 Advantage

◦ Simple to manufacture
◦ Self adjusting in case of wear
◦ Saddle is well supported
 Disadvantages

◦ Tendency to accumulate dirt and chips

◦ Need adjustment for clearance
◦ Poor in lubricant retention
 Use

◦ High supporting force on long slideway

◦ Bigger machine tool with high force
 Two types: Symmetrical and Unsymmetrical
 Symmetrical if load is evenly distributed
 Usually combined with flat slideway for better

guidance and load bearing

 Symmetrical Vee
◦ Employed when the load on the slideway is
vertical, which is rare.
 Unsymmetrical Vee
◦ More commonly used in machine tool
◦ Longer face should be placed perpendicular to the
direction of the resultant force.
 Advantages
◦ Self adjusting capability
◦ Surrounded vee prevents dirt accumulation
◦ Easy traverse and accurate guiding
 Disadvantages
◦ Surrounded type cannot retain lubricant
◦ Surrounded type weakens the saddle
◦ Wears rapidly
 Use
◦ Medium and small lathe
◦ Planer machine
 Advantages
◦ Require small space
◦ Simple clearance adjustment
◦ Can stand vertical upward force
 Disadvantage
◦ Relatively costly to manufacture
◦ Poor retention of lubricant
 Use
◦ Cross slides in lathe
◦ Milling machine tables
◦ Saddles and knees
 Theoretically
fully constrained slideway
 Easy to manufacture
 Disadvantages

◦ Low rigidity as fixed at two ends

◦ Clearance is difficult to adjust
 Use

◦ Column drilling machine

◦ Over-arm of milling machine
◦ Tailstock sleeve
 Life and smooth functioning of slideways depends on
clearance between sliding surface
 Too small clearance – give rise to excessive frictional

force
 Too large clearance – adversely affect the uniformity

of travel
 Initial clearance alters in the course of slideway

operation due to its wear

 Necessary to provide devices for periodic

adjustments of clearances in the slideway