Recirculating Ball Slide for 1" Square Tube (Improved)

thingiverse

This is an enhanced version of my previous ball slide (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:943122). It utilizes 6mm dia airsoft pellets as bearing balls, and its design makes it lower-profile and runs with a smoother operation. One notable feature is that while the balls in the oval circuit appear to merely rub against the tube, one leg of the circuit is elevated slightly, allowing the rest of the circuit to be recessed so that the balls can freely recirculate. So how smooth and precise is this ball slide? To begin with, by adjusting the clamping screws, you can tighten it to completely eliminate all backlash. However, being made out of plastic, it will never match the stiffness of a hardened steel slide. You can increase its stiffness some by increasing the preload, but as you do, the movement becomes less smooth and wear increases. For the most part, this is really only recommended for light or intermittent duty applications. It would be perfect for use on FRC robots.