Turcite B for CNC Machining Centre Guideways
Turcite B sheet is bonded to the slideways of CNC machining centres so that a low-friction PTFE face replaces metal-on-metal contact on the feed axes. On a vertical or horizontal machining centre that means smoother interpolation at low feed, less stick-slip when an axis reverses, and a way surface that can be re-machined instead of replaced.
Where the liner sits on a machining centre
A machining centre has three linear axes and at least one of them carries the heaviest combined load: the table and workpiece on the X and Y slides, the column and spindle head on the Z. Each sliding interface — saddle on bed, table on saddle, head on column — is a candidate for a bonded liner, either as a full facing or as a strip pair running on the load-carrying faces.
The liner is not a bearing in the rolling sense. It is a sacrificial, machinable facing that converts a cast-iron-on-cast-iron slide into a polymer-on-cast-iron slide. That conversion is what changes the friction curve, and the friction curve is what limits contour accuracy at low feed.
- Saddle and table slides on the bed and cross slide
- Column ways and headstock slides on the Z axis
- Gib strips on dovetail or box ways where clearance is adjusted
- Wear plates behind the table where the cutting force pushes the slide into the way
Why a liner fixes stick-slip on a feed axis
Stick-slip is the jump an axis makes when static friction releases into dynamic friction. Cast iron on cast iron has a wide gap between the two, so a worn slide moves in steps until the servo loop catches up. A PTFE-based facing narrows that gap, which is why a relined axis can hold a steady crawl speed without the servo hunting.
This matters most where the machine spends its time: finishing passes, small tool engagements and interpolation moves where the axis is never allowed to reach a high feed rate. Two machines with identical ballscrews can behave completely differently on the same part simply because one has a tired metal slide and the other has a fresh liner.
Specifying the material
Standard supply is 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 2.0 / 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.2 mm thick and 100 / 200 / 300 / 305 mm wide, in rolls of 5, 10, 15 or 20 m, and it can be cut to length per slide. Thickness is chosen from the amount of metal that has to come off the way during reconditioning, not from the load alone: the liner has to bring the slide back to its original centre height once the worn surface has been machined away.
Blue and green grades cover most machining-centre work. If the machine runs a heavy cast-iron removal cut with a large face mill, the load path and the way pressure decide the grade more than the colour does — send us the slide dimensions and the cut you run and we will quote the strip and the adhesive together.
Bonding and finishing sequence
The treated, darker face bonds to the prepared metal; the light face becomes the running surface. Two-part epoxy is applied to both faces, the strip is laid and clamped evenly, and the assembly cures for 24 hours at 20–25 °C before any machining. Milling, grinding or hand scraping then brings the face to final geometry and cuts the oil grooves.
On a machining centre the finishing step is where accuracy is won or lost. The liner is soft enough to machine easily, which also means it is easy to machine badly: an aggressive pass loads the face and pushes it off the bond line. Shallow, repeated passes with sharp tooling and a support underneath the strip are the difference between a reline that holds tolerance and one that creeps in service.
Materials for this application
- Turcite B Replacement Blue — All-purpose low-friction slideway strip for machine tool guideways.
- Turcite B Replacement Green — Green-grade slideway strip with a balanced friction and wear profile.
- Two Part Epoxy-Adhesive — High-strength two-component epoxy for bonding slideway strip to metal ways.
Technical guides for this machine
- CNC Lathe Feed-Axis Guideway Repair with Slideway Tape
- Stick-Slip on CNC Guideways: Why PTFE Soft Liners Stop It
- Machine Accuracy After Relining: Positioning and Repeatability Checks
Frequently asked questions
- Can a machining centre way be relined without removing the table?
- Small slides are sometimes relined in place by a rebuild crew, but a machining centre normally needs the table or saddle removed so the way can be cleaned, machined and clamped evenly during cure. Removing the slide also lets you check the way for wear steps before deciding how much liner thickness is required.
- Which thickness should I order for a machining centre?
- Order from the amount of metal removed during reconditioning plus the clearance the design needs. Standard thicknesses run from 0.8 to 3.2 mm; if the ways have been machined several times before, a thicker liner is usually needed to restore centre height.
- Does the liner change the machine geometry?
- Yes, by its own thickness. Every liner adds material between the slide and the way, so the slide rises by roughly the liner thickness and the axis has to be re-aligned afterwards. That is why thickness is specified first and the finishing cut is planned around it.
Get a quotation for this application
Send the machine type, the axis, the length of each slide and the thickness you need, and we quote the strip, the two-part epoxy adhesive and the spotting paste together.