Heel Guide Rails No Groove Configurable

Heel guide rails without a heel groove are used in injection mold tooling where rail-based slide positioning must remain stable, but a heel groove would reduce sealing area or complicate assembly. The configurable rail design helps maintain consistent alignment across repeated cycles, especially when guide surfaces must stay clean.

Common scenarios include:

• Automotive connector and bracket molds: use the no-groove heel configuration to support precise slide travel in compact tooling, while selecting the oil groove option when long running lubrication control is needed.
• Appliance and consumer-part molds: pair the rails with slide plates or undercut mechanisms to reduce positional drift under vibration and ejection forces.
• Jig systems and small machine fixtures: the selectable oil/no-oil groove and steel choices provide wear-resistant guidance for reliable repeatability.

This variant is suited because it delivers controlled guide rail motion without requiring a heel groove, while still allowing lubricant management through the selectable oil groove option.

This heel guide rail is available in SKS3 or HPM2T steel, giving engineers a choice between standard wear guidance and higher wear-focused performance.

• SKS3: high-carbon die/guide steel commonly used for wear parts; typically supplied as pre-hardened or heat-treatment-ready stock for guidance components.
• HPM2T: an improved tool steel option selected for better wear resistance for sliding contact; used where guidance surfaces experience frequent motion and abrasion.

Heat treatment is typically specified by the supplier/process route for the chosen grade (e.g., quench & temper or hardening to reach target hardness). For guide rails, hardness trades off against toughness: higher hardness improves wear resistance but can reduce resistance to chipping or edge damage under shock loading.

Manufacturing is generally via precision forming/machining to hold rail thickness/width and bolt-hole geometry, followed by surface finishing suitable for sliding contact.

Select dimensions by matching the rail geometry to the mold slide plate and mounting base requirements. The rail is specified by thickness T (10–30 mm), width W (10–40 mm), and length L across multiple ranges: 35–100, 40–150, 40–200, 50–200, or 40–100 mm, depending on the configuration you choose.

• Choose L to cover the full bearing travel zone on the slide—too short can concentrate load at the ends; too long may interfere with neighboring tooling features.
• Match T and W to the available rail pocket/seat on the guide plate so the rail sits correctly without rocking.
• Verify mounting hole count (2, 3, or 4 pieces) and the pitch set: A (6–10.5 mm), B (16–31.5 mm), and C (26–52.5 mm), plus the overall D pitch/extent options (36–94, 36–144, 46.5–192.5, 57–191, 67.5–189.5, 73.5–189.5).

Because the product supports configurable oil groove and multiple size ranges, ensure your cavity/core and slide design uses the same mounting pattern; allow for manufacturing tolerances in hole pitch and alignment to prevent binding during cycling.