DualVee® Handles Weld Splatter & Metal Chips

Challenge: Rugged, robust design capable of operating in weld splatter, metal chips, and more with maximizing speed a key consideration.

Application Description: Large assembly welding jig to aid in the construction of truck body and door panels.

Solution: Using DualVee components allows this user to build a series of custom slides that permit simple dimensional changes and rapid set-up from one panel to the next, while maintaining acceptable accuracy and repeatability.

Product Used: DualVee size W4 wheels and track, and bushings

[ Learn more ] about Bishop-Wisecarver's mechanical solutions using DualVee guides wheels, track and custom options. We can move your imagination.

That's a Nice Shirt!

Jason from IWEARYOURSHIRT is wearing a DualVee shirt today!

How cool is that?

The I Wear Your Shirt team is helping us kick-off our 60th anniversary today. Check Jason and Evan out on there website.

Here a link to the blog about BWC.

We will be giving away t-shirts just like his, WD40 pens and other cool stuff today! Follow us on Twitter @BWCnews

The Patented DualVee® Washdown Linear Guide Wheel

Bishop-Wisecarver offers stainless steel washdown guide wheels with FDA approved grease. This patented design is ideal for applications in food and beverage processing, dairy, package handling, autoclaves, sterilization processes, lab and pharmaceutical. Sealed and shielded for added protection. Check out our latest video! 

LoPro, DualVee, UtiliTrak -- Oh My!

A photo share from Pamela Kan.

Bishop-Wisecarver on display at HepcoMotion's booth #1001 in hall 1 at Motek in Germany!

Motek in Stuttgart, Germany

A photo share from Pamela Kan at Motek in Stuttgart, Germany!

In this photo, our DualVee® product line at the TEA booth #5416 in hall #5.

Ball Bearings and Roller Bearings Used by the Egyptians?

Discovered some fun reading material this morning on mechanical bearings, and thought it might be fun to share.

In the "Transactions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Volume 27" by American Society of Mechanical engineers on page 441, I found this excerpt...

[ VIEW ] the original source: "Both ball and roller bearings are of hoary origin. The rollers used under a block of stone by the ancient Egyptians and in exactly the same way under the skids of a crate containing the latest product of the modern machine shop show familiarly the advantage of the substitution of rolling for sliding friction."

So, the essence of bearing technology dates to the Egyptians! Neat! The book goes on with more information that I bet you'll find interesting -- dips deeper into what led to the creation of ball and roller bearings. Give it a look!

For some other great history info on the evolution of mechanical bearings, check out the history section on the Wikipedia page about bearings.

Life of an Inventor Webisode Series, Up to 8 Videos!

Here is the latest installment from our webisode series of Bud Wisecarver.

Video quote clip from Bud: "If you don't have a toolmaker, you haven't anything. It doesn't matter how many philosophers you have, how many great engineers you have -- you don't have a toolmaker, you don't have anything. Even in the most primitive societies, the people who could make arrowheads, the toolmakers, they were the prize people."

[ VIEW ] the other seven webisodes!

HDS2 Heavy Duty Slide System: Solar Tube Transfer

 

The HepcoMotion HDS2 Heavy Duty Slide System exclusively from Bishop-Wisecarver is being used for the transfer of solar tubes from one palette to another palette. The connected carriages travel 6 meters back and forth. The HDS2 product line exclusively from Bishop-Wisecarver -- large increased load capacity bearings, construction beams in two sizes, single edge v slides and flat track, and a variety of drive options. Stainless steel and corrosion resistant components come standard, making this product line an ideal solution for many high load applications.

Talk to us today! Contact Bishop-Wisecarver by phone or thru e-mail.

VIDEO: Custom Linked Carriage System With Screw Drive

Custom Linked Carriage System With Screw Drive from Bishop-Wisecarver on Vimeo

Bogie carriages linked by adjustable connecting rods include rollers that engage with a drive screw, creating intermittent or continuous motion. The drive screw is made of a high quality, cam grade engineering plastic providing durability in demanding, high speed applications (up to 3 m/s). From low to high working loads, virtually any track path can be created using our wide range of rotary motion components and guides. The possibilities are endless.

