Printable PTFE linear bearings for 8mm rods and 4mm ptfe tubing.

cults3d

I designed these new linear bearings specifically for my new steel Prusa assembly. I didn't want to wait for IGUS bearings, so I opted not to use them instead. The benefit of these bearings over standard ball bearings is that they can be easily made at home, weigh significantly less than typical aluminum bearing blocks, are quieter and can be readjusted multiple times as the PTFE liners wear out. Insert three 4 mm diameter and less than 25 mm length pieces of PTFE tubing (six pieces of less than 15 mm length for the long bearings) into the inside of each bearing, slide them onto the shaft and insert an M4 grub screw or regular M4 screw in the single hole in the middle to adjust the tightness of the bearing. It will need to be adjusted after bedding in as well. Use four M4 screws to attach the bearings just like standard bearing blocks. PTFE-bearing02 has slots for regular M4 nuts, while nyloc nuts are too hard to turn and may break the blocks unless they are threaded before installation. The mounting dimensions remain the same. The bearings will bind if they are moved on the rod alone without mounting them to a rigid surface because they can be easily teetered by hand. When two bearings are sliding together with a frame, they should glide smoothly. I might upload more variations that orient the PTFE liners differently later on for load optimizations in different applications. PTFE-bearing01 has integrated threads in the mounting holes. PTFE-bearing01-nut has hex slots for inserting M4 nuts for the mounting holes. PTFE-bearing02 has integrated threads in the mounting holes and Teflon linings rotated 90°. PTFE-bearing02-nut has hex slots for inserting M4 nuts for the mounting holes, with Teflon linings rotated 90°. PTFE-bearing03 is externally shaped exactly like standard bearing blocks and has integrated threads. PTFE-bearing03-nut is externally shaped exactly like standard bearing blocks and has hex slots for inserting M4 nuts for the mounting holes. PTFE-bearing04 is a long version, with integrated threads in the mounting holes. PTFE-bearing04-nut is a long version, with hex slots for inserting M4 nuts for the mounting holes.