Rack and Pinion

About Rack and Pinion

Rack and Pinion

Atlanta rack and pinion drive systems

Atlanta are the world's largest supplier of precision rack and pinion, with the largest range of high quality racks available. This is complemented by their servo gearboxes which are designed to support the resultant radial and axial forces. Atlanta racks are available in a range of materials such as; steel, stainless steel and plastic. All steel racks are available as straight tooth or helical tooth. Helical toothed rack and pinion drives have the advantage of lower noise and offer higher load capability than straight tooth. Straight toothed gears and rack have the advantage of zero axial force on the pinion.
Steel racks are classified by their Quality rating from quality 10 down to quality 4. The lower the quality number the tighter the tolerance of the the tooth thickness and the pitch of the teeth. Also in general the lower the quality number the greater the load capability for a given size of rack. The tighter tolerance or greater precision is achieved by the way in which the teeth are treated. The teeth can be induction hardened, quenched and tempered, case hardened or untreated which is classified as "soft". Following the heat treatment the greater precision is achieved by grinding to the required tolerance. Atlanta racks are classified as:

• Basic rack (BR)
• Induction hardened - quality 10 - low accuracy, medium load capability
• Soft - quality 9 - medium accuracy, low load capability
• Precision rack (PR)
• Quenched and tempered - quality 8 - medium accuracy, low to medium load
  
• Induction hardened and ground - quality 8 - medium accuracy, medium load
  
• High Precision rack (HPR)
• Induction hardened or carburized hardened and ground - quality 6 and quality 7 - high accuracy, high load
• Ultra High Precision rack (UHPR)
  
• Induction hardened or carburized hardened and ground - quality 5 and quality 4 - ultra high accuracy, high load

• Atlanta helical rack and pinion can be supplied in modules 1.5 to 12. This allows a maximum transmittable force of up to 409kN for continous B10 lifetime.

  The helical style provides several key benefits over the straight style, including:

  • Helical rack & pinion runs quieter than the straight, especially at high speeds
  • Helical rack & pinion has a higher contact ratio (the number of effective teeth engaged) than straight, which increases the load carrying capacity
  • Helical rack lengths are nice round numbers, e.g. 500.0 mm and 1,000.0 mm, for easy integration with machine bed lengths
  • In most cases, helical rack & pinion cost the same as the straight rack & pinions!

  • Atlanta straight rack and pinion can be supplied in modules 1 to 12. 

    Straight rack lengths are always a multiple of pi., e.g. 502.65 mm and 1005.31 mm up to 30015.93 in one length

    This allows a maximum transmittable force of up to 333kN for continous B10 lifetime.

    Mounting holes can be specified for continous linking.

    See the videos tab for instructions on how to mount the rack and pinion correctly.

    ATLANTA stainless driving elements allows to solve any application requirements in case of special environmental conditions

    
    
    

     

Engineered for Precision

Delivering accuracy within 0.02 mm, this rack and pinion set undergoes precision milling to maintain consistent quality and reliability. Its tight manufacturing tolerances and smooth machined surfaces reduce wear and assure precise movement critical to complex automation and robotics applications.


Robust and Versatile Design

Constructed from alloy steel with a tough black oxide coating, this spur type rack and pinion resists corrosion and supports loads up to 1500 kgf. The assemblys robust structure and operational flexibility ensure it performs efficiently in industrial automation, lifting equipment, and CNC machinery environments.


Efficient Installation and Maintenance

Counter bored mounting holes spaced every 50 mm enable easy and secure installation. The system is designed for low maintenance; regular lubrication with grease or oil ensures quiet, smooth operation and prolongs lifespan in both high- and low-temperature settings.