T8 Lead Screw Z-Axis Holder (2020 V-Slot)

OpenBuilds parts · 2 types · 2 colours · 3 styles · 3 options in stock

OpenBuilds V-Slot extrusion, wheels and plates. The parameters are listed in order of importance: the one at the top decides the most, and no amount of care further down makes up for getting it wrong.

This page lists 3 options: Type All-in-one version / Split version, Colour / finish Black / Natural finish, Style / variant Aluminum alloy / Plastic version / Sheet metal model. From ¥4.4.

The parts of this item

Figure 1 — Two plates both called NEMA23 can differ by 2–3 mm in hole spacing. Get the spacing right, then talk about thickness.

What each parameter decides

Every parameter below shows the real range available on this page, and what goes wrong if you pick it wrong. Work through them in this order and you will not go far wrong.

How to choose, step by step

1. The extrusion — V-Slot has a V-shaped slot made for V-wheels. Plain T-slot extrusion cannot take V-wheels.
2. The wheel — Aluminum alloy / Plastic version / Sheet metal model and Wheel size. The wheel rides in the V and replaces the linear rail — it is the core of the whole system.

How the options on this page are distributed

Figure 2 — how the 3 options on this page are spread across each parameter: the bars on the left show how many options sit in each band, the panel on the right shows the real range of every parameter and how many steps it has.

Variant quick reference

Reading the part numbers

You can order by part number or by selecting the parameters. The part number is fastest, but it does not always encode every parameter — the selector on this page is the authority.

5 common mistakes

1. V-wheels only run in V-Slot. On plain T-slot they make point contact and the wheel face wears through fast.
2. The wheels need eccentric adjustment. Preload is set with the eccentric spacer: too tight and the axis drags, too loose and it rocks. Adjust every wheel after assembly.
3. Everything is on a 20 mm pattern. Drilling your own holes rarely lines up — use the made plates.
4. Measure before you order. Take the old part off and measure it, or send us a photo with the caliper reading — that beats guessing from a model number every time.
5. Everything here is in millimetres. Where a size is imperial, convert it: 1" = 25.4 mm, 1/4" = 6.35 mm, 3/32" = 2.38 mm.

When to replace it

You do not replace this until it fails — but "still looks usable" and "still reliable" are two different things. Any one of these and it is time:

• The V-wheel face is grooved or flat and the carriage rocks.
• Even at full eccentric preload it still rocks — the wheel or the extrusion is worn.
• The V-slot has rounded off and the wheel no longer sits in it.

Fitting and use

Check before assembly

• Wipe every mating surface with a lint-free cloth. No chips, no burrs, no old grease. One chip is enough to make a bearing noisy.
• Measure the fits — shaft, bore, centre height — against nominal. More than 0.02 mm out and you should check whether you have the right part.
• Check the orientation: the side with the shoulder, step or oil hole has to face the right way. Fitted backwards, it is usually scrap on removal.

Assembly

• Press if you can; do not hammer. If you must tap, use a brass or nylon drift and put the force on the ring that is being fitted, never through the raceway.
• For an interference fit, heat to 80–100 °C first (oil bath or hot plate — never an open flame on a bearing). Hot fitting is easier and safer than cold pressing.
• Tighten fasteners in a diagonal pattern in 2–3 stages. Taking one down fully first distorts the housing and cocks the shaft.

Running in

• Turn it by hand first. It should be smooth, with no tight spot and no axial play. If there is a tight spot, loosen and reseat — do not run it in.
• Run it slowly and unloaded for 10–20 minutes, then feel the temperature. A clear rise means too much preload or poor alignment.
• Re-torque the fasteners after running in, then apply load.

Three things not to do

• Do not hammer. It brinells the raceway, you cannot see it, and it whines forever afterwards.
• Do not mix brands or precision classes in a matched pair. The load shares unevenly and the poorer one always fails first.
• Do not skip lubrication on parts that need it. A few hundred hours dry and it seizes.

Matching parts

• V-wheels and eccentric spacers
• Plates and brackets
• Belt and belt clamps — for belt drive

Lead time, custom work and shipping

• Stock sizes: dispatched in 1–2 working days, subject to stock
• Custom: non-standard sizes, materials and treatments are possible — send quantity and drawing
• Shipping: from Shenzhen; domestic courier by default, DHL or dedicated line for export
• Volume: quantity pricing available, contact us for a quote

If you cannot find the size you need, or you are not sure which one fits, send us the problem you are solving — what machine it goes on, the dimensions of the part you have, what it has to achieve — and we will match it.