drylin® curved linear rails and guides

drylin® curved linear guides let a carriage travel along an arc, a half circle, or even a full circle instead of a straight line. That makes them a good fit wherever a door, panel, seat, or display has to follow a curved path or a curved contour, without the hinges, linkages, or pivot arms a straight rail would need. Curved rails are available in drylin® W and drylin® C profiles, paired with special carriages designed to follow the bend, and they glide on dry-running iglide® liners.

Marine is one of the most common uses for curved rails. Boats and ships are full of curved surfaces, from hulls and cabin tops to helm stations and interior bulkheads, and curved rails follow those lines directly. Typical examples include sliding doors and hatches, retractable covers and hardtops, sliding seating and consoles, and adjustable monitors and instruments. Because the bearings run dry, there is no grease to wash out, collect salt and grit, or stain upholstery and decks. See more in our marine industry solutions.

You can choose from standard bend options for drylin® W in our online shop, or have a rail bent to your exact radius. Either way, bending direction, rail length, and carriage combination can be matched to your application, and an optional manual clamp locks the carriage in position. One design tip: the larger the rail profile, the larger the bend radius it needs. If a rail is bent too tightly, the material gathers at the bend and the rail diameter grows, so carriages can no longer run on it. Not sure which profile or radius fits? Contact an expert and we will help you specify it.