Crushing Stones with "Shocking" Accuracy

[ VIEW PDF COPY ] MEDICAL EQUIPMENT APPLICATION PROFILE

Challenge: The customer designs therapy machines to crush kidney/gall stones by a piezoelectric shock wave treatment. The original system used an aluminum guide with two segments. However, inaccuracies were occuring due to deposits from the aluminum and the inability of the guide to handle the 20kg weight especially at the upper 55 degree position. The challenge was to design an application that could accurately position and easily move the therapy source with a minimal amount of friction.

Application Description: The very compact piezoelectric thereapy head is mounted on a 110 degree ring segment. It is moved manually and weighs approximately 20kg.

Solution: Since stainless steel is the preferred material for such an application, a Hepco Ring segment ground all over provided good load carrying capacity and a high level of corrosion resistance. The ring segment also had the required precision to enable the exact location of the kidney or gall stone to be attacked without affecting the surrounding tissue. Because the vee bearing technology has low friction characteristics and allows applications to operate without lubrication, the therapy machine can run dry avoiding possible contamination.

Products Used: HepcoMotion precision ring segment

What can Bishop-Wisecarver do for you? Give one of our applications engineers a call.

Q&A with Mechanical Engineer Ricardo Iraheta

Get to know Bishop-Wisecarver's Mechanical Engineer Ricardo Iraheta!

The bilingual speaker joined our company in December of 2008. He is one of two Spanish speaking mechanical engineers on our world-class engineering team. Originally from San Salvador, El Salvador, Iraheta holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?

Answer: Because I have always liked to solve problems.

Question: Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineer?

Answer: When I was a kid, my neighbors were engineering students. I would spend a lot of time with them and I would see their projects. It caught my attention. My interest in engineering was born. Then, when I was in high school, my physics teacher was a mechanical engineer. He was awesome. It was because of him that I picked mechanical engineering.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the BWC team?

Answer: None. This is my first job right after college.

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?

Answer: The ability to use your imagination.

Question: Any advice to aspiring mechanical engineers?

 Answer: Don't be afraid to share your ideas and to put your imagination to work, but most importantly, don't be afraid to make mistakes and to ask for help. Also, never give up on your dreams.

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an Engineer?

Answer: My customer's satisfaction. To be able to help a customer make the right choice. To be a leader.

Question: What do you like to do outside of work?

Answer: I love soccer (the real football, lol). I have been playing it ever since I remember. I also enjoy listening to music, although to be honest, after driving so much, I don't even listen to the radio anymore. Also, I definitely like going to the movies. My favorite types of movies are mystery, historical and of course, comedy.

Engineering Services by Leslie Lui Mechanical Design Engineer

Bishop-Wisecarver's applications engineers field many calls every day to answer technical questions and offer advice to customers who are in search of the best solutions for their linear motion applications. Bishop-Wisecarver invented the ground-breaking DualVee Motion Technology® more than 38 years ago and offers the widest range of standard linear guide wheel components, such as 6 sizes of DualVee® wheels, 5 sizes of track, and associated hardware. Alternatively, Bishop-Wisecarver can provide short runs of “custom” wheels engineered to customer requirements, such as special greases for specific applications. For example, our low temperature wheel is rated for use down to -94°F (-70°C) and is ideal for refrigeration and sub-zero climate applications while our high temperature wheel is rated up to +500°F (+260°C) to meet the demands of welding, plasma cutting and baking applications. Many other options are available; contact us to find out more.

More complex solutions may include a full customization of one of Bishop-Wisecarver’s linear actuator or guide systems. Our LoPro® systems are available undriven or in belt, chain, lead or ball screw drive configurations and easily withstand aggressive operational environments. All system features are customizable, including length - driven actuator systems up to 25m in length have been supplied while un-driven slide systems can have unlimited lengths.

Bishop-Wisecarver’s technical resources include applications, mechanical, materials, and manufacturing engineers. Bishop-Wisecarver is equipped with the latest engineering tools, including computer aided design and computer aided engineering software, R&D test equipment, and inspection/measurement equipment. We partner with our customers to design new products that meet the exact needs of their specific applications. After the designs have been reviewed and approved by the customer, Bishop-Wisecarver can provide prototype samples fabricated from our state-of-the-art machine shop for verification by the customer or, by request, can perform in-house product qualification testing. Once accepted, our production capability can be scaled-up to meet large volume requirements.

