Custom machined part
UHMW chain guides & guide rails
- Chain guides
- Matched to your chain path
- Wear strips
- Flat, beveled & grooved
- Guide rails
- Straight, cut to length
- Size range
- 0.125"–4" thick · 0.25"–12" wide
Custom-machined UHMW chain guides, wear strips and guide rails that protect the frame and keep chain, belt and product on their path. Matched to your worn guide or made to your drawing.
- Profiles matched from worn guides
- Family owned in Aurora since 1986
- Expedited service for breakdowns
Guide types and features
Wear strips, chain guides and guide rails
All three are fixed to the machine while chain, belt or product slides along them. We machine them from UHMW sheet and bar, to your drawing or matched to the old piece.
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Wear strips
Flat or beveled strips that support chain or belt on the carryway and returnway, and protect the frame.
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Chain guides
Profiled sections that hold the chain from the side or above so it stays on track.
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Guide rails
Straight side rails that locate bottles, cans and packages along the conveyor.
- 01
Cut to size
Width, thickness and length to your drawing or the old guide.
- 02
Bevels and lead-ins
Beveled edges and tapered ends so chain and product enter smoothly.
- 03
Grooves
Grooves machined into the wear face where your guide needs them.
- 04
Holes and counterbores
Drilled, countersunk or counterbored so fastener heads sit below the wear face.
- 05
Slots
Slotted holes that let a strip move as it grows with heat.
- 06
Notches and end details
Notches, cutouts and end shapes to clear brackets and joints.
Why guides fail
What you see, and the likely cause
Knowing why the old guide failed helps get the replacement right. These are common causes; your team makes the call.
- 01
Wear-through
- You see
- The frame shows through, or the chain path has changed.
- Likely cause
- Normal wear over time, sped up by grit, high pressure or running dry.
- 02
Buckling or warping
- You see
- Strips bow, lift or shift at the joints, often in warm weather.
- Likely cause
- Heat growth with no room to move. See mounting below.
- 03
Softening or glazing
- You see
- A shiny, smeared or melted-looking wear face.
- Likely cause
- Heat from high speed, high pressure or running dry.
- 04
Loose or torn holes
- You see
- Fasteners pulling through or holes stretched oval.
- Likely cause
- Movement at clamped points under load or heat.
- 05
Grit build-up
- You see
- Dirt packed on the wear face, more noise and drag.
- Likely cause
- Contamination raising friction and heat.
- 06
Chain binding or riding up
- You see
- Chain catches, grinds on the side or climbs out of the guide.
- Likely cause
- Misaligned strips, worn profile or a step at a joint.
Mounting for heat growth
Why UHMW strips buckle
UHMW grows with heat many times more than steel. Bolted tight along a long run, it has nowhere to go, so it bows and shifts. Common ways to allow for it:
- Slotted or oversized holes So the strip can slide along its length as it grows.
- Gaps at the joints Room between sections so they don’t push against each other.
- One fixed point per strip Anchor one point and let the rest float.
Tell us the run length, temperature range and how it’s mounted. We machine the holes, slots and ends to your layout; the mounting design stays your call.
Getting a quote
Start with what you have
Any one of these is enough to get a quote started. Pick yours to see what helps.
Send the drawing and we machine to it.
- Lengths and quantity
- Hole and slot layout
- UHMW grade, if specified
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Send a section of the old guide and we’ll work from it.
- Photos of the installed run
- Total length needed
- Quantity
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
Send what you know. We’ll ask for the rest.
- Profile width and thickness
- Length and how it’s mounted
- A photo of the run
Upload drawings, CAD files or photos on the quote form.
UHMW grades
UHMW grades for guides
We machine to the grade on your drawing. If none is specified, we’ll suggest one, or another plastic where heat, speed or pressure is beyond UHMW.
- Best for Food lines and general use
Virgin UHMW
The standard grade. FDA food-contact documentation available.
- Best for Non-food conveyors
Reprocessed UHMW
An economical grade for applications without food contact.
- Best for Lines with metal or X-ray inspection
Detectable UHMW
Metal- and X-ray-detectable grades. FDA food-contact documentation available.
- Best for Electronics and static-sensitive areas
Static-dissipative
Reduces static build-up on the guide.
Colors: natural white, black, and blue for detectable grades.
Switching from steel?
UHMW or steel guides
UHMW suits most sliding guide work, but not every run. Speed, pressure, heat and run length all matter.
Where UHMW helps
- Low friction
- Chain, belt and product slide easily, and many guides run without grease.
- Abrasion and impact resistance
- Stands up to sliding wear and knocks along the run.
- No rust
- Unaffected by washdown and wet service.
- Gentler on chain and product
- A softer contact surface than steel against chain, bottles and packages.
- Quieter running
- Plastic contact is generally quieter than metal on metal.
Machined in Aurora
How your guides are made
±0.002"–
±0.005"
On critical dimensions, depending on the plastic. Our machinists know how UHMW moves and how to hold it without distorting it.
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Cut from sheet and bar
Strips, rails and guides cut to width, thickness and length from UHMW sheet and bar. Long runs are made in sections.
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Machined to your layout
Holes, slots, counterbores, bevels and end details where your drawing or old guide puts them.
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One piece to production
A single replacement or recurring runs, with specs and CAD files kept for reorders.
Evaluating a supplier? See the shop and how we check the work.
Where UHMW guides run
- Food & beverage Bottle-line rails and detectable guides
- Packaging Changeover guide sets for different container sizes
- Material handling Sortation and accumulation zones
- Chemical processing Guides for corrosive areas
- Manufacturing & assembly Static-dissipative guides for production lines
- Agricultural Grain handling and outdoor service
Buyer questions
UHMW guide FAQs
Something else? Call (630) 904-2525.
Usually not. UHMW’s low friction lets most guides run dry, though speed, pressure, heat and grit all affect how a guide wears. Tell us how yours runs.
Virgin and detectable UHMW grades are available with FDA food-contact documentation. Tell us what your line requires and we’ll quote the right grade.
We hold ±0.002" to ±0.005" on critical dimensions, depending on the plastic. We review your drawing and confirm the critical dimensions with your quote.
Yes. Specifications and CAD files are kept for future orders, and reorders use a shorter form.
Timing depends on the profile, length and quantity, and comes with your quote. For an emergency breakdown, ask about our expedited service.
Not a guide?
Find the right part
Standard quote
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Experienced help from your first quote to the finished part.