Pressed Steel Cage is the cage, which spaces the rolling elements and keeps them from touching each other — the standard cage of volume bearing production: light, cheap, tolerant of temperature and unaffected by the oils that age a polymer cage. On a lme series linear ball bushings that matters because as the rings — it relies on the lubricant and the seals. The property data, the comparison against the alternatives and the size table are below.
Why Pressed Steel Cage for LME Series Linear Ball Bushings
The standard cage of volume bearing production: light, cheap, tolerant of temperature and unaffected by the oils that age a polymer cage. In a lme series linear ball bushings it is the cage, which spaces the rolling elements and keeps them from touching each other.
Pressed from sheet and guided by the rolling elements, it adds almost no mass and almost no cost, tolerates a wide temperature range, and is unaffected by lubricant chemistry. It is the default cage of the standard bearing ranges for good reasons.
Material Properties
| Grade designation | low-carbon sheet steel, two-piece riveted or ribbon type, rolling-element guided |
|---|---|
| Magnetic response | Magnetic |
| Service temperature | Not the limiting element; the lubricant and the ring heat stabilization decide |
| Corrosion characteristic | As the rings — it relies on the lubricant and the seals |
Alternatives and When to Switch
Polyamide where quiet running and low friction matter and the temperature is moderate; machined brass where speed, shock or lubricant chemistry rules both of the others out.
What the Material Changes About the Bearing
The cage carries no load, so it changes no rating. What it changes is the operating envelope: the maximum temperature, the maximum speed, the tolerance of shock and vibration, the noise, and the compatibility with the lubricant. A bearing is very often limited by its cage long before its rings are in any danger, which is why the cage suffix in a designation is not a detail.
Sizes of LME Series Linear Ball Bushings Available in Pressed Steel Cage
| Designation | Shaft diameter d (mm) | Outer diameter D (mm) | Length L (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LME12UU | 12 | 22 | 32 |
| LME16UU | 16 | 26 | 36 |
| LME20UU | 20 | 32 | 45 |
| LME25UU | 25 | 40 | 58 |
| LME30UU | 30 | 47 | 68 |
| LME40UU | 40 | 62 | 80 |
| LME50UU | 50 | 75 | 100 |