Bishop-Wisecarver strives to exceed our customers’ expectations and to provide easy access to custom-engineered solutions. Bishop-Wisecarver’s engineering resources are flexible and can be quickly reallocated to ensure that our services, whether custom solutions or technical consultations, satisfy customer demand and meet on-time delivery.

Contact us today -- Give us a [ call ] or use our [ online form ]

Linear Guide Wheels Gone Bad? Consider the Following

Bearings gone bad? Like any component you buy for your application, it's important to find quality products from a company you can count on, backed by the engineering support you deserve. Consider the following when sourcing linear guide wheels:

Are You Buying From the Recognized Industry Leader? Wheels can come from numerous plants with varying degrees of consistency, capability and quality control. Bishop-Wisecarver’s industry preferred products are the result of our control over all aspects of the specifications. Our quality speaks for itself.

Are You Buying Recognized, Documented Quality? Quality variation is not only an issue between manufactured lots, but also within wheel lots, which can leave you with field failures and upset customers. Contact angles can range from 7 degrees to 40 degrees, creating unpredictable load handling capabilities. Bishop-Wisecarver wheels have the same contact angle lot-to-lot every time, yielding reliable load handling capabilities.

Are you comfortable with the Metallurgy? Inconsistent steel sourcing leads to inconsistent quality. Bishop-Wisecarver bearing steel comes only from certified steel mills. Variation in steel leads to early wear and more downtime. All of Bishop-Wisecarver’s steel is certified to AISI standards for metallurgical content and performance.

Do the Bearings Have a Long Life? Controlled testing has shown that poor quality guide wheels regularly perform 40-60% below Bishop-Wisecarver’s wheels. Bishop-Wisecarvers’ wheels have extreme linear life, allowing for consistent and reliable operation of your equipment, resulting in less downtime and reduced costs.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER:

Are You Getting the Engineering Support You Deserve? Our application engineers have been designing v wheel based solutions since we first designed and patented the wheel in 1972. They are eager to assist you with your application. From properly sizing your system, to life and load calculations, we offer complete technical support. Bishop-Wisecarver offers custom bearing designs to fit your application as well as specialized wheel solutions for food, clean room, vacuum, high and low temperature applications.

Does the Company Offer Linear Track? Most manufacturers do not offer v profile track. If they do, they typically do not produce their own track. Your order must wait while other suppliers try to fill your request. Bishop-Wisecarver manufacturers a complete range of single and double edge track in the US. We can ship undrilled or predrilled carbon steel, stainless steel, and corrosion resistant track immediately from stock. Custom drilled track is usually shipped within 72 hours and unlike some companies lengths up to 20 feet are no problem.

Does the Company Offer a Written Warranty? Suppliers of other v wheels often provide no enforceable warranty against defects or poor workmanship. Bishop-Wisecarver provides a written three year warranty on our bearings and a written one year limited warranty on all other products, assuring the customer that its products conform to published specifications and are free from defects in material and workmanship.

Do You Want A Reputable, Industry Leader as Your Supplier? Bishop-Wisecarver remains the proven market leader in v guide wheel technologies with more than 40 years of experience serving a multitude of industries.

PAPER INDUSTRY: Guide Wheel System Properties, Selection & Sizing

By Brett Frederick, Project Engineer with C.G. Bretting Manufacturing and Kevin Kegel, Assembly Specialist with C.G. Bretting Manufacturing

Paper dust particulates wreak havoc with just about every aspect of paper converting machinery, and especially the bearings. Linear guides, planar bearings and shafts, even with wipers, lubricators, scrapers or bellows, tend to draw particulates into the bearings. Without adequate protection, paper dust mixes with bearing lubricant and damages bearing raceways and balls. We found Bishop-Wisecarver’s DualVee® guide-wheel carriages protected the bearings and track from particulates, resulting in higher machine performance ratings without sacrificing accuracy [ VIEW FULL PDF ]

President of Bishop-Wisecarver Quoted in Wall Street Journal

Firms Spend More—Carefully
Equipment Purchases Make Up for Recession
Cutbacks, Not to Raise Production    

By JUSTIN LAHART 

[ VIEW ] the article on Pamela's blog!