50 mm Optical Construction Rails

Build Enclosures and Other Rigid Mechanical Assemblies
Anodized Rail Lengths: 20" - 80" and 0.5 m - 2 m
2.8 m Long Raw Extrusions

50.0 mm

1/4"-20 (M6) Taps
(4 Places, Both Ends)

Channel Accepts T-Nuts,
Rail Joiners, or Enclosure Panels

XE50R

Raw Aluminum,
2.8 m Long, No Taps

Metric Indicator
(Both Ends)

XE5075L20

Anodized Aluminum,
20" Long, 1/4"-20 Taps

XE50L05/M

Black Anodized,
0.5 m Long, M6 Taps

XE50 Series Rail

Related Items

Right-Angle Brackets & Plates

Mounting Feet for 50 mm Rails

T-Nuts and Screws for XE Rails

XE Rail Channel Insert

Laser Safety Fabric Panels

XE Rail Joiner

Optical Rails

Optical Enclosures

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Overview
Engineering Specs
Feedback

50 mm & 75 mm Construction Rail Accessories

50 mm Rails	75 mm Rails	T-Nuts and Screws	Right-Angle Mounting	Mounting Feet	Rail Joiners	Channel Insert

Features

50 mm Square Construction Rails
50 mm x 75 mm Hybrid Construction Rails
Anodized Rails Available from Stock:
- 20", 40", or 80" Long Rails with Imperial Taps
- 0.5 m, 1 m, or 2 m Long Rails with Metric Taps
2.8 m Raw Extrusions Available from Stock
Rail Channels Accommodate Mechanical Components
Contact Tech Support for Custom Rail Lengths

With a 50 mm x 50 mm profile, Thorlabs' XE50 Construction Rails are strong and lightweight options for building three-dimensional mechanical structures. They consist of extruded lengths of aluminum that feature channels on all four sides, as shown in the image at the top of the page. These channels make the rails mechanically compatible with other optomechanical components. For instance, by inserting T-Nuts into the channels, any 8-32 (M4) or 1/4"-20 (M6) optomechanical component can be fastened to the rail sides. Our 50 mm x 75 mm hybrid rails are sturdier and offer an additional channel on two sides, similar to our 75 mm rails.

Our 50 mm square and 50 mm x 75 mm hybrid rails are offered in pre-cut 20", 40", and 80" lengths (0.5 m, 1 m, and 2 m) and are finished with a durable, black anodized coating. We also offer 2.8 m long, raw, unanodized aluminum rails without taps for customer machining. Please contact Tech Support for custom rail lengths. For material properties including mass per meter, cross-sectional area, and second moment of area, please refer to the Engineering Specs tab.

Thorlabs' accessories for assemblies made of 50 mm rails include brackets, T-nuts, low-profile channel screws, rail joiners, and a channel cover / panel holder.

Optical Rail Selection Guide
19 mm Dovetail	25 mm Square	34 mm Square & Dovetail	50 mm Square & Rectangular	66 mm Square & Dovetail	75 mm Square & Rectangular	95 mm Square & Dovetail

Physical Properties of 25, 50, & 75 mm Rails
Rail Size		25 mm x 25 mm	50 mm x 50 mm	50 mm x 75 mm	75 mm x 75 mm
Rail Cross Section
Mass/Length		0.811 kg/m	2.227 kg/m	2.959 kg/m	3.690 kg/m
Cross-Sectional Area		3.13 cm²	8.25 cm²	10.96 cm²	13.67 cm²
Second Moment of Area^a	X-Axis	1.68 cm⁴	23.9 cm⁴	33.9 cm⁴	96.4 cm⁴
Second Moment of Area^a	Y-Axis	1.68 cm⁴	24.2 cm⁴	70.0 cm⁴	97.1 cm⁴
Aluminum Alloy		6000 Series	6063-T6

The second moment of area, also known as the area moment of inertia, of a beam is a physical property that represents the beam's ability to resist bending under load. This property takes into account the distribution of material and its distance from the specified axis.

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50 mm Square Construction Rails

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Mechanical Drawing

50 mm x 50 mm Profile with Eight Channels
Black Anodized Finish
Four 1/4"-20 (M6 x 1.0) Tapped Holes on Both Ends
Contact Tech Support for Custom Rail Lengths

Our 50 mm rails have rail channels on all four sides for use in one-, two-, or three-dimensional constructions. These channels feature 6.5 mm openings and accept T-nuts, rail joiners, enclosure panels, and channel covers. Each rail end is tapped with four 1/4"-20 (M6 x 1.0) holes for compatibility with standard optomechanics. The rail length tolerance is ±0.006" (±150 µm).

As shown in the family image at the top of the page, metric rails are denoted by a small hole on one end of the extrusion.

50 mm x 75 mm Construction Rails

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Mechanical Drawing

50 mm x 75 mm Profile with Ten Channels
Black Anodized Finish
Six 1/4"-20 (M6 x 1.0) Tapped Holes on Both Ends
Contact Tech Support for Custom Rail Lengths

Our 50 mm x 75 mm rails have rail channels on all four sides for use in one-, two-, or three-dimensional constructions. These channels feature 6.5 mm openings and accept T-nuts, rail joiners, enclosure panels, and channel covers. Each rail end is tapped with six 1/4"-20 (M6 x 1.0) holes for compatibility with standard optomechanics. The rail length tolerance is ±0.006" (±150 µm).

As shown in the family image at the top of the page, metric rails are denoted by a small hole on each end of the extrusion.

Construction Rails with 50 mm Sides, Raw Extrusion

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Unanodized Extrusions for Custom Applications
50 mm Square or 50 mm x 75 mm Profiles
2.8 m (9.2') Length
End Holes are Not Tapped
Contact Tech Support for Custom Rail Lengths

These rails are unanodized, rough-cut extrusions for customers who prefer to machine and finish their own rails. The end holes of each extrusion can be 1/4"-20 or M6 tapped without additional machining by the user. Their aluminum construction makes it easy to machine in your own machine shop.