Steel Telescopic Covers

The latest technology machines demand the best possible slideway protection systems

Beakbane Steel Telescopic Covers are designed to protect machine tool slideways and are precision-built for optimum efficiency. Over the last three decades, Beakbane has developed and refined its design know-how and understanding of the requirements of machine tool builders to the point where it is an acknowledged international leader in its field.

The protection of machine tool slideways is essential if machine tool accuracy is to be maintained, down time reduced, and associated maintenance costs avoided.

By working closely with machine tool builders and adjusting quickly to the demands of the latest technology, Beakbane Steel Telescopic Covers have become an integral part of many machine tool designs. We cannot stress too strongly the importance of the cover requirements being considered at the design stage if maximum efficiency and cost benefits are to be achieved.

Our computerised design programme provides data for the precision manufacture of Beakbane Covers. This ensures instant recall of all information needed for repeat orders: also, as an indication of the precision in our manufacturing procedures, it enables us to replace a damaged ‘box’ in a cover when required.

The individual boxes that make up each cover are interlinking, and depending on the box structure, can be sufficiently rigid to support the weight of an operator when the cover is stationary.

Wiper seals are fitted, as required, to the leading edge of all boxes with the exception of the smallest. The wiper is pressure loaded so preventing the ingress of swarf and other unwanted foreign bodies. The wiper itself is made from hardwearing polyurethane or nitrile rubber, protected in its own steel case from hot chips and swarf.

Click here to download our literature and enquiry forms, or here to complete an enquiry online.

Technical Data

In marginal cases a slight increase in stroke capability from the given number of boxes may be achieved by utilising a straight wiper edge configuration instead of the standard sloping edge

Beakbane Covers were originally designed to operate at speeds of 20mtr/min for bedway widths in excess of 2500mm. Over the past years traverse speeds and accelerations have increased such that axis speeds of 40mtr/min are common and cover designs have been developed for these rates. Higher axis speeds of up to 80-100mtr/min form part of our development programme.

In Beakbane Steel Telescopic Covers the boxes run on low friction guide pieces, or on rollers. Clearance is made between the sides of boxes to reduce friction. Sideways movement is accurately controlled by the side glide pieces and the bearing metal strips. When extra sealing is needed, wipers can be fitted on the sides of boxes, but this increases the force required to move the covers.