rails survive coolant and chip contact?expand_more

Yes, with the right execution: VT-L runs its carriage inside a closed C-profile, coatings up to E-coat resist coolant chemistry, and re-lubrication with temperature or cleanroom greases is specified per environment.

What temperature range is permissible?expand_more

VT-L, VT-P, VT-X and VT-O operate from −20 to +170 °C. VT-S is limited to +80 °C by its rubber-damped internal stops — for hot zones choose another family or external stops.

Can I get zero backlash for a gauging station?expand_more

Standard executions are zero-clearance; K1 increased preload removes the last elasticity for measuring and positioning duty. G1 increased clearance exists for misalignment-tolerant covers.

What about non-standard strokes for a specific cover kinematic?expand_more

Any stroke that is a multiple of the family's ball-cage step (e.g. 12 mm for size 35 VT-P) can be ordered; the part number encodes length and stroke directly.

Other industries

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Tell us your application — we return a part number.

Send the payload, stroke and envelope, or let a configurator narrow the range first. Our team returns a sized series, deflection estimate and dimension drawing — prototypes in under 14 days.

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