WOOD DALE, IL – Thomson?400 Series Profile Rail Linear Guides have been selected by Plant Engineering magazine subscribers as a 2011 Product of the Year Award winner. The 400 Series delivers high value linear motion in applications with straightforward automation requirements. These linear guides provide smooth, accurate and quiet operation; and in particularly sound-sensitive applications, a ball cage option can further increase smoothness and reduce machine noise.

"Winners are selected by a vote of qualified Plant Engineering subscribers – the engineers who buy, specify and use these products on a daily basis. They are the most qualified people you can find to understand how new products reduce energy costs, ensure safety and improve productivity on the manufacturing plant floor. That’s why the Plant Engineering Product of the Year award is so highly regarded in our industry," says Bob Vavra, Editor, Plant Engineering magazine.

"We are obviously delighted that Plant Engineering readers recognize the value that the 400 Series brings to the table for OEMs and end users alike," says Tom Dwyer, Product Line Manager. "With the 400 Series, one rail type can be installed where both standard and ball carriage options are used. This simplifies the bill of materials for a given machine and reduces component inventory requirements by enabling machine builders to standardize on a linear motion solution across multiple machine designs."

400 Series Profile Rail Linear Guides are available in 4 meter lengths, in sizes from 15 – 45 mm in 5 mm increments, for extended joint-free rail transfer, even in smaller-sized applications. Double-faced ball track bearing arrangements allow for compliance to simplify installation, and enable equal load carrying capacity in all directions. The 400 Series is available with standard or ball cage carriages that use the same rail design.

These profile rail linear guides are rated to handle loads ranging from 9800 N up to 129,500 N. They feature a polymer ball-return tube that reduces noise while retaining lubrication. The ball cage option includes individual ball lubricant reservoirs to increase running smoothness and operating life, while reducing noise by up to 30% when compared with standard carriages, even at high speeds.

400 Series Profile Rail Linear Guides are an ideal linear motion solution for uncomplicated factory and laboratory automation, packaging, food and beverage, life science and certain medical applications. With an industry standard envelope and hole patterns, they are completely interchangeable with other profile rail systems and are well-suited as a drop-in replacement. And for higher precision mounting and more compliant system requirements in machine tool, forming, and many other applications with demanding linear motion requirements, the company’s time-tested and field-proven 500 Series Profile Rail Linear Guides are an ideal solution.

About Thomson
With more than 60 years of motion control innovation and quality, Thomson is the industry’s premier producer of Linear Ball Bushing® Bearings and Profile Rail Bearings, 60 Case? Shafting, ground and rolled Ball Screws, Linear Actuators, Gearheads, Clutches, Brakes, Linear Systems, and related accessories. Thomson invented the Linear Ball Bushing Bearing in 1945, and has set the standard ever since with an unsurpassed set of mechanical motion control solutions serving global commercial and aerospace & defense markets. Thomson Industries, Inc. has facilities in North America, Europe and Asia with over 2000 distributor locations around the world.

Thomson, 1500 Mittel Boulevard, Wood Dale, IL 60191-1073; 1-540-633-3549; 1-540-633-0294 (fax); thomson@thomsonlinear.com; www.thomsonlinear.com.