Bellows for Linear Rails & Machine Ways

Dynatect offers custom-designed way cover bellows to protect linear rails and moving parts from dust and debris.

These accordion-style covers are tailored to fit specific applications and help to mitigate the ingress of contaminants thereby helping to maintain overall efficiency.

Dynatect’s bellows covers are available in a variety of constructions, providing a solution withstands the demands of your operating environment.

Way Cover Bellows RFQ Online New Design RFQ (PDF) Replacement RFQ (PDF)

Design Tips & Key Things to Remember

 

Typical Way Cover Shapes

An assortment of way cover shapes

way cover shapes

 

Managing Air Flow During Cover Movement

  • Bellows may be subject to pressure and vacuum forces by way of the extending and retracting velocity which then requires venting features to be added to the bellows, or venting through the machine that the bellows is mounted to.
  • Stiffeners and guides can have holes added to allow air to move throughout the length of the bellows
  • Way covers may need to be vented to prevent trapped air caused by cycling velocity. If the air evacuation area is inadequate, pressure will build up within the cover and produce a “caterpillar” effect.
photo of waycover showing caterpillar effect
What will hold down the cover? How does the cover ride? Consider these questions when specifying a new cover to avoid the cover buckling upon retraction.
Black way cover bellows

Way Cover Space Restrictions

Specify space restrictions along the travel path, or any obstacles around the machine way. Call them out on a drawing or sketch along with measurements. Consider the different positions of potential obstructions: above the way, to the side, or even underneath the cover. Regular inspection to remove accumulation of debris may be necessary; we have heard of chip loads building up and pushing a bellows cover right off the rails.

Way Cover space restrictions
Images of customized rail profiles for bellows

Customized Way Cover Profiles

Way cover bellows have a stiffener profile that can be customized to fit dovetail ways and linear rails. Please include a CAD drawing or sketch when requesting a quote. If available, provide the linear bearing’s make and model. Dynatect will fabricate the inner profile and the outer shape accordingly.

Legs/Sides Finishing

For bellows with stiffeners, extra fabric wrapping offers improved durability and enhanced protection against contaminants from multiple angles. The standard design has fabric on the out sides of the legs only. For exposure to contaminants or spray from sides or bottom of cover, Dynatect can optionally wrap both the sides and bottom of the legs with fabric.

Images comparing fabric wrapping options